IC Success Alum, Jillian Hanesworth, Nominated for Emmy Award.

July 25, 2023July 25, 2023 by Maria Morrealein Awards, BNMC's IC Success, Education, Local businesses

Choose Love: Buffalo Bills Honor East Buffalo Video is Produced By Literary Freedom, LLC.

Jillian Hanesworth, founder of Literary Freedom LLC, is making waves in the literary world for her Emmy-nominated collaboration with the Buffalo Bills on the “Choose Love: Buffalo Bills Honor East Buffalo” video. An IC Success Business Accelerator Alum, Hanesworth is dedicated to expanding literary access to communities of color and historically excluded communities.

Literary Freedom LLC was established by Hanesworth in 2021 with the aim of providing educational tools and empowering individuals to use the arts to share their stories and uplift their experiences. Recognizing the pivotal role that poetry, music, visual art, dance, and traditional storytelling have played in sharing Black stories, Literary Freedom strives to uphold these traditions.

Under the umbrella of Literary Freedom, workshops, trainings, and lessons are conducted to reinforce the company’s mission of providing access to educational tools and helping individuals develop the necessary skills to use the arts to make a meaningful impact. By ensuring that marginalized communities have the resources and support to share their narratives and preserve their culture, Literary Freedom is working to dismantle systems of oppression.

Hanesworth’s collaboration with the Buffalo Bills, titled “Choose Love: Buffalo Bills Honor East Buffalo,” has garnered much attention and acclaim, earning her a well-deserved Emmy nomination. The video serves as a testament to the power of using art to bring about positive change and highlight the resilience and strength of communities.

As the Poet Laureate of Buffalo NY, Hanesworth has demonstrated her immense talent and commitment to using poetry as a tool for social change. Her work has touched the lives of many, and her inclusion in the Emmy nomination is a testament to her dedication and skill.

At BNMC we are building an Innovation Community where everyone can access great programming and the resources all entrepreneurs need to start or grow their businesses.

To date, BNMC has supported over 500 entrepreneurs, graduated 200 companies from their programs, and engaged more than 1,000 volunteers and supporters championing this effort.

Campus Update: Ellicott Street is Reopened.

November 21, 2022December 15, 2022 by Maria Morrealein Construction

As construction continues at the Trico building located at the corners of Ellicott/Washington Streets and Goodell, The City of Buffalo has advised BNMC that Kandey Corp, one of the contractors working on the project has reopened Ellicott Street, which had been closed since December 1.

About the BNMC

For more than twenty years, the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus organization (BNMC) has been a driving force in Buffalo’s economic renaissance. Throughout its management of the growth of Buffalo’s premier innovation district, the BNMC has foregrounded smart economic, social, and environmental development, prioritizing health & well-being, and sustainability. Today, the BNMC is focused on the next phase of Buffalo’s ongoing resurgence, cultivating inclusive innovation in partnership with our community. In 2021 BNMC spearheaded the initiative to bring the national programs forAll and Eforever to Buffalo. These proven programs support aspiring entrepreneurs from all backgrounds to help them start or grow a business. Program graduates will form the heart of Buffalo’s growing Innovation Community comprised of businesses large and small in an array of disciplines and leading the region’s next wave of economic development and growth.

Join Us for Meditation Mondays in November!

October 27, 2020 by BNMCin Community, Healthy Communities, Innovation Center

Free, Virtual Meditation Sessions

Every Monday in November Beginning Nov. 2nd from 8:30 – 9:00 a.m.

The BNMC Healthy Communities team presents Meditation Mondays, a 30-minute live guided meditation each Monday morning from 8:30 – 9:00 am in November. Each week has its own theme to provide focus, purpose, and intention. All participants will receive recordings of each session and an e-book to guide their own meditation practice once the series has concluded. Meditations are being guided by Amiyah King and Jasir Ali, full bios in our Facebook Events page. Register on our Medical Campus Wellness Events Public Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2243130692613771

Download our Meditation Mondays Flyer!

Virtual Networking Event Creates Cross-Border Connections

September 23, 2020 by BNMCin Community, Entrepreneurs, Innovation, Innovation Center, Networking, Startups

Network with your Cross-Border Colleagues Virtually!

While the safety measures of COVID-19 have reduced international travel, they have not stopped our potential for cross-border collaboration.

About this Event

While the safety measures of COVID-19 have reduced international travel, they have not stopped our potential for cross-border collaboration.

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, McMaster University Innovation Park and Spark Niagara have come together to facilitate a virtual networking event for startups across the Buffalo, Niagara and Hamilton regions to interact, collaborate and seek opportunities for partnership.

By organizing the group into numerous breakout sessions entrepreneurs will gain a meaningful experience in learning from and collaborating with other startups.

WHEN: Weds., October 21st from 1:30 – 3:00 pm

WHERE: Virtually!

