Unibaio of New York City, which offers naturally derived particles that trap the active ingredients of pesticides and fertilizers, enabling them to penetrate plants more efficiently, was awarded the $1 million grand prize in the sixth annual Grow-NY Food and Agriculture business competition.

The startup was among eight finalists that won prize money during the Grow-NY Food and Ag Summit, held Nov. 6-7 at the Ithaca Downtown Conference Center and online. The winners were announced at the State Theatre of Ithaca.

“Winning the $1 million grand prize at the Grow-NY Summit is a dream come true,” said Matia Figliozzi, CEO and co-founder of Unibaio. “It’s more than just the money – it’s validation of our team’s hard work, innovation and dedication to creating a solution that will have a lasting impact on farming.”

Grow-NY is a startup challenge focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage and agriculture innovation cluster in central New York, the Finger Lakes and the Southern Tier. Of 312 applicants from 50 countries and 26 states, 20 leading food and ag startups were selected to compete in this year’s competition.

“Congratulations to the Grow-NY winners, and to all of the teams that participated in round six of this unique agriculture-based business accelerator and competition,” said Hope Knight, president, CEO and commissioner of Empire State Development. “Grow-NY is rooted in Governor Hochul’s support of startups that are building entrepreneurial ecosystems and continues to nurture economic growth across the rich farming areas of the Finger Lakes, Central and Southern Tier regions.”

More than 1,100 people registered for the summit, where the 20 finalists pitched their business plans to a panel of expert judges. The event also featured a series of panels and fireside chats focused on the future of food and ag in the region, in the industry and across the world. Attendees also networked with more than 40 exhibitors representing startups, incubators, economic development agencies and small-business partners.

Winning startups commit to making a positive economic impact in the Grow-NY region of central New York, the Finger Lakes and the Southern Tier. Awardees must operate in the region for at least one year as they aim to create jobs, establish partnerships and strengthen the economy. To meet this requirement, the startups may relocate to the region, establish their primary manufacturing or research and development facilities there or make substantial capital investments in the area.

In addition to the $1 million award, two startups were named $500,000 winners and four were awarded $250,000, including:

• $500,000: PureNanoTech (Parsippany, New Jersey) created a nanobubble irrigation solution to maximize irrigation performance and optimize energy usage in the agriculture, pond and lake restoration, wastewater treatment and disinfection industries.
• $500,000: UdderWays (Albion, New York) uses a brushless technology to gently stimulate cows and ensure clean and dry teats. With the startup’s patented vortex-style application, farmers can achieve consistent stimulation and effortlessly promote milk letdown.
• $250,000: Clean Crop Technologies (Holyoke, Massachusetts) combines electricity and food-grade gasses to remove pathogens from seeds before they are planted, increasing yields, reducing waste and improving food safety without preservatives.
• $250,000: ClearLeaf (San José, Costa Rica) offers safe fungicides and bactericides that protect soil and crops from a wide range of pre- and post-harvest pathogens without harming the environment or consumers’ health.
• $250,000: For Bitter For Worse (Portland, Oregon) is a distillery using certified organic, locally farmed ingredients to create non-alcoholic cocktails.
• $250,000: Zordi (Oakfield, New York) builds autonomous greenhouses with robots and AI to make high-quality produce available anywhere.

Additionally, Bialtec took home the $10,000 Wegmans Audience Choice Award, a prize determined by votes from audience members. The company designs microencapsulated feed additives tailored to specific livestock breeds.

“The Grow-NY competition is an annual opportunity to spotlight New York agriculture’s diversity and strengths, and the many opportunities it holds for innovative businesses that are looking to grow and thrive,” said Richard Ball, commissioner of the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets. “Now in its sixth round, Grow-NY has proven itself to be a program that is integral to enhancing our agricultural economy. I congratulate all the winners and participants this year and thank Governor Hochul for her continued support in making sure New York agriculture remains a powerhouse nationwide.”

“The mentorship we received and relationships we developed through Grow-NY were invaluable, helping us refine our strategy and prepare for growth,” Figliozzi said. “This win will allow us to scale our operations in upstate New York and contribute to a more sustainable and resilient food system.”

“Through the Grow-NY competition we’ve touched more than 1,800 startups wanting to build their businesses in upstate New York,” said Jenn Smith, Grow-NY program director. “This year’s finalists are all exceptional, and we are thrilled to add Unibaio to our portfolio of ventures growing in the region.”

Applications for the seventh year of the Grow-NY competition will open in March 2025. The competition is funded by Empire State Development and administered by Cornell’s Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA), a division of Cornell Research and Innovation.

Bridget Hagen is a marketing communications specialist for Cornell Research and Innovation.