Participated · Series A · Jul 2026

Ognomy offers an AI-enabled virtual sleep care platform aimed at treating sleep apnea. The company plans to use its recently raised capital to expand access to its virtual platform, accelerate product development, and scale operations across the U.S. Ognomy secured $20 million in a Series A financing that included investments from UB Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships' Buffalo Innovation Seed Fund. The financing announcement frames the investment as part of regional efforts to support high-growth startups and the local innovation ecosystem. No revenue, user metrics, or founding year were provided in the article. The company is headquartered in Buffalo.

Participated · Seed · Feb 2026

CryoBio is an ag-biotech spin-out from Marble (founded in 2025) that engineers naturally occurring “hyperactive” antifreeze proteins into a sprayable, food-safe frost-protection product for specialty crops. Late-spring freezes cause as much as $30 billion in annual agricultural losses in North America and Europe, and current countermeasures—such as candles or helicopter down-washing—are costly and outdated. In controlled trials, CryoBio-treated plants survived up to ten times longer before freezing than untreated controls, delivering superior protection at a fraction of existing costs. The company is initially targeting apple and grape growers in the U.S. mid-Atlantic region and is expanding operations in New York to support upcoming on-farm pilots. CryoBio’s leadership includes CEO and serial entrepreneur Murli Manohar, PhD, CTO and ag-tech veteran Luis Marquez, and founding scientist Abe Pressman, PhD. The recent $1.3 million pre-seed financing gives the company its first external capital, moving it from lab validation to field trials.

Led · Equity · May 2024

Caretech Human’s core product is a small device that users install above the waterline in a toilet bowl to provide continuous, passive monitoring for urology diseases. The company is based at Cornell University’s Center for Life Science Ventures business incubator in Ithaca and is led by CEO Dan Matsui. Launch NY invested $175,000 to support scaled-up manufacturing and to enable entry into commercial production and market launch. The funding is intended to help the company begin manufacturing and selling its device and to advance screening and early-detection capabilities for urology conditions. The company’s technology is positioned as a convenient, at-home monitoring standard for a field that previously lacked such tools.

Led · Seed · Jan 2024

Diadem Capital operates a low-code platform that vets founder applications and matches VC-backed companies with institutional investors and lenders via a curated, warm-introduction network. Founders are personally vetted by co‑founders Stephanie Rieben and Joe Hammill, and investors only see deal flow after meeting with the team to reduce friction and improve follow-through. The platform aggregates investor feedback so founders receive honest, aggregated responses after initial calls. Eligibility currently requires companies to be VC-backed with at least $1M in ARR on the equity side; on the debt side it serves companies up to $50M in ARR with plans to expand to $100M. The company reports more than 100 lenders on the platform, over 800 venture capitalists using it, 1,500+ startup applicants, and 17 founders who have raised more than $60M in total via the service. Diadem says it is posting revenue, uses a success‑based fee model, and its founders are licensed bankers.

Participated · Seed · May 2023

AvantGuard is developing Avantamine™, a patented antimicrobial platform that enhances biocompatible chemistry to provide broad-spectrum, long-lasting protection against bacteria, fungi, and viruses without contributing to antimicrobial resistance. The company’s product portfolio includes AvantSept, AvantGel, and Avant24, targeting indications from ringworm to MRSA and applications across skin, mucosa, wounds, and surfaces. Target markets include infection prevention, wound care, dermatology, and healthcare environments, as well as defense and transportation. AvantGuard has been supported by more than $9 million in NIH, NSF, and federal grant funding and states its platform can be incorporated into products representing over $60 billion in annual sales. The company is moving from scientific validation toward manufacturing readiness by establishing cGMP manufacturing capabilities for its monomer and polymer components. AvantGuard is a Cornell University spin-off and IndieBio alum founded in Ithaca, New York.