Winners of Grow-NY Business Competition Announced

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced New York City-based Barnwell Bio as the $1 million grand-prize winner of the eighth annual Grow-NY business competition. Barnwell Bio analyzes the barn microbiome to help poultry and livestock producers better understand animal health risk and opportunity on their operations. The competition awarded a total of $3 million in investments to seven of the 20 finalists selected for the Grow-NY business accelerator, which is administered by the Center for Regional Economic Advancement. Winners were announced at the Grow-NY Summit, a two-day event in Rochester, where finalists pitched their business plans to a panel of expert judges. Each winning startup company is required to commit to growing jobs, partnerships, and operations within Grow-NY’s 22-county region in Upstate New York. As part of that requirement, each startup must establish operations in the region for at least one year and provide a modest equity stake to Cornell University, helping to fund future food and agriculture entrepreneurship programs at the university.

“Congratulations to all of the brilliant entrepreneurs who took part in round eight of the Grow-NY competition. They represent some of the most innovative agribusiness entrepreneurs from around the world helping to move our state’s food and agriculture sector to the next level,” Governor Hochul said. “Through Grow-NY, my administration is doubling down on its commitment to driving economic growth in every part of our state, sparking innovation, and creating the jobs and opportunities that will move New York forward.”

Michael Rhys, Founder and CEO of Barnwell Bio, said, “Winning the $1 million Grow-NY investment gives us an opportunity to develop our business while strengthening New York’s food and agriculture economy. We are beyond excited to dig in and get to work.”

The finalist teams were provided with expert mentorship and guidance as they developed their business plans and visited the Grow-NY region leading up to the Summit. During the event, they presented their pitches to a panel of five judges with expertise in agriculture, food and beverage production, and venture development.

Other winners included:

$500,000 Winner: CryoBio, Ithaca, New York: CryoBio is developing an effective and affordable solution to fight frost in agriculture, a major threat exacerbated by climate change, which is expected to cause annual losses of $50 billion globally.

$500,000 Winner: Fooditive BV, Rotterdam, Netherlands: Fooditive BV is a precision fermentation company turning microbes into real, animal-free casein for dairy and a zero-calorie sweetener for sugar reduction, licensed to global food and beverage manufacturers.

$250,000 Winner: Earnest Agriculture, Rantoul, Illinois: Earnest Agriculture is developing an AI-powered microbe matching platform that replaces chemical farm inputs with active bacteria — increasing yields by 7 percent and giving farmers a 3x return.

$250,000 Winner: Frost Methane Labs Co., Juneau, Alaska: Frost Methane partners with livestock farmers to neutralize methane from manure ponds, earning carbon credit revenue and preventing water ingress.

$250,000 Winner: NRGene Canada, Saskatoon, Canada: NRGene Canada maximizes agricultural profitability through an asset-light network that converts low-value by-products into premium feed using proprietary AIgenomics.

$250,000 Winner: Spectacular Labs Inc., Berkeley, California: Spectacular Labs develops fully automated, AI-enabled on-site molecular pathogen detection systems that deliver lab-grade food safety results within a single work shift.

Grow-NY Summit attendees were also encouraged to participate in the competition by voting for the “Wegmans Audience Choice” award, which awarded $5,000 to RETRN Bioworks Inc. of Ithaca, New York.

More than 600 people attended the eighth annual Grow-NY Summit in person, with many more watching the livestream. The Summit featured a showcase for registrants to meet and network with finalists, roundtable discussions designed to spark bold conversations, and a youth business pitch competition. It culminated with the presentation of awards.

Grow-NY judges based award decisions on the following criteria:

• The viability of the startup’s business model
• The diversity, quality, readiness and completeness of the startup team
• The value that the startup offers customers
• The startup’s potential for growth
• The agrifood innovation that the startup has invented
• The startup’s potential economic impact on the Grow-NY region

This year’s candidate pool notably included 96 applications from New York State (nearly one-third of applications); 46 percent of applications from women-founded businesses; and 69 percent of applications from underrepresented minority founders.

The 20 finalists traveled to compete from locations as far away as the Netherlands, Juneau, Alaska and Canada. Eight U.S. states are represented in this year’s cohort of finalists – including California, Illinois, Wisconsin, Tennessee, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts. And four of the finalists — including the Wegman’s Audience Choice Award recipient RETRN Bioworks and $500,000 winner CryoBio — hail from the Grow-NY region spanning the Finger Lakes, Central New York and the Southern Tier.

GROW-NY Program Director Jenn Smith said, “Year after year, we hear from finalists that while the financial investment is transformative, the connections they make through Grow-NY are just as valuable. The Summit is where so many of those relationships come together. You never know what seeds can sprout and what connections will bloom. It could be a conversation over breakfast, a chance hallway conversation between an investor and an entrepreneur in between sessions, or an introduction to an important regional resource – they all open doors for startups, and the connections are often mutually beneficial.”

