Accelerate Long Island announced that it has formed a strategic alliance with the Long Island Software Technology Network (LISTnet) and the Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT) to build an entrepreneurial ecosystem on Long Island. The three organizations signed a Teaming Agreement establishing this relationship.
Accelerate Long Island will work with LISTnet and LIFT on three specific areas: networking and instructional events to develop the entrepreneurial ecosystem, cross-marketing the region as a technology hub and providing assistance to companies and entrepreneurs.
Mark Lesko, Executive Director of Accelerate Long Island, said, “Long Island’s premiere economic development organizations must work together and this strategic alliance will greatly benefit the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Utilizing our networks, the partnership between Accelerate Long Island, LIFT and LISTnet will allow us to successfully grow companies from idea, to commercialization, to the market. Long Island already has a strong entrepreneurial culture; the problem is that many aspiring CEO’s don’t know where to go for business formation assistance. Through this partnership, we hope Accelerate Long Island can work with LIFT and LISTnet to provide one stop shopping for start-up companies who need assistance.”
Frank Otto, President of LIFT, said, “LIFT has always been about strong collaborations between organizations with shared objectives. To borrow from Aristotle, this is a case where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Together, we can more quickly and effectively build a more vibrant infrastructure to serve as a critical foundation and launch pad for our region’s existing businesses and budding entrepreneurs. With our 30 plus years of expertise and proven track record in manufacturing technology, we are confident that LIFT will be able to support the commercialization of any technology requirements that come through the Accelerate LI process.”
Peter Goldsmith, President of LISTnet, said, “It was a natural decision for our three organizations to agree to work together for the benefit of the Long Island tech community. All of us want the same thing – tech companies to succeed and grow on LI, and create high paying jobs that will keep our graduates from moving away. LI has all the ingredients to be successful, but it takes the right people to mix it properly and add what is needed. Accelerate LI, LIFT, and LISTnet represent all of the tech industries and by partnering and supporting each other our message will be louder and the results much higher. Long Island can and will become a Tech region that will be recognized by all.”
Kevin Law, Chairman of the Accelerate Long Island Board and President & CEO of the Long Island Association, said, “It is important that all the business organizations on Long Island work together. This new strategic alliance of Accelerate Long Island, LIFT, and LISTnet’s builds upon the successful strategic alliance the LIA established with ABLI, as well as the Long Island Business Collaborative that the LIA formed with the region’s leading business groups. Thus, the Long Island Association wholeheartedly supports the efforts of Accelerate Long Island, LIFT, and LISTnet to develop our entrepreneurial ecosystem and foster a high tech economy.”
Russell Artzt, Board Member of Accelerate Long Island and LISTnet and a founder of CA Technologies said, “I am delighted that Accelerate Long Island, LIFT, and LISTnet are collaborating to jumpstart our high tech economy. This strategic alliance means that entrepreneurs who want to start-up companies will have one place to go for all their early-stage company needs – whether it be technical assistance, networking or funding. This is a positive step forward for Long Island’s high tech economy.”
The organizations will mainly collaborate on networking and sharing expertise. Accelerate Long Island is a collaboration among the major research institutions on Long Island and focuses on commercializing the technology from research discoveries; LIFT is NYSTAR’s designated Regional Technology Development Center for Long Island with a particular focus on developing LI manufacturing; and LISTnet has worked to develop Long Island’s Information Technology cluster for years.
Accelerate Long Island has already started partnering with LIFT and LISTnet on several initiatives. Recently, Accelerate Long Island brought an entrepreneur team to LIFT that was commercializing a Brookhaven National Laboratory technology to leverage LIFT’s government and industry contacts. Accelerate Long Island is also an active participant in LISTnet’s COMETS program, a mentoring program for Information Technology start-ups.
About Accelerate Long Island
Accelerate Long Island was created in 2011 to foster the development of an innovation-based economy on Long Island. Long Island’s world class academic and research institutions have approximately $1.2 billion in annual research funding. It is the goal of Accelerate Long Island to commercialize that research into start-up companies in three industry clusters: Information Technology, Biotech/life sciences, and Energy. Accelerate Long Island received a $500,000 grant to start a seed fund for early stage companies, which is matched by $750,000 from the Long Island Emerging Technologies Fund, a partnership of venture capitalists. Accelerate Long Island will provide mentoring to start-ups and is working to attract more venture capital investment to Long Island.
Website: www.accelerateli.org
Twitter: @AccelerateLI
About LIFT
The Long Island Forum for Technology (LIFT) is a non-profit economic development organization working with the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP). LIFT is NYSTAR’s designated Regional Technology Development Center for Long Island and the region’s official MEP. Its role is far reaching, including helping members win government contracts and grants to grow their businesses; aligning companies with synergistic lines and missions; giving members access to critical business improvement and quality management systems across core areas; providing lean product design and development services, innovation engineering, feasibility studies, material analysis services and rapid prototyping; and offering industry-specific education forums. The LIFT Family of Companies reflects several major technology and related initiatives, including: the Applied Science Foundation for Homeland Security, the Rail Alliance, the Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Technology Innovation Center, DHS Mantech, Information Technology, and Workforce Development. LIFT’s primary mission is to commercialize Long Island’s technology.
Website: www.lift.org
Twitter: @LIFTorg
About LISTnet
LISTnet was started in 1997 and has grown to about 1000 company members. LISTnet’s mission is to have Long Island be recognized as a Tech Center of Excellence and to help the tech companies grow and remain here. LISTnet has 15 Special Interest Groups (SIG’s), and Councils like CEO, CIO & Echo, and their four areas of concentration are Healthcare/IT, Wireless/Mobility, Cyber Security and Smart Energy. LISTnet has run the Long Island Software Awards (LISA) for 17 years, and just started the Comets program, or Connected Organization for Exciting Tech Startups. LISTnet will locate the winning companies in the new LI Tech Mall in Hauppauge. LISTnet runs programs like Lean Startup and LI Startups, and they are helping to drive the tech start-up community on LI.
Website: www.listnet.org
Twitter: @LISTnet