WHO: Startups in Buffalo, Niagara & Hamilton regions.

HOW: Register today for this free, virtual networking event!

IC Success: Back to School Business Academy Virtual Series Begins Oct. 6th

September 21, 2020 by BNMCin Business Development, Collaboration, Community, Diversity & Inclusion, Entrepreneurship, Event, Innovation Center, Local businesses, MWBE, Neighborhood Engagement, Small Businesses

IC Success: Back to School Business Academy

This free, eight-week webinar series will help you build and grow your business. Now is the time to invest your time and effort in yourself!

The BNMC’s IC Success: Back to School Business Academy webinar series runs every Tuesday from October 6th – November 24th from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm via Zoom. See below for the topic each week.

Register now for the entire series.

Zoom links will be shared after registration. We recommend attending all 8 sessions to get the most out of this series.

IC Success is an education series started by the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) in 2019 as way to create pathways and building blocks for success in the small business community. BNMC is committed to helping all small businesses, including women, minority, and Veteran-owned businesses and enterprises to reach their full potential.

Attend all eight sessions and receive one free month at dig at the Innovation Center, the region’s best co-working space!

October 6th – So You Want to Start a Business – Now What?

20 questions to ask yourself, including: Who is my customer and how can I make them feel valued?; What is my product(s)/service(s)?; and What type of legal structure would be best for me to operate my business?

October 13th – Working through Start-up Costs

To properly understand if this will ultimately be a profitable business, we must do an analysis of all of the costs you will encounter to start and run your business. We will work through those on a provided worksheet. This will ultimately help us to determine what the price should be for your various product(s) and/or service(s).

October 20th – Creating Pricing and Revenue Projections – Will This Company Be Able to Make Money?

We will use provided Excel worksheets to determine fixed costs and variable costs to set a price for your products and services. From there, we can create revenue projections. Also, if the company is profitable, what are some investment options to manage the excess cash flow?

October 27th – Putting It All Together and Creating Pro-forma Financial Statements

We will use our Projected Revenue worksheets created in Excel and our Fixed and Variable cost worksheets to create the major pro-forma financial statements including an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow projections.

November 3rd – Marketing and Building Parts of the Business Plan

We will create a marketing plan including a definition of your customer and how to make those customers feel valued through customer satisfaction. We will include a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Opportunities, Weaknesses and Threats) for your specific business.

November 10th – Management/Operations/Human Resources, Completing the Business Plan, and Legally Filing Your Business in Erie County

We answer questions such as, “Do I need a license to operate my business,” and “How do I file a business name in Erie County?” And, operationally, “What software packages can help me operate my business?” In addition, we will go over the “Guide to doing Business in Erie County” that is on the Erie County website. We will cover the major laws that you will need to know about if you hire employees, and how to retain and motivate those employees.

November 17th – Local Guest Speakers who have had Business Success

Open questions for entrepreneurs in our area who have already had success! Ask them what you would like to hear about! Perhaps, “How do you manage the life/work balance with this business operation taking up so much of your time.” Ask anything!

November 24th – Panel of Subject Matter Experts, Including CPA, Attorney, Insurance and a Banker

We will cover basics of taxes and the legal structure of your business. And, “Do I need an insurance agent, an attorney and a banker?”

This series will be led by Kerry Collard, MBA, a former banking executive who has taught in the field of Business Administration and Entrepreneurship for over nineteen years at local colleges in the Buffalo area.

The Making of Ognomy: Revolutionizing Sleep Wellness Through Telemedicine

August 27, 2020 by BNMCin Innovation, Innovation Center

The Making of Ognomy: Revolutionizing Sleep Wellness Through Telemedicine

Check out how the Ognomy – The Sleep Apnea App went from dream to wp-content MVP in 4 months through on-demand talent. The Topcoder team leads this conversation with Dr. Dan Rifkin, visionary behind Ognomy and our very own Sam Marrazzo as they describe the process that covered design thinking workshops, dev sprints, crowd-sourcing, and everything in between to get to this successful outcome.

Watch now!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mrPRGpvFt4E&feature=youtu.be

Case Study: Ognomy – Disrupting Sleep Medicine

June 1, 2020 by BNMCin Community, Healthy Communities, Innovation, Innovation Center

Innovation-As-A-Service: Ognomy Case Study

Check out how the Ognomy sleep apnea telemedicine wp-content went from dream to wp-content MVP in 4 months through on-demand talent. Read Topcoder’s blog on the process. Watch the Ognomy video.

When Dr. Dan Rifkin had an idea to transform the sleep medicine industry using telemedicine, he knew who to call. His company, Sleep Medicine Centers of WNY was one of the first companies to locate in the Innovation Center nearly 10 years ago, and he has known Matt Enstice, BNMC CEO, for a number of years.

