Every Wednesday, 1 Million Cups provides a supportive, inclusive space for entrepreneurs and their communities to gather and connect, where they can work through business challenges and identify opportunities.

Inviting all community members to be part of the conversation, 1 Million Cups fosters entrepreneurship and helps support an economy that works for everyone.

Follow up last month’s lunch & learn on making your first hire with this month’s presentation on how to actually onboard your hire! Debra Best, founder of Deb Best Practices – HR 911/411, will discuss the ins and outs of what founders need to consider from an HR perspective. Unlike a large corporation, most startups don’t have a dedicated HR employee, much less a team. Attend this session to avoid many of the common (and sometimes costly) headaches that arise from simply not knowing what you need to know! With over 35 years of experience, Deb has plenty of cautionary tales to share.  

Takeaways:  

• The basics of “People Ops” and having an infrastructure in place 

• Administrative details for legal compliance 

• Understanding the uniqueness of the NYS regulatory environment 

• Overall “Best Practices”  

About the Speaker 

Deb Best, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, Owner and Principal of Deb Best Practices, has more than 35 years of state-wide and national business, recruitment / IT recruitment, change management, stakeholder communications and senior human resources / people operations leadership experience for Fortune 5, technology, healthcare, manufacturing, consumer and supply-chain publicly and privately held companies, including General Electric, Trans World Entertainment and Boston Scientific, as well as non-profit, statewide and national associations, academic, medical and public-sector organizations, including the State of New York. Central to her work as an HR Practitioner is to partner with leaders at all levels to define and leverage both talent and challenges to meet needs, which in turn maximizes success for both the organization and the individual.  

A graduate of The University of New York at Albany with a B.A. in English, Deb received her SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) certification from The Society of Human Resources Management in 1998, and her SHRM-SCP (Senior Certified Professional) designation in 2015. She is also a trained community (NYS) and workplace dispute Mediator, as well as an authorized Everything DiSC® Partner. Deb was a long-time columnist and blogger for the Albany Times Union’s Women@Work Magazine. 

Registration Now Open!

 Upstate Capital’s convening of investors, fund managers, founders, and regional leaders is focused on how Upstate New York attracts, deploys,  and scales early- and later-stage capital.

The Impact Exchange will bring together public and private capital leaders from across New York State for an afternoon of timely conversation, practical insight, and high-impact networking designed to strengthen the regional investment ecosystem and drive real deal flow.


Program highlights include:


• Building early-stage and emerging fund pipelines

• Scaling place-based and emerging managers

• Insights into New York’s institutional investment model

• High-value networking with investors and ecosystem leaders

• Event concludes with an evening networking reception.

Lunch & Learn: Hiring Your First Employee (Fractional or Full-Time) 

Hiring your first employee is one of the most critical decisions a founder will make. The right hire can accelerate growth and free up founder time; the wrong one can create drag, burn cash, and introduce avoidable risk. 

In this Lunch & Learn, Chris Wessell will share a practical, recruiting-focused framework for making your first hire. Defining the role, choosing between fractional vs. full-time, and effectively finding, attracting, and interviewing early employees in a startup environment. The session is intentionally focused on recruiting and selection; onboarding and an HR "starter kit" will be addressed in a follow-up session. 

• Knowing who to hire first and why 

• Fractional vs Full-Time 

• Practical Recruiting and Interview Framework 

This session is ideal for founders who are at or approaching the point of making their first hire and want to get it right the first time. 

About the Speaker 

Chris Wessell is the Managing Partner of PeopleWise, a boutique executive search and advisory firm that helps small and growing organizations solve high-stakes hiring challenges, often filling first-of-their-kind roles. A University at Albany alum ('02, MBA '04) and current adjunct business instructor, Chris has spent his 20+ year career working with founders and leadership teams as they scale, including hiring early employees in startup and growth-stage environments. He is actively involved in the Capital Region startup ecosystem and regularly advises founders on role definition, recruiting strategy, and candidate evaluation.  

