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Sponsorship

Featured partner placement

Sponsor SUNY Upstate Medical University once and your brand appears on the SUNY Upstate Medical University page and across every one of its programs and student-startup pages — not just this page.

Venture FundDirect fundingEquity takenPartially Verified

Upstate Biotech Ventures

SUNY Upstate Medical University · Syracuse, NY

A $6 million seed fund managed by Excell Partners that invests in high-potential startups and small businesses affiliated with SUNY Upstate Medical University. It is the first venture capital fund established on a SUNY campus and is closely linked to the CNY Biotech Accelerator.

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Quick fit check

  • Offers direct funding
  • Takes equity
  • Currently active
  • Partially verified

Key numbers

Funding range

$100,000 – $1,000,000

Venture Equity

Equity

Equity taken

Application

Ongoing

Campus Wide

Last activity

2024-07-16

High confidence

Application and Timing

The fund was announced July 16, 2024, with active deployment expected across 2024–2028. Application mechanics and review cycle are managed through Excell Partners.

Participants

Biotech and health-related startups with SUNY Upstate affiliation, especially those in or linked to CNYBAC. Preference is given to businesses led by founders from traditionally underrepresented groups.

Funding and Equity

The fund was capitalized with $6 million: $3 million from Empire State Development's Community and Regional Partner Fund (SSBCI) and $3 million from Upstate Medical University through the SUNY Research Foundation. Investments range from $100,000 to $1 million across approximately 20 companies. Terms are managed by Excell Partners and imply standard venture-equity or equity-like structures. Exact security types for each investment are not detailed in the retained sources.

Recent Activity

The 2026 New York State CNYBAC renovation announcement confirms Upstate Biotech Ventures as an active capital source for accelerator clients. No subsequent deployment data was captured.

Known startups and winners

Competition winners and notable student ventures from our research.

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Cellura Bio

SUNY Upstate Medical University

Student venture

Cell therapy manufacturing optimization tools for early-stage biologics startups. Linked to CNYBAC and the Upstate Biotech Ventures seed fund pipeline per vault research.

Historical winners (research notes)

The early portfolio is not yet fully public. Expected to include CNYBAC and Upstate-affiliated ventures as they raise seed rounds.

Verification Gaps

  • Current deployment totals and portfolio companies.
  • Exact security terms and investment track record.
  • Application process and timeline through Excell Partners.

Upstate Biotech Ventures

Additional research notesShow