“I reached out to Matt to get his feedback, and he immediately jumped into action,” said Dan Rifkin, M.D., Medical Director of Sleep Medical Centers of WNY. “I wanted to transform my business, and he gave me the tools to do so.”

Matt connected Dan to Sam Marrazzo, BNMC’s Chief Innovation Officer. Sam’s niche is helping companies – any company, regardless of industry – innovate from within.

“Our goal is to connect people with ideas to a quick but thorough process using agile innovation that can create the platform for a solution that minimizes investment and risk in the marketplace,” according to Marrazzo. “We take your domain knowledge and bring connections and ideas to move your initiative along quickly. We use novel methods to solve problems and deliver solutions at a rapid pace, allowing you to prototype prior to building a final product, saving time and money. If the idea is not going to work, we want to fail fast and move along to the next idea. Through this wp-contentroach, we are changing industries by cultivating people and ideas, much like we did with Dan and sleep apnea.”

Marrazzo pulled together an innovation team from across the country, including the International Center for Studies in Creativity at Buffalo State, who helped hone in the idea and its unique business proposition, along with the UB School of Business MIS Department students and professors to help with requirements and overall implementation strategy.

He also engaged BNMC partner Topcoder, an international technology platform connecting companies to top talent. Marrazzo has worked with Topcoder for more than a decade, including bringing 200+ technology superstars to Buffalo in 2017 for its international conference. With the combination of Topcoder, UB, and BNMC’s Innovation team, we were able to develop a solution within budget and timeline that met the needs of Dan’s team.

“Within three months, we went from idea to implementation,” explained Rifkin. “It would have taken me years to get this far on my own. The connections that Sam, Matt and their team made for me are going to disrupt not only my industry, but other health disciplines as well.”

The team developed a telemedicine wp-content that incorporates practice automation and allows diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea to be done via a mobile wp-content—all in the comfort of a patient’s home. Typically, patients need to spend the night in a sleep center, hooked up to monitors in an unfamiliar room and setting. Now, with advances in diagnostic technologies, Rifkin is able to ship the equipment directly to a patient’s home and monitor them in their own environment, increasing access and ease of diagnosis.

Rifkin is now looking at other disciplines that follow similar platforms, such as cardiology, to see how they might benefit from this technology.

Local, State & Federal Resources for Businesses

April 26, 2020 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Community, Homepage, Innovation Center, News

Resources for Businesses

If you’re like us, you are constantly getting barraged with information – emails, social media, texts, and constant news alerts about the COVID-19 pandemic and the resources available to businesses and individuals. We have started this page as a place for you to find accurate, timely information that can help your business today. Many of our colleagues and partners are doing a great job collecting this information – we are going to link to their resources as opposed to recreating the wheel. Please let us know of resources or information that you think should be added.

Upcoming Webinars

In our final IC Success Zooms, Kyria features home schooling tips and resources on Tuesday, May 5th, and grants, loans and business resources on Thursday, May 7th. RSVP for these free community conversations today!

Additional Resources

The BNMC team is available to help make connections and provide information. Contact Sam Marrazzo at smarrazzo@bnmc-old.local.
Here is the BNMC CARES Act Presentation from our April 24th webinar led by Donna Gonser from Lumsden & MCCormick.
Empire State Development has a specific webpage with resources.
WNY Incubators has a running blog of key updates for start-ups – thank you for distilling this information, Tom!
Buffalo Small Business COVID Support Group on Facebook
U.S. Small Business Administration has a Coronavirus (COVID-19) Small Business Guidance and Loan Resources page.
The Women’s Business Center at Canisius College has lists of resources, as well as a weekly Knowledge Exchange to support women business owners during this time.
Invest Buffalo Niagara has a website with health and business-related resources.
The Buffalo Niagara Partnership has a thorough website with resources for businesses.
Beverly Grey Business Exchange Center has resources listed on its site and is offering staff support for businesses.

last updated 4.27.20

M&T’s New Tech Startup Makes Business First

March 5, 2020 by BNMCin Buffalo, Business Development, Innovation Center, Local businesses, News, Startups, Technology

Congratulations to M&T Bank on its feature in Buffalo Business First for the establishment of new tech company Nota! Nota – a digital banking solution — functions like any other fast-growing startup in the Thomas R. Beecher Jr. Innovation Center. The only difference? It was created by one of the region’s largest companies. To read more about M&T’s new tech company, CLICK HERE!
(Pictured: Paul Garibian, who leads M&T’s new tech startup, Nota.)