Right to Start’s New York Starters Coalition and WorkSmart Coworking and Meeting Space will be hosting “From Solo to Scalable: Growing Beyond the Owner-Operated Stage”.

The event is free and open to the public, but space is limited so RSVPs are required. Breakfast and coffee will be served.

Session Overview:

Many small business owners reach a point where passion and skill have built a strong foundation, but time, capacity, and bandwidth limit growth. This event is a practical session for entrepreneurs ready to transition from doing it all themselves to building a resilient, people-centered business that can thrive (and even operate) without them.

Participants will hear from local business owners who’ve made the leap, gain insights on hiring and outsourcing, and leave with actionable tools to take their next step toward sustainable growth and long-term value creation.

Every great company starts as an idea, but not every idea becomes a company. Especially those from academic institutions.

This event is built for academic researchers and founders to understand what “venture readiness” really means and how to translate discoveries into startups that investors take seriously.

EI Consulting is partnering with various innovation resources and ecosystem leaders across the Capital Region and broader NY to discuss:
🔹 How to move from research to commercialization
🔹 What it takes to become fundable
🔹 Lessons from founders who’ve done it
🔹 The resources that can help you take the next step

This won’t be just another panel, this will be a real ecosystem-driven conversation about how we can turn student/researcher ideas into impact with opportunities to meet the folks who help make it happen.

A cap table (capitalization table) is a foundational tool for any startup, especially those emerging from university research environments. This short session introduces participants to the core concepts behind cap tables, including how ownership is structured, how equity evolves as a company grows, and why early clarity prevents future conflict. Attendees will gain a practical understanding of how cap tables support decision-making, funding readiness, and long-term company health. 

Since many UAlbany researchers and inventors are entering commercialization for the first time, this session also explains why cap tables matter in academic spinouts, where multiple contributors, intellectual property, and university obligations can complicate ownership. Participants will learn the importance of designing a cap table that supports future investment, rewards contributors fairly, and aligns with the expectations of the innovation ecosystem. 

Attendee Takeaways Will Include: 

• How to divide equity 

• What “dead equity” means in academia 

• What investors look for in a cap table 

• Why an employee equity pool is important 

• Why to focus on the future, not the past 

• Why cap tables are required for UAlbany researchers/inventors 

Speaker: Brett Orzechowski, Assistant Director, Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, and Industry Partnerships, University at Albany

Part II: Tax-Savvy Founder moves for Maximizing Equity & Minimizing Liability

As founders and small business owners look ahead to 2026, smart tax planning is more important than ever. The recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill has reshaped key regulations that directly impact startups and growing companies. In this two-part virtual series, CPA experts from Aprio will break down what’s changed and share practical, actionable insights for both business and personal tax planning to help you make the most of year-end opportunities.

(Register for Part 1 of this series)

Part I: Year-End Moves for Startup & Small Business Success

As founders and small business owners look ahead to 2026, smart tax planning is more important than ever. The recent passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill has reshaped key regulations that directly impact startups and growing companies. In this two-part virtual series, CPA experts from Aprio will break down what’s changed and share practical, actionable insights for both business and personal tax planning to help you make the most of year-end opportunities.

(Be sure to register for Part II: Tax-Savvy Founder moves for Maximizing Equity & Minimizing Liability)

Startup Tech Valley + Saratoga County

Startup Saratoga is a networking and pitch event for the entrepreneurship community in the Capital Region. Attendees include entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, mentors, students, employees of startups, service providers to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved or is curious.

Startup Saratoga is brought to you by Startup Tech Valley and Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce. The event will be hosted at Innovation Center Saratoga. The Innovation Center at Saratoga is a makerspace where artists, entrepreneurs, and community members come together to learn, create, and innovate. Active Ingredient Brewing Company will be providing food and a cash bar for the event.

