Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - 43North has wrapped up its annual competition, now in its 11th year.
Five startup businesses each received $1 million Thursday night, and are going to be relocating to Buffalo.
One of the five winners has a solution to snow and ice buildup on roofs .It might seem like a natural business for Buffalo, with its reputation for
cold winters and snow.
"I don't think there's a better community for this" said David Dellal, Founder and CEO of Floe with WBEN on Friday.
"We have a system that offers a smart, cost effective and environmentally friendly solution for ice and snow management for roofs."
He said it uses a combination of sensors and real time weather data. It predicts and detects when ice and snow are building up. When necessary it deploys a non-corrosive, biodegradable liquid de-icer onto the roof.
Floe is currently being offered for commercial purposes but eventually will offer it for residential use.
Dellal said it was a passion project after living in New England for over a decade. He thought there had to be a better way to handle ice and snow.
He added, that the million dollar prize will allow him to take his company to the next level.
The other four winners in the competition:
- CellSense of New York City
- Cosi Care of London
- RadEmploy of New York City
- Tukki.ai of Miami
Each of the five winners will relocate their companies to Buffalo and work out of the 43North incubator at Seneca One, adding to a robust start-up community in the city.