March Madness Data Metrics – Postponed

March 5, 2020 by BNMCin Buffalo, Collaboration, Community, Event, Innovation Center, Technology

This event has been postponed, We will make an announcement when it can be rescheduled.
On March 18, 2020, 2:30-4:30 pm, TIBCO will be at the Innovation Center to show YOU how you can accurately predict the winners and losers of the largest basketball tournament of the year with TIBCO’s industry-leading data analytics software. Last year, TIBCO customers had a 98% accuracy rate, and a majority of last year’s attendees actually won their office pools! So come ready to make your predictions, compare your bracket with other attendees, and gain last-minute tips to improve your chances of winning this season!

Oh yeah, did we mention that there’s a FREE HAPPY HOUR too???

Mental Health Matters at BNMC

February 27, 2020 by BNMCin Buffalo, Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Healthy Communities, Innovation Center, Wellness

On Tuesday February 14^th , the BNMC Healthy Workplace Initiative hosted a Mental Health First Aid training for its client companies. There were 22 people in attendance from 11 companies, including Walsh Duffield, United Way of Buffalo and Erie County, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Lawley, and Pegula Sports Entertainment.
This nationally recognized training was provided locally by Compeer Buffalo, a non-profit that takes a friendship wp-contentroach to Mental Health. Its model is nationally recognized and has been awarded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services as well as the American Psychiatric Association.

Mental Health First Aid training aims to educate the public on how to identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance abuse disorders. Upon completion of the training, participants received a certificate, identifying them as Mental Health First Aiders, equipped with the skills needed to reach out, offer help, and support someone who may be experiencing a crisis. Participants also walk away with a simple 5-step action plan in hand to help a colleague, loved one, or neighbor in dealing with a crisis until professional treatment is obtained.

Mental health is the most frequently requested topic among companies in the Healthy Workplace Initiative, and it is unfortunate the depth of local data available that supports this trend. According to the Economic Impact of Poor Health on Our WNY Community, depression alone is 19% prevalent in the Buffalo-Niagara region and costs our local workforce $170 million per year in medical spending and $415.7 million productivity losses each year. These data, combined with the existing stigma surrounding mental health, demonstrate the immediate need for further action to address the well-being of our region. BNMC hosted this training to not only improve mental health literacy among the local workforce, but to also empower collective urgency in combating mental health stigma through harnessing a proactive wp-contentroach.

In addition to being highly informative and educational on a variety of mental health challenges, the training featured a series of interactive activities to further reinforce course content. One of the most impactful activities involved comparing various mental health challenges with physical health illnesses. Based on a study by the World Health Organization, the rankings demonstrated how mental health challenges can be equally or even more compromising to activities of daily life as physical health challenges, such as vision loss.

Thank you to Walsh Duffield for sponsoring the event!

For more information on Mental Health First Aid Training, please visit http://www.compeerbuffalo.org/mhfa/

Hotlines in Crisis

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK

National Crisis Text Line Text HOME to 741741

24-Hour Suicide Prevention Hotline for Erie County 716-834-3131

REDDY BikeShare Has Best Year Yet!

February 19, 2020 by BNMCin Biking, Buffalo, Business Development, Campus-wide, Community, Commuting, GO BNMC, Neighborhood Engagement, News, Wellness

Big things are hwp-contentening on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus! As REDDY BikeShare celebrates 2019 being its fourth and most successful season – including its bike fleet hitting 200 and expanding to Niagara Falls – the Innovation Center tenant gears up for another successful season with even more in store for the 2020! (Not to mention handing out some free REDDY memberships to some lucky Buffalo bikers!) CLICK HERE to read REDDY’s full Buffalo Rising feature and learn more about what they have going on!

IC Success to Kickoff 2020 Cohort

February 19, 2020 by BNMCin Buffalo, Business Development, Community, Diversity & Inclusion, Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship, Event, Innovation Center, Local businesses, MWBE, Networking

Are you an entrepreneur or business professional who needs to grow their network but have trouble starting a conversation with new people? Do you like to play Uno? If you said yes to either of these, join us at our IC Success 2020 Kickoff! This event will be held March 11, 2020 at 6:00 pm in dig @ the Innovation Center (640 Ellicott St Buffalo, NY 14203). The first session of IC Success 2020 – Turning Passion in to Profit – will run March 17-April 7, 2020 with Power 93.7 WBLK’s ADRI.V the Go Getta facilitating. For more information, or to register for the networking event, please visit www.bnmc-connect.eventbrite.com.

Beakers is Back!

February 19, 2020 by BNMCin Buffalo, Campus-wide, Community, Event, Innovation Center, Networking

Hello Buffalo! Beakers & Beer is back and better than ever! Join us every 3^rd Thursday of the month, February through May 2020, for BNMC’s signature networking event. Featuring food, booze and making great connections, we are sure that you’ll not only have a great time but also leave with an expanded network (which ultimately expands your net worth)! This series of Beakers & Beer will take place on February 20^th, March 19^th, April 16^th, and May 21^st. They all will take place in dig @ the Innovation Center (640 Ellicott Street, 14203) except for April’s, which will be hosted by Big Ditch Brewing Company (55 E. Huron Street, 14203). A very huge shout out goes to Beakers & Beer beverage sponsor Big Ditch Brewing Company! For more information, or to register for Beakers & Beer, please visit our Events page at www.bnmc-old.local/events. We can’t wait to see you there!