What to Expect:

• Connect + Engage. Start with networking and then get introduced to startups through pitch sessions.

• No cost to attend, however RSVP is required

• 5:00p.m. Networking | 6:00p.m. Pitches | 7:00p.m. More Networking

Build an AI Co-Founder: Practical AI Tools Every Founder Can Deploy in 30 Days

Chloe Capital has partnered with Microsoft to help founders explore how AI can power growth. Join Amit Svarzenberg, ​CTO at Microsoft for Startups and AI & Cloud Expert, for a live demo on how to build your own AI Co-Founder, an intelligent assistant that can automate customer engagement, marketing, and analytics.

💡 You’ll Learn:

• How to use AI agents to scale faster and reach customers efficiently

• How to use Microsoft Azure to build and deploy an AI agent

Learn from those who have been there, done that and came out the other side a little wiser about the startup journey! Our storytellers will share their scary moments as an entrepreneur and how they overcame their challenges. Have a story to share? Let us know on the registration form.

We’ll be hosted by The Innovation Center at Saratoga (no relation!) so come on up to Luther Forest in Malta. (You might even peep the fall foliage on your way in. 🍂)

Day One: September 24, 2025 | Albany, NY | Half-Day Event + Happy Hour

​We are kicking off Climate Tech Week Upstate with an afternoon dedicated to innovation, investment, and collaboration, followed by a community happy hour.

​This half-day event will bring together founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders to spotlight the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of climate tech.

​Featured Speakers & Guests

• ​Dan Fitzgerald, Founder of Key Capture Energy

• ​Cullen Kasunic, Managing Partner, Solve: Resource and Energy Associates

• ​Bill Dailey, Standard Hydrogen Corp.

• ​Zack Pecenak, NY Ventures

• ​Bailey Burke, Hudson Valley Venture Hub

• ​Jack Nolan, Startup IQ

​Day Two: September 25, 2025 | New Climate Futures at Newlab (Brooklyn, NY)

​The morning after Albany, participants can hop on a highly subsidized round-trip bus ($36!) from Albany to Brooklyn to attend Newlab’s New Climate Futures event. This makes it easy for Upstate founders and partners to connect with the broader climate innovation ecosystem.

​

Startup Tech Valley’s first happy hour of the fall season!

Join the Venture Readiness team at the Center for Economic Growth (CEG), an incredible resource for entrepreneurs in our community, at this happy hour event!

This is always a great opportunity to connect with fellow founders, innovators, and builders in a casual, supportive environment. Complimentary appetizers will be provided; drinks are pay-as-you-go.

In coordination with RPI’s Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship, join the Flying Pig Society for the annual kickoff event where all of the new programs, workshops, competitions, awards, and internship opportunities for the 2025-26 academic year will be introduced.

Valuing the Intangible – Understanding Startup Valuation Beyond the Balance Sheet 

Early-stage startups often find themselves rich in intangible assets, which can make valuation a puzzle! Our discussion of valuation continues with Scott DeMarco, founder of Equitable Value LLC. Scott will help us unpack the critical elements that may not show up on a balance sheet but can impact a startup’s valuation.

We'll explore:

How intangible assets like IP, research, and industry affiliations are factored into valuation

The metrics and frameworks used to value patents and proprietary technologies

How founder contributions—beyond capital—play into equity and company value

What due diligence really looks like in early-stage company assessments

What signals (e.g. NDAs, customer agreements, university partnerships) contribute to perceived future potential

Whether you're preparing for a funding round, exploring strategic partnerships, or just trying to understand your company’s worth, you’ll leave this presentation with practical insights into how investors and valuation professionals approach the unique nature of innovation-driven startups.

