We attended the New York State Innovation Summit in Rochester at the end of October, organized by FuzeHub and supported by the Empire State Development's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation. With over 500 participants, the energy was palpable—entrepreneurs, investors, university leaders, and government officials all partnering to build something meaningful in Upstate New York. 

We've been to many startup events on both coasts, and what strikes us most about Upstate NY is the collaboration. Partnerships run seamlessly between state government, universities, investors, and entrepreneurship support organizations. There's a genuine sense of community here that feels different from the competitive intensity I've experienced elsewhere. 

But we couldn't leave Rochester without confronting the elephant in the room: the striking disparities between the Upstate NY and Bay Area startup ecosystems.