Empire State Development announced Friday that five startups each won $1 million at the 2026 43North finals, the accelerator’s last competition, held Thursday at Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo.
The winners — Airbuild Inc. of Portland, Ore.; JECA Energy Bars of Buffalo; LeanSite of Arlington, Texas; Playground of Rochester; and Valene Health of New York City — were selected from eight finalists who pitched live on stage. More than 3,000 people attended the event.
Winners, industries and prize
The five companies will each receive $1 million and begin a full year of incubation with 43North in January 2027. Along with the investments, each company will be offered Class A office space in Seneca One Tower and a year of programming and support aimed at helping them scale and build local teams.
The winning companies and short descriptions provided at the finals:
- Airbuild Inc. (Portland, Ore.) — turns wastewater treatment plants into fertilizer microfactories by recovering nutrients and returning them to soil as Terraforming Fertilizer.
- JECA Energy Bars (Buffalo) — makes energy bars using clean-label, real whole-food ingredients for retail and direct-to-consumer sales. JECA also was selected by the live audience as the recipient of the $25,000 People’s Choice Award, sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield.
- LeanSite (Arlington, Texas) — an AI-powered facilities operations platform for managing maintenance, vendors, assets, compliance and work orders.
- Playground (Rochester) — a brand focused on women’s intimate wellness, positioning itself in a large but underserved consumer health category.
- Valene Health (New York City) — an AI-native clinical operating system that automates clinical, operational and financial workflows for health systems and payers to reduce readmissions, lower costs and expand care capacity.
43North’s legacy and next steps
The announcement noted that with this cohort, the 43North portfolio totals 84 companies and $56.5 million in investments since the competition began in 2014. The 2026 finals mark the accelerator’s 12th and final competition; 43North’s work supporting startups will continue through the newly formed 43North Foundation.
“For more than a decade, 43North has demonstrated the power of investing in entrepreneurs and giving them the resources to turn bold ideas into successful businesses,” Gov. Hochul said in remarks included with the announcement. “The companies that have come through the competition have brought new jobs, investment, and innovation to Buffalo, strengthening the region’s economy.”
43North Board of Directors Chair Pete Grum said, “From its first competition to tonight’s final Finals, 43North has brought an extraordinary range of entrepreneurs to Buffalo and built a portfolio that reflects the innovation happening across industries and markets.” 43North President Colleen Heidinger added, “Tonight, we’re proud to welcome five exceptional companies into 43North’s 12th and final cohort. While this marks the final 43North competition, the importance of supporting founders, creating jobs, and strengthening Buffalo’s innovation economy will continue.”
The accelerator is funded by New York State and operated with support from Empire State Development. The five winners will begin their full-year incubation with 43North in January 2027.
