$32 Million Project Will Add 46,000 Square-Feet of Space to the Facility, Including the Addition of a Second and Third Floor
Investment is Supported Through “CNY Rising” – The Region’s Comprehensive Strategy to Revitalize Communities and Grow the Economy
Renderings of the Facility Available Here
Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that construction has officially kicked off for the transformational expansion of CenterState CEO’s Tech Garden in downtown Syracuse. The project will include a two-story, 46,000 square-foot addition, renovations to the facility’s existing space, and updates to the on-site mechanical and security systems. Expansion of The Tech Garden, which is home to the New York state supported GENIUS NY competition, also includes a 5,000-square-foot roof terrace for uncrewed aerial systems companies to launch and test drones, a 3,000-square-foot meeting room with seating for up to 180, private tenant offices for 35 additional resident startups, coworking areas, an expanded hardware space for prototype and product development, and a new entrance. The building will receive an entirely new façade that will better reflect the world-class innovation ecosystem supported by the building. The expanded space will also allow for enhanced programming to support inclusive entrepreneurial growth, at all stages of their startup journey and regardless of industry.
“The expansion of CenterState CEO’s Tech Garden facility will be critical to our strategy to make Upstate New York the next major hub for innovative, high-tech, 21st century businesses,” Governor Hochul said. “With these new state-of-the-art facilities and additional seats for start-up companies, CenterState CEO will be able to continue its important work to expand the innovation economy in Central New York and set promising, early-stage businesses on a path for success. My administration is committed to supporting organizations like CenterState working to spark growth, empower businesses, and boost the local economy.”
The expanded facility will serve as the anchor of Syracuse’s City Center Innovation Hub, a core component of the Syracuse Surge economic development strategy, and will serve as the gateway to the “Innovation Alley” on Warren Street in Syracuse. This project will work to connect major assets like the Marriott Syracuse Downtown Hotel and Convention Center, while expanding the ability of the incubator to accept new businesses. It will continue to be the central hub for the GENIUS NY program, bringing UAS companies from around the country and world to Syracuse, as well as the new Syracuse Surge Accelerator, a one-year in-person accelerator that supports Black-Indigenous-Persons of Color (BIPOC) entrepreneurs in launching tech-related and tech-adjacent startups.
The Tech Garden, a NYS Certified Innovation Hot Spot, is the key tech business incubator for the Central New York region. In 2022, 114 companies were served by one of CenterState CEO’s technical assistance programs. These teams employed 409 people, created 113 jobs, had $70.7 million in total revenue and half were minority-, woman-, veteran and/or disabled-owned businesses. Collectively over the lifetime of these programs, companies have raised $348 million in follow-on funding and created 1,340 jobs. An expanded Tech Garden will continue to provide an even higher level of support to entrepreneurs as they grow and develop their businesses.
