Based on an interview with Jancy Nightingale-Burch, Ecosystem Development Manager of NewYorkBIO
NewYorkBIO is strengthening connections across New York’s growing life sciences and innovation community with a new location inside NextCorps’ business incubator in Rochester.
As the leading advocate for New York State’s life sciences sector, NewYorkBIO supports companies and institutions working to advance research, commercialization, and innovation. Through its network and advocacy initiatives, the organization connects founders to the resources, relationships, and insights needed to grow.
“NewYorkBIO is currently headquartered in New York City, which has a strong ecosystem,” said Jancy Nightingale-Burch, Ecosystem Development Manager. “Expanding our presence Upstate is critical to ensuring we’re supporting innovation across the entire state.”
How Rochester is a strategic fit
For NewYorkBIO, Rochester represents more than geographic expansion. Positioned between Buffalo, Syracuse, the Capital Region, and the Finger Lakes, the city offers a strategic base for strengthening collaboration across Upstate New York’s innovation economy. It’s also the home of Upstate’s largest biomedical research enterprise–the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). The decision to embed within NextCorps’ incubator was equally intentional.
“NextCorps’ Luminate Accelerator is one of the world’s leading accelerators in optics, photonics, imaging, and lasers (OPIL),” Burch said. “Those technologies are behind many of the breakthroughs we’re seeing in diagnostics, medical imaging devices, and bioscience instrumentation.”
As Rochester continues to gain momentum in OPIL, semiconductor manufacturing, and advanced technologies, NewYorkBIO sees growing opportunities for life sciences to both benefit from and contribute to these industries.
“Our partnership creates a structured onramp for the convergence of companies that fall between the traditional life sciences and deep tech funding silos,” Burch explained.
By embedding ecosystem partners like NewYorkBIO directly into the incubator environment like NextCorps, startups gain more immediate access to specialized expertise, funding pathways, mentorship, and collaborative opportunities that may otherwise be difficult to navigate independently.
Labby, a NewYorkBIO member and Luminate alum currently leveraging NextCorps’ incubation services, reflects how this bridge benefits innovation and commercialization efforts.
“A greater NewYorkBIO presence in Rochester is a meaningful signal for the regional ecosystem because it strengthens the connective tissue between our bioscience talent, research institutions, and the kinds of physical AI hardware-driven companies that are increasingly being built here,” said Julia Somerdin, Labby founder and CEO. “For Labby, which works at the intersection of optical sensing and AI for the dairy industry, that growing density of expertise and peer companies in the region is a real long-term asset.”
Building a more connected innovation ecosystem
At the core of NewYorkBIO’s expansion into Rochester is a focus on further integrating the resources that are critical to moving research out of labs and into the marketplace. While New York City offers deep access to capital and established industry networks, regions Upstate are rich in physical lab facilities, NYSTAR designated Centers of Excellence, and manufacturing and supply chain vendors.
In 2025, NewYorkBIO launched NewYorkBIO Connect, a centralized resource hub for entrepreneurs, investors, and researchers working across the state’s life sciences sector. The platform aggregates funding opportunities, lab space, industry insights, and events—making it easier for companies to navigate and engage with the broader ecosystem.
Supporting founders beyond networking
While visibility and connections are important, NewYorkBIO’s work also extends into policy advocacy and direct founder representation. One of its signature initiatives is Legislative Day, where members meet with policymakers in Albany to discuss issues impacting the life sciences industry. These discussions give founders the opportunity to share firsthand how policy decisions affect innovation and subsequent outcomes.
This year’s conversations included SBIR and STTR grant reauthorization—National Science Foundation programs that provide critical non-dilutive funding for startups and research-driven teams.
“It makes a difference when you’re meeting face-to-face with representatives,” Burch said.
Phlotonics, a current Luminate participant and member of NextCorps’ incubation services, is among those benefiting from NewYorkBIO’s advocacy.
“NewYorkBIO has given us the opportunity to engage directly with state representatives and advocate for continued support of programs that have been critical to our growth, including AIM Photonics, the Centers of Excellence program, and NextCorps,” shared Dr. Mickey Bryan, co-founder and CEO of Phlotonics. “We’ve seen firsthand how strategic state investment can help translate advanced research into scalable companies, technologies, and high-value manufacturing opportunities within New York.”
In addition to advocacy, NewYorkBIO hosts pitch events, investor summits, and mentorship programming designed to support companies at multiple stages—particularly those navigating the complexities of science-driven commercialization.
Good examples include the recent NewYorkBIO Finance Summit, which convened life sciences and financial leaders to discuss investment trends, and the upcoming Mini-Pitch Day in Syracuse on June 3, where early-stage companies will present directly to investors, advisors, and industry experts for mentorship and real-time feedback.
Looking ahead
As NewYorkBIO continues to build its presence in Rochester and Upstate, it strives to bring greater attention to the unique assets that exist here.
“I hope that from a public perspective, there’s an understanding of how strong the bio sector is in Rochester,” Burch said, “and how it’s helping position New York as a global destination for the life sciences.”
To learn more about NewYorkBIO and explore resources available through NewYorkBIO Connect, visit newyorkbio.org. Companies and individuals interested in connecting directly with Jancy Nightingale-Burch can find her on LinkedIn.