2019 Winners

The Grow-NY Finalists include innovative, high-growth food and agriculture startups from across the globe

In our first year of competition we saw an outstanding cohort of finalists that represent much-needed innovation and potential for impact in the Grow-NY region. We congratulate all of our finalists on their vision, their growth during our business development phase, and their dynamic performance in the live pitches. You can learn more about our inaugural winners below.

2019 Grow-NY $1,000,000 Winner

Real Eats

RealEats America

Delivers fresh, healthy meals, while minimizing food waste
Geneva, NY

RealEats is a mission-driven, innovative food-tech company that develops products to make it simple for people to access and enjoy the benefits of real food. The company’s first product innovation is a highly successful line of healthy, hyper-convenient meals that minimize food waste. RealEats meals are delivered directly to consumers and are available in RealEats branded,  healthy smart fridges in corporate office locations.

2019 Grow-NY $500,000 Winners

Dropcopter

Dropcopter

Leverages drones to pollinate crops and increase crop yield
Syracuse, NY

Since winning in 2019, Dropcopter has developed customer bases for their drone-centric pollination technology portfolio throughout North America, South America, and Israel. 

Tiliter

Tiliter

Identifies products at supermarket checkouts with AI—no bar code needed
Munich, Germany

Through its Rochester branch office, Australian company Tiliter has developed strategic partnerships with Bizerba North America, IdolMea, and Retail Data Systems, which grows its tech globally.

2019 Grow-NY $250,000 Winners

Capro-X

Capro-X

Upcycles dairy waste into valuable biofuels and bioplastics
Ithaca, NY

Capro-X is producing new chemicals and bioplastics to be introduced in 2022.

Combplex

Combplex

Eliminates pests that threaten the health of honeybee hives
Ithaca, NY

Complex has hired additional employees and is raising a Series A round. 

The Perfect Granola

The Perfect Granola

Crafts locally-sourced granola for NY schools while giving back
Victor, NY

The Perfect Granola has used its expanded Victor, New York, facility to partner with PepsiCo’s Food for Good, expanding its brand philanthropic reach. 

Whole Healthy Food

Whole Healthy Food

Develops new food ingredients with therapeutic benefits
Ithaca, NY

Having grown its tech and product portfolio, Whole Healthy Food is ready to expand its product sales.

2019 Grow-NY Finalists

  • AgVoice
    AgVoice
    2019, Agtech, Finalist, United States
  • Capro-X
    Capro-X
    $250K, 2019, Agtech, Finalist, New York
  • Combplex
    Combplex
    $250K, 2019, Agtech, Finalist, New York
  • Dropcopter
    Dropcopter
    $500K, 2019, Agtech, Finalist, New York
  • Independent Barley & Malt
    Independent Barley & Malt
    2019, Finalist, United States
  • Livestock Water Recycling
    Livestock Water Recycling
    2019, Finalist, International
  • Nuravine
    Nuravine
    2019, Finalist, New York
  • Paragon Pure
    Paragon Pure
    2019, Finalist, United States
  • Radical Plastics
    Radical Plastics
    2019, Finalist, United States
  • RealEats America
    RealEats America
    $1 million, 2019, Finalist, Foodtech, New York
  • Slate Chocolate Milk
    Slate Chocolate Milk
    2019, Finalist, United States
  • The Perfect Granola
    The Perfect Granola
    $250K, 2019, Finalist, Food/Beverage, New York
  • Tiliter
    Tiliter
    $500K, 2019, Finalist, Foodtech, International
  • Whole Healthy Food
    Whole Healthy Food
    $250K, 2019, Finalist, Food/Beverage, New York
AGVoice
AGVoice
AgVoice

Norcross, GA
AgVoice enables food and ag workers to use management tools on-the-go. This software is the world’s first voice-driven, hands-free, workflow management and analytics platform for mobile workers in the food and agriculture industry.


@AgVoiceGlobal

Categories :
2019, Agtech, Finalist, United States
Capro-X
Capro-X
Capro-X

Ithaca, NY
Capro-X has created a sustainable fermentation technology to upcycle dairy wastewater into valuable biofuels and bioplastics.


Capro-X website

Categories :
$250K, 2019, Agtech, Finalist, New York
Combplex
Combplex
Combplex

Ithaca, NY
Combplex solves the primary problem driving honey bee population decline by eliminating the invasive Varroa mite that threatens the health of honeybee hives.


Combplex website

Categories :
$250K, 2019, Agtech, Finalist, New York
Dropcopter
Dropcopter
Dropcopter

Syracuse, NY
Dropcopter uses drones to pollinate crops and is the first company in the world to offer automated pollination as a service.


Dropcopter website

Categories :
$500K, 2019, Agtech, Finalist, New York
Independent-Barley-Malt
Independent-Barley-Malt
Independent Barley & Malt

Litchfield, MI
Independent Barley & Malt (IB&M) is growing new supply chains to provide world-class malt for the craft food and beverage market.

Categories :
2019, Finalist, United States
Livestock-Water-Recycling
Livestock-Water-Recycling
Livestock Water Recycling

Alberta, Canada
Livestock Water Recycling’s manure management solution reduces the overall volume of manure, concentrates nutrients for better crop yield, and delivers a renewable, high-quality water source.


Livestock Water Recycling website

Categories :
2019, Finalist, International
Nuravine
Nuravine
Nuravine

New York, NY
Nuravine maximizes indoor and greenhouse crop yield via water nutrient solutions.


Nuravine website

Categories :
2019, Finalist, New York
Paragon-Pure
Paragon-Pure
Paragon Pure

Princeton, NJ
Paragon Pure creates flavors, colors and nutrients protected within whole grain rice flour.


Paragon Pure website

Categories :
2019, Finalist, United States
Radical-Plastics
Radical-Plastics
Radical Plastics

Beverly, MA
Radical Plastics developed a patented catalyst technology that renders conventional plastics biodegradable.


Radical Plastics website

Categories :
2019, Finalist, United States
RealEats
RealEats
RealEats America

Geneva, NY
RealEats is a mission-driven, innovative food-tech company that delivers fresh, healthy meals, while minimizing food waste.


Categories :
$1 million, 2019, Finalist, Foodtech, New York
Slate
Slate
Slate Chocolate Milk

Boston, MA
Slate is crafting the world’s first all-natural, lower sugar, higher protein line of canned, lactose-free chocolate milks for millennials and adults.


Slate Chocolate Milk website

Categories :
2019, Finalist, United States
The-Perfect-Granola
The-Perfect-Granola
The Perfect Granola

Victor, NY
The Perfect Granola produces allergy-free, locally sourced, single-serve granola for NY schools. The company purchases raw ingredients and “seconds” from local farms, providing them with new revenue streams.

Categories :
$250K, 2019, Finalist, Food/Beverage, New York
Tiliter
Tiliter
Tiliter

Munich, Germany
Tiliter installs artificial intelligence technology at supermarket checkouts to recognize products, like fruits and vegetables, without barcodes.


Tiliter website

Categories :
$500K, 2019, Finalist, Foodtech, International
Whole-Healthy-Food
Whole-Healthy-Food
Whole Healthy Food

Ithaca, NY
Whole Healthy Food creates therapeutic food ingredients and is currently focused on producing a white kidney bean protein that can be added to foods and beverages.

 

Categories :
$250K, 2019, Finalist, Food/Beverage, New York