Program

Final presentations: 4:30-7:30 p.m. on April 16, 2026
More than $75,000 in startup funding and business services

Overview

The Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition was created by the UB School of Management and the UB Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships. Funded with a $1 million endowment from the late Henry A. Panasci Jr., the program brings UB students from science, technology, business and other disciplines together to maximize their potential to create viable businesses in Western New York.

The competition is hosted by UB’s Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad.

Agenda Judges Panel Finalists Special Thanks Sponsors

Thirteen teams were chosen from 53 applications to submit written materials and a video pitch, and six have progressed to the final round on April 16, where they will present their business plans publicly.

The first-place team will receive $25,000 in seed funding, as well as in-kind services for accounting, website and creative development, business growth coaching, legal, intellectual property, leadership development and team coaching, and office space services valued at up to $40,000, for a total package of more than $65,000. The second-place team will receive $10,000 in seed funding.

New this year, a $5,000 prize sponsored by the UB Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships will be awarded to the venture that demonstrates outstanding technological innovation and effective integration. 

  • AARM Technologies
    4/10/26
    AARM Technologies is developing a smart, theragnostic wound dressing that detects infection in real time through a simple visual signal and delivers on-demand, light-activated antimicrobial therapy. By combining sensing and treatment into a single, easy-to-use bandage, AARM aims to accelerate healing and reduce complications in chronic wounds.
  • EchoWell Health
    4/10/26
    EchoWell Health is developing an AI-guided ultrasound acquisition platform that enables patients to perform standardized breast scans at home using a wireless probe. The system provides real-time guidance and quality control to ensure clinicians receive clinically usable data for longitudinal monitoring without requiring in-clinic imaging or trained sonographers.
  • Great Lakes Dried Fruit
    4/10/26
    Our crunchy Apple Snaps are proudly picked, packed and dried 100% in Upstate New York. Great Lakes Dried Fruit isn’t just a snack — it’s a clean, local alternative that satisfies cravings while strengthening regional agriculture and contributing to Buffalo’s food manufacturing ecosystem.
  • LAZZCO Rocketry
    4/17/26
    LAZZCO Rocketry is a consumer and educational model rocketry company developing certified solid rocket motors, reusable motor hardware and avionics systems to expand rocket motor availability and flight reliability in the high-powered rocketry sector. By prioritizing hobbyists and educational programs, LAZZCO Rocketry addresses persistent availability and access barriers while helping make hands-on rocketry more attainable for the next generation of engineers and scientists.
  • RecycleVision AI
    4/10/26
    RecycleVision AI builds intelligent systems that improve plastic recycling by increasing sorting accuracy and reducing contamination. By bringing adaptive AI into recycling facilities, the technology helps drive a more efficient and sustainable circular economy.
  • Schubert Medical Solutions
    4/14/26
    Schubert Medical Solutions created the Automated Ventilation Apparatus, which is an easy to use and fully automated device that ventilates patients in critical emergencies such as cardiac arrest. Similar to public AEDs, the AVA takes the human error out of the equation allowing anyone to save a life.