About Scott:

Scott DeMarco, founder of Equitable Value, LLC, brings proven startup experience, having grown two software companies, AutoQuant Imaging, Inc. and Agora Games, Inc., both of which were successfully acquired. As CFO of Agora Games, he helped lead the company to a profitable exit to Major League Gaming. In addition to his entrepreneurial track record, Scott is a Certified Business Appraiser and Certified Valuation Analyst with extensive experience in valuing technology-driven startups. He has been appointed as an expert witness in court and has conducted hundreds of business appraisals involving IP, economic damages, and closely held enterprises. Scott also holds an MBA in Information Technology and frequently lectures on topics related to valuation, technology, and entrepreneurship.

SEEC and the University at Albany’s Office of Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, and Industry Partnerships are kicking off a yearlong initiative to bring breakthrough technologies out of university labs and incubators and into the community.

Join us for a dynamic event where UAlbany researchers and startup founders will showcase innovative projects and explore collaboration opportunities with public and private sector partners across the Capital Region. Discover how these emerging technologies can be tested, used, or licensed to drive local impact.

Please join CEG and the UAlbany Office of Economic Development, Entrepreneurship, and Industry Partnerships (OEDEIP), as OEDEIP kicks off its yearlong effort to bring technology out of the labs and incubator and into the community for partnerships with Capital Region companies.

Researchers and startup founders are heading into the Capital Region to showcase their technology (detailed below) and discuss how the private and public sector can use, test, and/or license the technology. The technologies could have a wide range of use cases, including in the following industries:

Commercial Real Estate

Industrial/Manufacturing

Education

Healthcare

Local Government

Hospitality/Retail

Utilities

Chemicals

Pharmaceuticals/Biotech

Semiconductors/Electronics

Industrial Wastewater Treatment

Food and Beverage Processing

Pulp and Paper Mills

Environmental Remediation and Engineering

Network Equipment Manufacturers

Defense and Aerospace

Kick off the summer with a Startup Tech Valley happy hour in Troy!

Whether you’re an entrepreneur or just someone with a passion for innovation, this is the perfect chance to:

🍹 Unwind with refreshing beverages and delicious bites

🤝 Network with like-minded professionals and potential collaborators

👋 Engage with the Startup Tech Valley community

Free, RSVPs requested.

What if you could get valuable media exposure for your business without hiring an expensive PR firm?

STEAM Garden is excited to invite you to an exclusive, no-cost workshop that will transform how you approach media relations for your business.

EARNED EXPOSURE: UNLOCKING MEDIA COVERAGE FOR YOUR BUSINESS

 with Howard Schaffer, HSM Founder

In this intimate, interactive session limited to just 25 participants, you'll work directly with media expert Howard Schaffer to develop practical skills for generating powerful media coverage that drives business growth.

This hands-on workshop will cover:

• Creating targeted media strategies for your specific audience

• Crafting compelling stories that journalists actually want to cover

• Navigating professional relationships with reporters and editors

• Leveraging editorial opportunities in your industry

• Building an effective social media presence that amplifies your message

As a startup or small business owner, you understand that positive media coverage can dramatically accelerate your growth—but securing that coverage often feels out of reach. This workshop provides the tools and techniques to change that, with strategies you can implement immediately.

The workshop is offered at no cost, but registration is required and spaces will fill quickly

Biotech. Photonics. Climate Tech. Nano. 
Science and engineering founders: are you ready to move from R&D to ROI? 

On May 21 at 12 PM, the UAlbany Innovation Center presents: 
From R&D to ROI: Finding Your First Revenue 

Featuring UAlbany alum Dr. Karen Torrejon, co-founder and CEO of Humonix Biosciences, this virtual event offers real-world advice for founders with lab-born technologies who are ready to build revenue-generating companies. Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program Director Kelly Reardon will discuss the mindset shift required to move from grants to revenue, talking about building on the foundation you built using grant funding and provide real-life case studies of companies that successfully transitioned from grant funded to revenue-generating.  