IC Success Series Rewind

December 11, 2019 by BNMCin Buffalo, Business Development, Entrepreneurs, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Innovation Center, Local businesses, MWBE, Networking, Startups

IC Success Series Rewind

The BNMC is proud to have launched our first IC Success series at the Innovation Center, a 6-week curriculum featuring two separate tracks on digital media marketing and financial literacy and credit building. These workshops were facilitated by all minority & women owned small businesses, and designed to inspire creativity, leadership and entrepreneurial thinking in an inclusive, welcoming environment. Stay tuned for brand new IC Success classes coming soon!

Learn at the Innovation Center Opens at the Thomas R. Beecher Jr. Innovation Center on the Medical Campus

December 9, 2015 by BNMCin News4 Comments

For Immediate Release
Contact: Susan Kirkpatrick, skirkpatrick@bnmc-old.local 716-866-8002

Learn at the Innovation Center Opens at the Thomas R. Beecher Jr. Innovation Center on the Medical Campus

First Niagara support adds another tool for start-up businesses

Buffalo, N.Y., December 9, 2015 – The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) has recently opened Learn at the Thomas R. Beecher Jr. Innovation Center on the Medical Campus, designed to provide education and training to entrepreneurs and their growing companies. Learn at the Innovation Center was made possible through a $50,000 two-year grant from First Niagara Bank.

The new classroom-type setting is outfitted with the latest in technology and is designed to create a dynamic learning environment. Located on the first floor of the Innovation Center at 640 Ellicott Street, the 1,500 square foot suite includes a main classroom for up to 30 people and private conference spaces. Learn will be used by the BNMC business development team for its programs and will also be available to other partners that are dedicated to supporting the region’s growing entrepreneurial community. Capstream Technologies provided the audio-visual and digital technology and Mid-City Office Furniture provided the furniture for the new space.

Learn complements the array of amenities currently offered by the BNMC at the Innovation Center that are focused on supporting small and mid-size companies seeking office, wet lab, or research space and support on a month-to-month basis or via longer-term leases. The facility is designed as a “plug and play” set-up whereby tenants enjoy a fully operational menu of office services without having to worry about facilities maintenance issues. Service providers are co-located in the building to provide legal, financial, marketing, and IT support. Tenants also have access to collaborative space, conference rooms, kitchen facilities and a fitness center. Additional workspace also includes dig, a cowork and event space. As the region’s largest local business incubator, the Innovation Center also offers networking events, workshops, educational forums, as well as mentoring and start-up assistance for young companies.

Vic Nole, Director of Business Development for the BNMC commented, “Learn at the Innovation Center now gives us a dedicated place to hold more targeted learning and problem solving forums for companies and individuals that need access to specific business networks and expertise. We are delighted that First Niagara has recognized the value in supporting the creation of this space in a way that will really benefit the start-up community. The Center will be a tremendous complement to the already rich portfolio on the Medical Campus.”

The Innovation Center is the centerpiece of the BNMC’s Business Development office that actively identifies and evaluates new business opportunities, educates and provides mentorship to entrepreneurs, and creates, incubates, and grows new companies in Buffalo.

“First Niagara is very proud to launch Learn at the Innovation Center as a central resource on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus to spur entrepreneurship, business development and job growth. The Center will facilitate the collaboration and resource sharing necessary for companies to take root and grow in our city,” said Buford Sears, Regional President, Western New York. “First Niagara’s team of experts will help staff the space to provide financial workshops, cultivate relationships and provide business services needed to develop new companies. We are looking forward to the opportunities Learn will present to increase economic development in Buffalo and build a thriving community.”

Learn will be used primarily for programs offered by the BNMC and its partners including Start Up CEL and Student Sandbox. The facility will also be offered to outside organizations dedicated to the entrepreneurial community. For more information about programs offered though Learn at the Innovation Center, contact Vic Nole at vnole@bnmc-old.local.

About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC)

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. (BNMC) is a self-sustaining social enterprise successfully combining innovation, job creation, and urban revitalization. It serves as the umbrella organization of the anchor institutions that make up the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus located within the 120-acre campus bordering Allentown, the Fruit Belt and Downtown. The BNMC fosters conversation and collaboration among its member institutions, its partners and the community to address critical issues impacting them, including entrepreneurship, energy, access and transportation, workforce and procurement, neighborhoods, and healthy communities, with the goal of increasing economic development and building a strong community. bnmc-old.local.