The Grow-NY region is known for fertile farmland, a skilled workforce, abundant freshwater resources and strong cities including Rochester, Syracuse, Ithaca, Geneva and Binghamton. Each winning company will now play a role in driving more jobs, building partnerships between local industry leaders and advancing innovations that strengthen the regional economy.

Applications for the next round of the Grow-NY Competition are planned to open on March 1, 2027.

In seven successful rounds of Grow-NY to date, 49 winning companies have created nearly 330 jobs and raised more than $127 million in follow-on funding. Forty of those companies remain operational in the state, outperforming national startup survival averages and demonstrating strong regional staying power. Additional information is provided in this Startup Directory, which showcases selected finalists and winners from the first seven rounds of the annual competition.

The Grow-NY competition is funded through New York State’s Upstate Revitalization Initiative and is supported by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR), which is working to catalyze economic growth in Upstate New York.

Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “Under Governor Hochul’s leadership, New York's strategic investments in the state's innovation ecosystem continue to generate dividends and promote new advancements in key industries. As part of those efforts, Grow-NY continues to provide new and early-stage businesses with vital support across the rich farming and agricultural regions of the Finger Lakes, Central New York and the Southern Tier, helping them to establish roots in Upstate communities. Congratulations to this year’s winners, and to all who participated in the eighth round of this unique business competition."

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The Grow-NY competition highlights our state’s dedication to attracting and nurturing the most innovative, diverse food businesses. The Round 8 winners announced today are a showcase of entrepreneurial spirit and groundbreaking talent, and I know that they’ll help to ensure New York remains a leader in the agricultural industry, while creating new opportunities for growth within our state. I thank Governor Hochul for her continued support of Grow-NY and send my congratulations to all the winners and participants.”

Senate Agriculture Chair Michelle Hinchey said “Grow-NY draws entrepreneurs and startups from around the world to showcase their incredible work and join our thriving agricultural community here in New York. Past winners are creating jobs, attracting new investments, and strengthening the local economies where they’ve put down roots. Congratulations to this year’s winners on their hard work, innovative thinking, and commitment to New York Agriculture!”

Assemblymember Donna Lupardo said, “Now in its eighth year, Grow-NY is one of the country’s premiere food and agtech business competitions. As the Chair of the Assembly Agriculture Committee, I am grateful for the regional focus on food and agriculture innovation. With an impressive track record of success for start-up businesses, Grow-NY has proven to be a wise strategic investment. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners."

Central New York Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chairs Randy Wolken, President & CEO of MACNY and Linda M. LeMura, Le Moyne College President, said, “We are pleased to offer congratulations to all of today’s winners and to all who were part of round eight of the Grow-NY competition. New York State continues to experience unprecedented growth in the agriculture and food industries. The Grow-NY competition represents yet another exciting investment in our community that will further bolster regional job growth and further support our agricultural base throughout Central New York ensuring the region continues to rise.”

Finger Lakes Regional Economic Development Co-Chairs Bob Duffy, President and CEO of Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and Dr. DeAnna R. Burt-Nanna, Monroe Community College President said, “We are so incredibly proud of all who took part in Round 8 of this innovative competition. The regional council is laser-focused on growing the state’s agricultural and food industries. Our continued investment in the Grow-NY competition is working to connect local industry partners with the cutting-edge ideas of these entrepreneurs, further supporting our multi-pronged approach to creating a thriving regional economy.”

Southern Tier Regional Economic Development Council Co-Chair Judy McKinney Cherry, Executive Director of FLX Gateway, and t Dr. Mary Bonderoff, SUNY Delhi President said, “We would like to offer our sincere congratulations to the winning teams and to all of the round eight Grow-NY competitors who took part in this year’s summit in Rochester. Innovation and entrepreneurship are key to our economic future. New York’s agriculture industry is one of the most diverse and prestigious in the world, and this initiative sets New York apart from other states, adding to our region’s continued economic success.”

To learn more about the Grow-NY competition, visit www.grow-ny.com.

Accelerating Economic Development in the Finger Lakes

Today’s announcement complements “Finger Lakes Forward,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture‎ and food production, and advanced manufacturing. More information is available here.​

Accelerating Economic Development in Central NY

Today's announcement complements “CNY Rising”, the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on capitalizing on global market opportunities, strengthening entrepreneurship and creating an inclusive economy. More information is available here.

Accelerating Economic Development in the Southern Tier

Today's announcement complements “Southern Tier Soaring,” the region’s comprehensive strategy to generate robust economic growth and community development. The regionally designed plan focuses on attracting a talented workforce, growing business and driving next-generation innovation. More information is available here.

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