GENIUS NY, one of the world's largest and most renowned accelerators for uncrewed aerial systems, has announced the eleven semi-finalists for its seventh round. These companies, selected from a highly competitive pool of over 450 submissions from more than 50 countries, will now compete to see which five will be selected to join the program at CenterState CEO’s The Tech Garden in Syracuse, NY.

The semi-finalists are developing innovations in the uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) and robotics industries. Of the eleven semi-finalists, four are international teams representing Canada, Israel, and the United Kingdom, while three teams hail from New York state.

The 2023 Semi-Finalists are:

• Aloft – Silver Spring, Maryland, USA

• Avol Aerospace – Brooklyn, New York, USA

• Blueflite – Detroit Metropolitan Area, Michigan, USA

• FlightOps – Herzelia Pituch, Israel

• Flyhound – Hawthorne, New Jersey, USA

• Greenjets – Milton Keynes, United Kingdom

• Landing Zones – Ontario, Canada

• T2D2 – New York, New York, USA

• Vizgard – London, United Kingdom

• Voltela – Brooklyn, New York, USA

• Votix – Weston, Florida, USA

The semi-finalists will present their technologies and business plans to a panel of executive advisers. The advisers are seeking companies that will stay in the Central New York area, contribute to the region’s growing UAS ecosystem, scale successfully, and represent diversity in technology focus and team makeup. The finalists will be announced in late June or early July.

In July, the five finalists will arrive in Central New York to begin the program. The year's Pitch Finals will be held on October 4, 2023, where teams will pitch their innovations live before a panel of judges and an audience. Each team will have five minutes to make their case for their product. The grand prize winner will be awarded a $1 million investment, while the remaining four teams will each receive a $500,000 investment.

Kara Jones, director of GENIUS NY, expressed excitement about the range of technologies and geographic diversity represented by the semi-finalists. She said, "We continue to see incredibly strong interest from across the globe from innovative teams seeking to grow their business here in Central New York. Our advisers have a challenging selection process ahead of them to determine this year’s finalists, but I am excited to soon welcome another group of promising startups to Syracuse and The Tech Garden."

Since its inception in 2017, GENIUS NY has invested $18 million in 32 companies from around the world. The program brings companies to Central New York to participate in the yearlong in-residence accelerator where they receive assistance with product development, business development, and networking opportunities with investors and business leaders. GENIUS NY companies have raised more than $100 million in follow-on funding and have created more than 80 jobs in Upstate New York.

Beyond the grand prize investments, participants benefit from access to the region’s premier startup programming, including business planning, industry-specific mentorship, and access to vetted service providers offering startup-friendly terms. Participants are integrated into the larger regional effort to grow uncrewed aerial systems in Central New York and the Mohawk Valley, gain access to world-leading infrastructure and testing assets, and have opportunities to connect with investors for follow-on funding.

To learn more about GENIUS NY, visit www.geniusny.com.