Open House on May 1st at the Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center Open House on Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

April 29, 2014 by BNMCin Allentown, Attractions, Biotechnology Companies, Campus-wide, Community, Employees, Entrepreneurs, Event, Fruit Belt, Homepage, Innovation Center, Life Sciences Companies, Networking5 Comments

An Evening Celebrating Entrepreneurship and Innovation;

More than 900 People To Attend

AN EVENING OF PURE INNOVATION (With drinks, music, hors d’oeuvres and prizes thrown in for good measure.)

WHAT: An open house for the Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. More than 26 companies will be hosting events during the open house, featuring food, drinks, and entertainment, including live music, a golf simulator, and much more! A five minute “Power Pitch” session begins at 6:30 p.m. featuring several local entrepreneurs hosted by the Inventures Group.

Learn more about how these diverse companies are growing their businesses in this unique office environment. Industries include life sciences and biotech; creative; technology; talent acquisition; a pharmacy; not-for-profit; patent attorneys; and many more.

This free event is open to the community at large. A full list of Innovation Center tenants can be found here – https://bnmc-old.local/innovation-center-tenant-list/.

WHEN: Thursday, May 1st from 4:00 – 7:00 pm

WHERE: 640 Ellicott Street, Buffalo. Complimentary car and bike parking in the lot directly across the street; the Innovation Center is two blocks from the Allen/Medical Campus NFTA station.

About the Thomas R. Beecher Innovation Center

The Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center, located at 640 Ellicott Street in downtown Buffalo, is a LEED-certified research and development space with over 55 tenants and 350 people, including life sciences and biotech companies, as well as companies offering support services like IP attorneys, talent acquisition, sales, and marketing. This state-of-the art facility is designed to accommodate small to medium companies seeking office, wet lab and/or research space, on a month-to-month basis or via longer term leases, located in the heart of the thriving Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

The Innovation Center is owned and operated by the BNMC, Inc., a self-sustaining social enterprise successfully combining innovation, job creation, and urban revitalization. The BNMC, Inc. serves as the umbrella organization of the anchor institutions that make up the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus located within the 120-acre campus bordering Allentown, the Fruit Belt and Downtown. The BNMC, Inc. fosters conversation and collaboration among its member institutions, its partners and the community to address critical issues impacting them, including entrepreneurship, energy, access and transportation, workforce and procurement, neighborhoods, and healthy communities, with the goal of increasing economic development and building a strong community.

New Biotech Companies Move Into Innovation Center on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

March 11, 2013 by BNMCin Biotechnology Companies, Healthy Communities, Homepage, Innovation Center, Member Institution(s), News

The Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center is pleased to welcome Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) spin-off companies Tartis Aging, Inc., and OncoTartis, Inc., as its newest tenants. The companies will occupy a combined 5,700-square-foot of wet lab and office space on the fourth floor of the building. Approximately half of this space will be built up as the companies continue to grow in size.
OncoTartis and Tartis Aging are discovery-stage biotechnology companies seeking novel anti-cancer and anti-aging drugs. Their proprietary technologies are licensed from the laboratories of Andrei Gudkov, PhD, from RPCI.

Dr. Gudkov was recruited to Buffalo by RPCI and other local partners in 2007. He moved his research lab and his first commercial company, Cleveland BioLabs, Inc. (CBLI), from the Cleveland Clinic to serve as Senior Vice President of Basic Science and Chair of the Department of Cell Stress Biology at Roswell Park.

The laboratory building at 73 High Street, shared with Cleveland BioLabs, Inc., had been the first home for both corporations. With 15 employees and a growing portfolio, the two companies have outgrown the space available on High Street but wanted to remain on the BNMC.

“We are very hwp-contenty to find space in the Innovation Center, which allows us to expand our research and at the same time continue to be close to our colleagues at CBLI and Roswell Park,” said Aleksandra Kotlyarova, Director of Operations for both companies.

“OncoTartis and Tartis Aging are perfect examples of what we need to see more of here in Buffalo,” said Patrick J. Whalen, Chief Operating Officer of the BNMC, Inc., which owns and operates the Innovation Center. “Dr. Gudkov and Cleveland BioLabs moved to the BNMC several years ago to better collaborate with Roswell Park Cancer Institute, and thanks to the groundbreaking research at Roswell Park, they continue to grow and spin off companies, creating more jobs and economic-development opportunities in Buffalo as they evolve.”

Kari Bonaro (BNMC, Inc.); kbonaro@bnmc-old.local; 716.218.7157

New Biotech Companies Move Into Innovation Center on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

March 11, 2013 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Innovation Center, News, Research

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, March 11, 2013

For more information, contact:

Contact Kari Bonaro
kbonaro@bnmc-old.local, 716.218.7157

(BUFFALO, NY) – The Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center is pleased to welcome Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) spin-off companies Tartis Aging, Inc., and OncoTartis, Inc., as its newest tenants. The companies will occupy a combined 5,700 sq. ft. of wet lab and office space on the fourth floor of the building. Approximately half of this space will be built up as the companies continue to grow in size.

