About this programme
The Commercialization Competition is FuzeHub's annual pitch competition under the Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund (JLIF), an initiative that supports technology development and commercialization across New York State. FuzeHub administers the fund with continued financial support from Empire State Development's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR); each year's competition is contingent on that funding continuing.
The competition is aimed at emerging, pre-revenue and pre-seed manufacturing and technology companies that already have a tangible prototype and need help improving it and building a credible go-to-market strategy. Target sectors include advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, cleantech, health/medical, photonics, textiles, consumer products, electronics, agri-tech, robotics, and IoT (wearables, smart devices) — the list is illustrative, not exhaustive.
Selected finalists present in person to a panel of judges at the New York State Innovation Summit in Buffalo, NY, and winners are announced live at the Summit. Award recipients don't receive a straight grant: as a condition of funding, they must sign either a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) or a Convertible Note with FuzeHub, using FuzeHub's own template — no other version is accepted.
The 2026 cycle opened July 6, 2026 and closed August 10, 2026, 11:59 PM EST; finalists were notified in late September 2026 ahead of the October 27–28, 2026 live presentations in Buffalo. As of this record's verification date the application window for 2026 has closed.
How it works
Up to $420,000 total was available across the 2026 competition: a $150,000 grand award, a $100,000 runner-up award, and at least two awards of up to $85,000 each. FuzeHub reserves the right to adjust these amounts based on proposal strength and available funding, and all awards are contingent on continued Empire State Development funding.
Every applicant's initial project budget is built around an $85,000 award; only finalists are asked to also submit budgets scaled to $100,000 and $150,000, in case they are selected for a larger award.
To receive award proceeds, winners must sign FuzeHub's SAFE or Convertible Note (the judges determine which instrument applies) within 5 business days of the award announcement — missing that window forfeits the entire award.
Projects must be clearly defined and completed within 9 months of the award. Expenses incurred before the award agreement is executed are not eligible for reimbursement.
Eligible use of funds covers equipment, materials, engineering/design, non-executive team personnel directly tied to the project, marketing/customer discovery (capped at 40% of the award and requiring measurable outcome expectations), and other direct costs subject to review. Ineligible costs include executive-team salaries (founder, co-founder, CEO, CFO, COO, CTO), administrative costs, capital improvements, legal consultation, patent fees, and indirect/overhead costs.
Who can apply
The applicant must have an existing tangible prototype and be proposing to fund activities that improve that prototype and/or its go-to-market strategy.
The company must reside and operate in New York State from the time it applies through at least 12 consecutive months after the award announcement or project completion (whichever is longer), and at least one founder must reside in New York State at the time of the award. Companies that don't comply with residency requirements must return all award funds to FuzeHub.
The company must be pre-revenue (less than $100,000 in revenue over the company's entire lifetime) and pre-seed (less than $500,000 in investment raised to date), and must have received no more than $2,000,000 in grants over the past two years.
A single company can receive up to $250,000 total from the Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund over its lifetime, across all tracks and rounds — a company that has won before can reapply as long as it stays under that lifetime cap.
The company must be registered with Dun & Bradstreet and carry an eligible NAICS code on its D&B profile: any manufacturing-sector code beginning with 3 (NAICS 31–33), or one of a specific list of adjacent services codes (e.g., engineering services, custom computer programming, industrial design, R&D in biotechnology/nanotechnology, testing laboratories, warehousing, freight transportation, packaging/labeling). Software applicants must show their software functions like hardware, is essential to hardware functionality, or directly supports manufacturers through automation.
Only one application per founder or company is allowed per round, and applicants must be able to present in person on the competition dates in Buffalo, NY. If the applicant is a subsidiary, the parent company must also meet all eligibility requirements.
How to apply
- Apply online through FuzeHub's Submittable platform (fuzehub.submittable.com) during the open application window.
- First, complete the eligibility check: Company Info (form in Submittable), Confirmation of Business Status and Founder Residency (PDF proof of NY presence and founder residency), and Confirmation of Revenue to Date (a Profit & Loss report covering the company's entire lifetime).
- If found eligible, FuzeHub grants access to the full application; ineligible applicants receive feedback and instructions by email.
- Submit the four required application components: a Video Presentation (max 10 minutes, presented by a founder, including a prototype demo and addressing all five scoring criteria); a Project Budget (an $85,000 budget table — finalists are later asked to also submit $100,000 and $150,000 versions); a Media Package (contact info, product description, and images for media use); and payment of the $80 application fee by credit card.
- Applications can be edited up until the deadline, but no changes are allowed once formally submitted and a confirmation email is received.
- Top applicants are selected as finalists and invited to present in person to a judging panel at the New York State Innovation Summit in Buffalo, NY. Winners are announced live at the Summit.
Documents you’ll typically need
- Proof of New York State business presence (e.g., articles of incorporation, an executed lease, a utility bill, a financial institution statement, or an insurance document — in the company's name, redacted of sensitive information)
- Proof of founder residency in New York State
- Company Profit & Loss report(s) covering the entire company lifetime (single total or year-by-year)
- A Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) number with an eligible NAICS code on file
- Video presentation (10 minutes max; accepted formats include .mp4, .mov, .avi, .mkv, .webm, .wmv, .m4v, .3gp, .mpg; 1GB max file size)
- Project budget for the $85,000 tier (finalists additionally submit $100,000 and $150,000 tier budgets)
- Media package: contact info, product description, and images
Frequently asked
Is this really a grant, or does FuzeHub take equity?
Winners are required to sign either a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) or a Convertible Note with FuzeHub as a condition of receiving funds — the judges determine which instrument applies. This is not a no-strings grant; treat award funds as coming with a future equity or convertible-debt obligation, and review FuzeHub's own SAFE/Convertible Note templates before applying.
My company has already received an award from the Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund. Can I apply again?
Yes. A company can receive up to $250,000 total from the fund over its lifetime, across all tracks and rounds, so a prior award doesn't disqualify a new application as long as the combined total stays under that cap.
Are software companies eligible, or is this only for hardware manufacturers?
Software applicants qualify if the software functions like hardware (for example, software as a medical device), is essential to a piece of hardware's functionality, or directly supports manufacturers through automation tools. Pure software products outside those categories are unlikely to fit the manufacturing/technology focus.
Do I need to already have revenue or investors to apply?
No — the opposite. The company must be pre-revenue (less than $100,000 in lifetime revenue) and pre-seed (less than $500,000 raised to date) to be eligible.
What happens if I win but don't sign the investment instrument in time?
Awardees must sign the FuzeHub SAFE or Convertible Note within 5 business days of the award announcement. Missing that window forfeits the entire award.
Can consultants or vendors I hire with the award funds be located outside New York?
Consultants and vendors should be located in New York State unless the applicant can demonstrate that the specific products, services, or expertise being procured aren't available in-state.
Does FuzeHub claim ownership of my IP by having me apply?
No. FuzeHub states it does not make any claim to IP ownership from applications submitted to the Innovation Fund.
Reviewed 2026-08-16. Programmes change — confirm current eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government authority.