🚀 Ideal for startups in: 

• Life sciences and biotech 

• Advanced manufacturing and semiconductors 

• Photonics and nanotech 

• Clean energy and climate innovation 

✅ Make the leap from grant-funded to market-ready. 

Whether you're fresh off the Upstate Capital Business Plan Competition or just looking for a low-key way to connect with founders, investors, and industry folks—this is the spot.

No RSVP required — just come by! 
Note: Everyone covers their own tab.

Are you a startup founder or entrepreneur looking to secure venture capital?

Join us for an insightful session with Mario Fallone, Partner at Akerman LLP, as he breaks down what venture capitalists seek in an investment. This presentation will cover key investment criteria such as market opportunity, team strength, scalability, and exit strategies. You’ll also gain a clear understanding of VC term sheets, how to evaluate offers, and the importance of choosing the right investor.

Featuring real-world case studies and a live Q&A, this 60-minute session is designed to equip you with the knowledge to navigate the fundraising process with confidence.

 Register today for the Zoom link.

Attention Innovators and Dreamers:

What if we told you pigs could fly? The Flying Pig Society was created to inspire innovation. Our mission is to foster a mindset and community of skilled innovators and entrepreneurs. If you want to learn the skills necessary to innovate solutions to problems worth solving, come fly with us!

Are you interested in starting a company but don’t know how to finance it? Join us for this very special workshop April 16th at 4:30 pm. Our speakers, Heidi Knoblauch and Zack Pecenak will introduce different mechanisms for funding a new venture and talk about strategies for each. As a bonus, they will talk about special funding opportunities for startups in the Capital Region of New York.

Please join us in the RPI Heffner Alumni House in Troy. Free parking on Peoples Avenue or in the lot behind the Alumni House. Food and drinks will be served. RSVP today.

Where pigs can fly, there are no boundaries. Unleash your inner innovator.

Wednesday April 16, 2025 @ 4:30 pm

RPI Heffner Alumni House

1301 Peoples Avenue, Troy, NY 12180

Food and drinks served.

Unlock Innovation & Growth at the University at Albany Innovation Center 

Are you an ambitious entrepreneur with a technology-driven startup? Looking for the perfect space to grow, connect, and collaborate? 

The UAlbany Innovation Center invites you to our Open House to explore our cutting-edge business incubator, designed to help technology-based startups thrive in the Capital Region. 

Why Attend?

• Tour our modern LEED-certified furnished workspaces and meeting rooms  

• Discover research and partnership opportunities at UAlbany 

• Learn about our startup support programs  

• Connect with mentors  

• Network with fellow tech entrepreneurs 

Whether you're an early-stage startup or looking to scale, the Innovation Center provides the tools, community, and guidance you need to succeed. 

Refreshments served. Ample free parking available in adjoining lot, and easily accessible via public transportation.

Startup Tech Valley is a meetup for the entrepreneurship community in the Capital Region. Attendees include entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, mentors, students, employees of startups, service providers to startups, and anyone else who wants to be involved or is curious.

What to Expect:

• Connect + Engage. Start with networking and then get introduced to startups through pitch sessions.

• No cost to attend, however RSVP is required.

• Light refreshments will be provided. Cash bar available.

• 5:30pm Networking | 6:00 - 7:00pm Pitch Sessions

If you're interested in pitching, you can apply here.

If you're interested in sponsoring, you can reach out here.

Join Community Loan Fund for an engaging 50-minute workshop where you’ll discover how to create a cohesive digital presence that resonates with your audience. Learn practical strategies to harmonize your website, social media, and marketing efforts into a powerful business tool.

In the workshop you will learn:

– Website must-haves that turn visitors into loyal customers

– Search engine optimization tips and tricks to get yourself found on Google

– How to make your social media and website work together

– Content creation secrets to maximize your blog’s impact and reach

Perfect for business owners, entrepreneurs, and marketing enthusiasts who want to enhance their digital presence.

No technical expertise required – just bring your curiosity and readiness to learn!