OncoTartis and Tartis Aging are discovery-stage biotechnology companies seeking novel anti-cancer and anti-aging drugs. Their proprietary technologies are licensed from the laboratories of Andrei Gudkov, PhD, from RPCI.

About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) is dedicated to the cultivation of a world-class medical campus for clinical care, research, education, and entrepreneurship on 120 acres in downtown Buffalo. It is home to the region’s top clinical, research, and medical education institutions, including: the University at Buffalo, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Olmsted Center for Sight, Kaleida Health, Hauptman-Woodward Medical Research Institute, Buffalo Medical Group, Buffalo Hearing & Speech Center, Unyts, and the Center for Hospice and Palliative Care. There are over 40 public and private companies on the BNMC. More than 12,000 people come to work at the Medical Campus every day, and BNMC institutions see over one million patients and visitors annually. The Campus has an annual economic impact of $1.5 billion on the region. The Medical Campus consists of more than 6 million square feet of research, clinical, and support space. bnmc-old.local

About Roswell Park Cancer Institute

The mission of Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) is to understand, prevent and cure cancer. RPCI, founded in 1898, was one of the first cancer centers in the country to be named a National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center and remains the only facility with this designation in Upstate New York. The Institute is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers; maintains affiliate sites; and is a partner in national and international collaborative programs. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at http://www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or email askrpci@roswellpark.org.

About the Thomas R. Beecher Innovation Center

The Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center, located at 640 Ellicott Street in downtown Buffalo, is a LEED-certified research and development space housing life sciences and biotech companies, as well as companies offering support services like IP attorneys, talent acquisition, sales, and marketing. This state-of-the art facility is designed to accommodate small to medium companies seeking office, wet lab and/or research space, on a month-to-month basis or via longer term leases, located in the heart of the thriving Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus. There are currently 40 companies located in the building.

The Innovation Center is owned and operated by the BNMC, Inc., a not-for-profit organization that fosters conversation and collaboration among its member institutions, their 12,000 employees, and the community; coordinates activities related to sustainable planning, development and enhancement of its 120-acre space; and works to create a distinct, innovative environment that provides opportunities for entrepreneurship and active and healthy living.

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Pharmacy Opens in Innovation Center on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

January 10, 2013 by BNMCin Allentown, Campus-wide, Community, Fruit Belt, Innovation Center, News2 Comments

For Immediate Release
Thursday, January 10, 2013

For more information:
Contact Kari Bonaro
kbonaro@bnmc-old.local, 716-218-7157

Pharmacy Opens in Innovation Center on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

Mobile Pharmacy Solutions (Formerly VascuScript) Offers Prescription Delivery Services, In-Home Visits, and More in New Location

(BUFFALO, NY) – The Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center is pleased to welcome Mobile Pharmacy Solutions (MPS), a full service, brick and mortar pharmacy, locally owned and operated, as one of its newest tenants. MPS is located on the first floor of the building in 2,495 sq ft of brand new, state-of-the art space. Its hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

While also functioning as a community drug store, MPS implements home-based services for patients including in-home pharmacist consultations, free delivery and/or mailing of prescription and over-the-counter medications, advanced courtesy refills, medication therapy management, immunizations, and specialty compounded medications. When the pharmacy is physically closed, patients still have access to an on-call pharmacist through an automated system 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. MPS employs 17 team members, including six pharmacists.

“We are thrilled to be a part of the Medical Campus community, and look forward to helping to meet the needs of the nearby Fruit Belt and Allentown community residents, as well as patients and employees on the Medical Campus and in the central business district,” said Dean P. Trzewieczynski, RPh., Chief Operating Officer of Mobile Pharmacy Solutions. “Working closely with our affiliates, we are able to offer unique services to our customers, beyond traditional retail pharmacies. The success of this model can be attributed to the ability of the care team to interface with other health care providers such as nurse practitioners, physicians, surgeons, physician assistants, therapists, etc. to provide a higher level of patient care.”

Formerly known as VascuScript while operating in Cheektowaga, Mobile Pharmacy Solutions is affiliated with Mobile HealthCare Connections, a collaboration of service providers delivering a wide range of innovative medical care, remote vital signs telemonitoring, in-home primary care and streamlined pharmacy services –all delivered directly to the patient’s home. The triage and clinical monitoring centers are staffed with fully trained nurses who analyze and evaluate remotely monitored patients. They provide coaching, patient support and notifications to primary caregivers in cases of readings outside established parameters.

