FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MELVILLE, N.Y. (March 25, 2015) – Accelerate Long Island released its inaugural report on the state of Long Island technology startups, offering the most comprehensive look to date at the region’s emerging innovation economy.

Prepared over five months, the report is based on data collected from almost 200 local startups in IT, biotech and clean energy and through interviews with more than 75 economic development officials, educators, venture capitalists, and others working to support local innovation. It provides the most accurate picture so far of the local tech-focused entrepreneur ecosystem, which business leaders believe is the Island’s best hope to replace defense as an economic anchor.

The report can be viewed in its entirety at accelerateli.org.

“The Long Island Technology Startups Report provides much-needed data and information regarding the technology startup community on Long Island. Hopefully, the report will allow for important benchmarking so that we can chart the success of Long Island’s effort to create an innovation-based economy.  The report’s “glass-half full” conclusion is a sign that Long Island is heading in the right direction. Many thanks to John Kominicki, the sponsors of the report, and all of the startup companies for making this report possible,” said Mark Lesko, Executive Director of Accelerate Long Island.

The report notes that Long Island has recently made significant strides towards its goal through the efforts of the Regional Economic Development Council, which has won hundreds of millions of dollars in state aid for local technology companies and programs. Start-Up NY, a state program that offers tax and other benefits to technology startups, is also playing an important role in the growth of technology in the region, according to the report.

The innovation economy is also being bolstered by:

Other key findings of the report include:

The report was made possible through the support of almost a dozen Long Island businesses and institutions, including Bethpage Federal Credit Union, the law firm of Carter DeLuca Farrell & Schmidt, Ernst & Young, Hofstra University, the Town of Islip Industrial Development Agency, the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency, the Rauch Foundation, Rechler Equity Partners, the law firm of Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, the Long Island Business Development Council, and Andrew D. Presberg/Bi-County Development Corp.

Accelerate Long Island is a unique collaboration among the region’s world-class research institutions dedicated to commercializing research and creating an entrepreneurial ecosystem.  Accelerate Long Island’s Board includes Brookhaven National Laboratory, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, Hofstra University, North Shore-LIJ Health System, Stony Brook University, and private sector partners include the Long Island Association, Topspin Partners, Jove Equity Partners, Ernst & Young, Farrell Fritz, and the Rauch Foundation.  Accelerate Long Island’s Seed Fund has invested $600,000 in six high-tech startups on Long Island with the Long Island Emerging Technologies Fund, comprised of Topspin Partners and Jove Equity Partners. For more information, visit www.accelerateli.org. Twitter: @AccelerateLI.

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