Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The winners of the 11th annual 43North Finals, New York State’s $5 million startup competition held in Buffalo, were announced Thursday, in which five companies were each awarded a $1 million investment.
This year’s competitors came from across the globe and from as far as London to make their best pitch in front of a distinguished panel of judges and a packed house at Shea’s Performing Arts Center.
The winners of the 2025 43North competition are:
Cellsense – New York, N.Y.: Cellsense transforms algae and cellulose into compostable beads that eliminate microplastics across the fashion and cosmetic industries.
Cosi Care – London, U.K.: Cosi Care has created the world’s first medical devices that offer instant itch relief and a safe alternative to scratching and infection management for those living with eczema or any chronic itch.
Floe – New Haven, Conn.: Floe offers a smart, cost-effective and eco-friendly solution for ice and snow management on roofs.
RadEmploy – New York, N.Y.: RadEmploy is a radiology staffing platform that leverages conversational AI to efficiently connect radiology professionals with large hospital systems, accelerating candidate placement.
Tukki.ai – Miami, Fla.: Tukki combines AI and expert support to help immigrants and companies manage visas and green cards efficiently, improving speed, accuracy, transparency and the overall experience.
Each of the five winners will relocate their companies to Buffalo and work out of the 43North incubator at Seneca One, bringing new jobs and dynamic ideas to Buffalo’s fast-growing innovation ecosystem.
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A long standing religious property in Amherst has landed a new owner with one religious group selling the building to another.
The Community of Grace Fellowship has paid $750,000 for the former Faith United Church of Christ property at 1300 Maple Road.
The 13,000-square-foot building, constructed in 1962, will remain a religious center.
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The Schofield Residence in the Town of Tonawanda has found a buyer for a 4,400-square-foot office building it owned at 2757 Elmwood Avenue that neighbors the Schofield campus.
Local investors 2757 Elmwood LLC paid $405,000 for the multi-tenant office building.
Plans are the keep it as an office building.
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Investors Stonebridge Moat Properties Inc. paid $340,000 for a two-unit apartment building at 5874 McKinley Parkway in Hamburg, buying from fellow investors 5874 McKinley Parkway LLC.
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Outdoor and sporting goods chain Orvis is shuttering its Eastern Hills Mall location amid store closures across the country.
The company recently announced it plans to close about half of its locations nationwide by early 2026, according to USA Today. The business cited the “unprecedented tariff landscape” as the reason for the closures.
Orvis was one of the roughly dozen tenants still open at the Clarence mall, which closed its interior early last year. Businesses with exterior access remained open.
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