Catch up with the latest developments, news and insights from 43North and our portfolio companies.
We’re incredibly proud to share that 43North President Colleen E. Heidinger has been selected for the Kauffman Fellows Class of 2025 (KF30) — becoming one of Western New York’s first-ever Kauffman Fellows. The Kauffman Fellows program is a highly respected global network of top-tier venture capital investors, designed to accelerate innovation by developing the next
Circuit Clinical (Y6) has merged with Lightship, bringing together two leading innovators in clinical trial delivery. This strategic move positions the combined company to better serve the evolving needs of sponsors, CROs, healthcare systems, and—most importantly—patients. For founder Dr. Irfan Khan and the Circuit Clinical team, the merger marks a significant step toward building a
FoodNerd (Y10) Mega Puffs are now on shelves in 50 Tops Friendly Markets across New York, including right here in Buffalo. For founder Sharon Cryan, this milestone is deeply personal. She grew up in Buffalo’s Seneca Babcock neighborhood, where her family often relied on food pantries stocked by Tops. Now, her own product is available
We’re excited to announce that 43North is once again partnering with Springboard, a program designed to fuel new energy, ideas, and momentum across Western New York’s startup community. What is Springboard?Springboard is more than just a funding opportunity—it’s a call to action. The program supports ecosystem builders who are designing activities, hosting events, and creating
Leaving Your Ego at the Door: Lessons from Startup Chaos With Brian Hirsch
Andrew Goldner on Why Startups Fail at Sales (and How to Fix It) Most founders don’t fail because they build bad products—they fail because they sell to the wrong people at the wrong time. On this episode of Latitude, we sat down with Andrew Goldner, CEO and co-founder of GrowthX, to talk about why
From Google’s Secret IPO to Buffalo’s Grit: A Conversation with Lise What happens when you mix Google, Wall Street, and a Playboy interview? You get one of the wildest IPO stories ever told. Lise Buyers, a proud Buffalonian turned tech investor, joined Latitude to spill the inside story of Google’s unconventional path to going
CoachMePlus, a standout from our Y2 cohort, is making significant strides in the fitness technology sector. Their collaboration with the U.S. Army has not only enhanced soldier wellness but also propelled the company’s growth, leading to a fourfold increase in revenue in 2024. As they plan to expand their team this year, we’re proud to
In this episode of Latitude, we sit down with Alex Killian—a partner at Bold Ventures, a champion for founder wellness, and a key player at Endeavor. From working with undercapitalized founders to leveraging Buffalo’s unique ecosystem, Alex shares his insights on what it takes to build thriving startups. We explore: The power of founder wellness
We are thrilled to celebrate the remarkable achievements of Spiky.ai, one of our Year 10 portfolio companies, as they continue to make significant strides in the AI-driven sales coaching industry. G2 Accolades: Spiky.ai has been honored as a Momentum Leader and High Performer in G2’s Winter 2025 reports, earning 28 badges across the Conversation Intelligence
From Boston, Brooklyn, and beyond — our Y10 cohort is quickly finding their new home in Buffalo. 43North’s 10th cohort moved into Seneca One last week, ready to grow their businesses and embrace the community. See what these founders have to say (already!) about joining the Buffalo ecosystem. Original Article: Buffalo News 43North startups get
Guidesly, a standout from 43North’s 2023 cohort, has made significant strides since relocating to Buffalo. The company recently secured a $9.5 million Series A funding round, led by Aspen Capital Group, with participation from YETI Capital, HalfCourt Ventures, Derive Ventures, Elysian Park Ventures, and Marquee Ventures. This investment will fuel Guidesly’s expansion into new outdoor