About this programme
GENIUS NY calls itself the world's leading drone and robotics accelerator. It backs seed-stage startups working on autonomous systems, and is operated by CenterState CEO, funded by Empire State Development, with support from National Grid.
The accelerator invests $3 million annually into seed-stage startups working in uncrewed aerial systems, automation and advanced air mobility, including precision and remote sensing, smart city applications, data collection and analytics, guidance or communication systems, and sensors. It looks for founders with domain expertise, a strong team, and traction with customers, and has run for over eight years and ten cohorts.
New York State has invested more than $100 million to date in UAS business and technology in the region, home to one of only seven FAA-designated unmanned aerial system test sites in the country and the Air Force Research Lab in Rome, NY, which spends about $1 billion a year on R&D. NUAIR, a UAS ecosystem partner, mentors several GENIUS NY teams.
How it works
GENIUS NY's preferred financial instrument is a SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity), with a $10 million valuation cap and a 20% discount. Those terms are negotiable within reasonable limits depending on a company's previous institutional funding, but companies seeking a much higher valuation cap may not be a fit.
At the end of the accelerator, teams pitch live for a total of $3 million: one grand-prize winner gets a $1 million SAFE investment, and four others each get $500,000.
As a program requirement, winners must set up an office in The Innovation Hub in Syracuse, with at least two members of the leadership team based there for a minimum of 12 months; GENIUS NY provides housing stipends and relocation support.
The accelerator runs about a year. The first three months focus on business development, pitch refinement, go-to-market strategy, and building local connections while the team relocates. There is a break in December. The remaining months, through the Pitch Finals the following spring, shift to commercialization and scaling.
Winners also get free office space and access to a makerspace, hardware lab and rooftop UAS testing at the tech incubator, mentorship from executive advisors, in-house design and fundraising support, access to a UAS Job Fund for hiring grants, roughly $200,000 in in-kind support (venture capital diligence prep, manufacturing support, and platforms like PitchBook, LivePlan and GovSpend), and access to Syracuse University talent pipelines.
Who can apply
Startups working in uncrewed aerial systems, automation or advanced air mobility, with founders who have domain expertise, a strong team, and customer traction.
You must be, or be becoming, a true startup or corporate spin-off: a scalable, fundable entity, not an established, mature business.
There is no cost to apply, applicants who did not win in a previous year may reapply, and international applicants are welcome as long as they speak English and handle their own U.S. immigration requirements.
Selected winners must relocate at least two leadership team members to Syracuse for the yearlong program.
How to apply
- Complete the Registration Form on geniusny.com.
- Once registration is verified by email, complete the full Application Form through the Applicant Log-In tab.
- An evaluation panel of industry professionals scores applications on product/technology viability, market knowledge, team strength, revenue and financing plans, and fit with Syracuse and Central New York.
- The panel selects 15 to 20 semi-finalists, who each do a 1-hour interview with GENIUS NY's Executive Advisors, including an 8 to 10-minute pitch and Q&A.
- Executive Advisors pick five finalists (plus two alternates), who are publicly announced before the accelerator begins.
- Finalists relocate to Syracuse to start the yearlong accelerator, which ends with a live Pitch Finals event where the $3 million in SAFE investment is awarded.
Frequently asked
What kind of startups does GENIUS NY fund?
Seed-stage startups in uncrewed aerial systems, automation and advanced air mobility, with domain-expert founders, a strong team, and customer traction.
Do I have to relocate?
If selected, yes. At least two members of your leadership team must be based in Syracuse's Innovation Hub for a minimum of 12 months during the yearlong accelerator.
How much does the program invest each year?
$3 million total: one grand-prize winner gets a $1 million SAFE investment, and four other finalists each get $500,000.
What financial instrument does GENIUS NY use, and are the terms negotiable?
A SAFE with a $10 million valuation cap and a 20% discount. GENIUS NY says it will negotiate within reasonable limits but does not intend to stray far from those targets.
Is there a cost to apply?
No, there is no cost to apply.
Can I apply if I applied and lost in a previous year?
Yes, the competition is open to previous applicants who did not win.
More funding in New York
Excelsior Jobs Program
Empire State Development · New York
Refundable state tax credits on wages, R&D spend and investment for businesses that create 5 to 150 new jobs in New York over up to 10 years.
Global NY Fund Grant Program
Empire State Development · New York
Reimburses up to $25,000 of trade-show, market-research and export-readiness costs for New York companies selling abroad.
Launch NY Seed Fund
Launch NY · New York
Upstate New York's most active seed fund invests roughly $10,000 to $200,000 in high-growth startups alongside free mentoring.
New York Life Sciences R&D Tax Credit
Empire State Development (New York State) · New York
A refundable New York State credit for new, ESD-certified life sciences companies: 15% of in-state R&D spend (20% for firms with fewer than 10 employees), capped at $500,000 per year for up to three years.
New York Ventures Pre-Seed and Seed Matching Fund
Empire State Development (NY Ventures) · New York
State-matched equity investments of $50,000 to $250,000 for early-stage New York startups that have raised under $2 million to date.
NYC Future Fund
City of New York, NYC Department of Small Business Services · New York
Revenue-based loans of $25,000 to $500,000 for New York City small businesses, with repayments that flex with revenue.
All 13 programmes in New York →
Reviewed 2026-09-25. Programmes change, so check eligibility, amounts and deadlines on the official page before you apply. CapEasy is a private firm and is not part of any government body.