Aviant, a Norway-based drone logistics company, took home the $1 million grand prize at the GENIUS NY Round 8 Pitch Finals, held during Innovation Night in Syracuse. Four other global finalists—Aerialoop, Crover, Flyhound, and INVOLI—each received $500,000, making up a total of $3 million in investments to accelerate the next generation of tech innovation in Central New York.
Funded by Empire State Development and operated by CenterState CEO, GENIUS NY is the world’s largest accelerator for uncrewed systems and a centerpiece of New York’s push to become the national leader in UAS and advanced air mobility.
“We’ve built a global reputation for drone innovation—and GENIUS NY is key to that success,” said Rob Simpson, CenterState CEO President. “This year’s finalists continue to elevate the impact of our ecosystem.”
With over $24 million invested in 42 teams across eight cohorts, GENIUS NY has helped participating startups raise more than $350 million in follow-on funding and create hundreds of high-quality jobs statewide.
The event, hosted in CenterState CEO’s newly expanded INSPYRE Innovation Hub, featured more than 450 attendees, including judges and investors from across the startup and UAS world. It also spotlighted other innovation programs like the Syracuse Surge Accelerator, and included remarks from alumni of both programs, including Yami Payano (Sign-Speak) and Peter Fuchs (Ascent AeroSystems)—whose company was recently acquired by Robinson Helicopter.
“This isn’t just about drones,” said GENIUS NY Director Kara Jones. “It’s about building a diverse, global community of tech entrepreneurs right here in Central New York.”
📍 Learn more or apply for GENIUS NY Round 9 at geniusny.com
📍 → Read the full announcement
