FuzeHub 150K contest final includes 2 Capital Region startups

Oct 12, 2023

FuzeHub serves as a resource for small- and mid-size manufacturing firms in New York. It also helps firms develop presentations, such as at this event in 2018. The nonprofit is holding its commercialization competition next month in Saratoga Springs.

ALBANY — Two local startups will be competing for a $150,000 grand prize at the 2023 Commercialization Competition being held Oct. 16 and Oct. 17 in Saratoga Springs.

The event, which is taking place at the Saratoga Springs City Center, is organized by FuzeHub, a state-supported nonprofit based in Albany that focuses on helping small- and medium-sized manufacturers grow.

In the case of the commercialization competition, companies must have annual revenue of less than $100,000.

Money for the awards comes through the Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund. Lawrence was a top executive at the Center for Economic Growth before his death in 2015. The fund is named in his memory.

The 12 companies that are finalists are vying for a top prize are also a potential equity investment into their company by FuzeHub.

Two Capital Region companies are among the 12 finalists this year. They are Epic Airway Systems of Schenectady and Castor Energy of Albany.

Epic Airway was founded by two anesthesiologists who have developed an airway management device for emergencies that combines two types of systems in one, the endotracheal tube and the laryngeal mask that has a tube inserted into a patient’s mouth.

Castor Energy has developed a micro-grid technology that can turn stored air into electricity and water.