About the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

About the Thomas R. Beecher Innovation Center

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Innovation Center Kicks Off Series to Help Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses

December 3, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Entrepreneurs, Homepage, Life Sciences Companies9 Comments

A key mission of the Innovation Center is to offer resources necessary for small businesses and entrepreneurs to grow. The Growing Your Knowledge & Network for Small Businesses series sponsored by First Niagara, will begin on Wednesday, December 12th at 9 a.m. until 10 a.m. This monthly series is an extension of the BNMC’s efforts to continue to promote growth for small- to medium-sized companies. This series provides important information for companies as industry experts – often successful entrepreneurs themselves – share knowledge relevant to running a successful business.
Topics include taxes, human resources, networking etiquette, branding and much, more. Learn about the latest industry trends and developments as you hear from professionals in the field. This series is open to tenants withint the Innovation Center and also members of the comunity.

Attendees of the Growing Your Knowledge & Network for Small Businesses sessions will be entered into a raffle to win an iPad or other prizes. Interact and network with fellow entrepreneurs and professionals as you engage in dialogue about need-to-know information for small businesses.

Each presentation is free, but space is limited and registration is required. To register, visit growingyourknowledge.eventbrite.com.

Wednesday, December 12th

Do Taxes Matter? presented by Daniel Tirone, Daniel Tirone, CPA. Learn about the basics of tax management.

Wednesday, January 9th

Basic 101 HR Information presented by Holly Nowak, Alcott HR Group. Learn about human resources best practices.

Wednesday, February 13th

Business Development Incentives in New York: Maximizing Your Benefits presented by Cory Van Deusen V, Lumsden & McCormick, LLP. Learn about tax credits and incentives.

Wednesday, March 13th

Social Media and Your Business presented by Robin Wilson, The Wilson Edge.

Wednesday, April 10th

Branding Consistency presented by Rob Wynne, Wynne Creative Group. Learn about adding character to your business, helping to make it stand out.

Wednesday, May 8th

First Niagara: Five Key Areas Where Businesses Suffer Losses presented by Karen Fenzl.

All in One Day: Three Awards for the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

September 20, 2012 by BNMCin Campus-wide, Innovation Center, Member Institution(s), NewsLeave a Comment

The Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus (BNMC) received three honors on the same day this week: the BNMC was named 2012 Outstanding Research/Science Park by the Association of University Research Parks (AURP); its Four Neighborhoods, One Community: Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus Master Plan Update has been awarded the 2012 Planning Excellence Award for Comprehensive Planning by the New York Upstate Chapter of the American Planning Association (NYUAPA); and the Thomas R. Beecher Innovation Center, owned and operated by the BNMC, Inc., received the Innovative Design Award by international trade organization Global Workspace Association.

2012 Outstanding Research/Science Park Award by Association of University Research Parks (AURP)

Patrick J. Whalen, Chief Operating Officer of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc., was on hand to accept the award at AURP’s annual conference in Madison, WI.

“The Association of University Research Parks is pleased to announce the 2012 Awards of Excellence recipients and has named the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus the 2012 Outstanding Research Park,” said AURP President Kevin Byrne. “BNMC is a world-class medical campus that has created a strong community of innovation in Buffalo and throughout the region. We congratulate them for their outstanding achievements.”

AURP is a professional association of university related research and science parks. The association’s mission is to foster innovation, commercialization and economic growth through university, industry and government partnerships. More online at www.aurp.net.

Previous parks honored as Outstanding Research/Science Park of the Year include the Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center; Innovation Place (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada); Sandia Science & Technology Park (Albuquerque, NM); and Centennial Campus at North Carolina State University.

TrainSMART Commits to 10-Year Stay on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus

April 9, 2012 by BNMCin Homepage, NewsLeave a Comment

TrainSMART, a leader in TRX Training in Buffalo and Western New York, will remain in the Thomas R. Beecher, Jr. Innovation Center in downtown Buffalo as a tenant for the next 10 years. The President, Joe Fox, has benefited greatly from having his office and training facility in the renovated building where there are various start-up life sciences, biotech, and health industry companies who work out of the furnished office and lab space provided.
Fox trains executives, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus employees, and community members who desire to have a personal fitness training program that can be maintained and tailored according to each person’s physical capabilities.

Read more about TrainSMART’s long-term commitment. To learn about detailed training services provided by Joe and his team, visit the TrainSMART Web site.

What Makes You Sweat? – Buffalo Business First

The PCA Group

March 25, 2012 by BNMCin Innovation CenterLeave a Comment

The PCA Group is a technology leader in the Buffalo, New York, serving small-, mid- and large-sized organizations in all industries. PCA’s family of I.T. services include outsourced I.T. support, custom wp-contentlication & software development, VoIP business phone systems, internet marketing services, and website design & development.
Website: www.thepcagroup.com