DATE: September 3, 2014

Contact: Matt Davison | 716.604.7772 | md@amdgpublicaffairs.com

43NORTH ANNOUNCES PLANS TO LOCATE BUSINESS INCUBATOR ON GROWING
BUFFALO NIAGARA MEDICAL CAMPUS

Facility will accommodate winners of $5 million global business idea competition and serve as
focal point for regional startup events, educational forums, and entrepreneurial activities


BUFFALO, NEW YORK Today, 43North the worlds largest ($5 million) business idea
competition announced plans to locate a business incubator space on the Buffalo Niagara
Medical Campus in downtown Buffalo, New York. Build-out of this innovative incubation space,
which will house 43Norths 11 finalist companies for 12 months, will be funded through an
$800,000 grant from Empire State Development Corporation as part of New York State
Governor Andrew Cuomos Buffalo Billion initiative. In addition, Buffalo Office Interiors has
agreed to donate various furnishings to further support the new space.

Its very fitting that the 43North business idea competition winners will be located in the
Innovation Center, said Kenneth Adams, Empire State Development President and CEO. The
building is a Buffalo Billion investment, and I look forward to seeing the ideas and jobs that will
be generated by these award-winning startups working side-by-side in this unique space.

43North recognizes the synergies that result when innovative start-ups share a physical setting
that contributes to productive interactions and the percolation of ideas, said John R. Koelmel,
New York Power Authority (NYPA) Chairman. The plans to locate an incubator space at
BNMC will establish the most favorable conditions for the success of the finalist companies
emerging from the 43North competition.

NYPA has been a key supporter of 43North, providing roughly $5.4 million in funding for the
global business idea competitions implementation.

The 10,000 sq. ft. 43North incubator space site is located between the Buffalo Niagara Medical
Campus Thomas R. Beecher Jr. Innovation Center and the Design Innovation Garage (dig) co-
working space. The presence of these facilities and the density of startups and entrepreneurial
activity within the medical campus were important components of 43Norths decision to locate
an incubator space in this location.

Collision density was a big factor in choosing to locate our staff and winning companies on the
Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, where well be surrounded by world-class research and
development and steps from the ideas and ingenuity continuously percolating within dig and the
Innovation Center, said Andrew J. Pulkrabek, 43North Executive Director. We are very
fortunate that Governor Cuomos vision directly aligns with this thinking and that our partners
like the New York Power Authority, Empire State Development, Buffalo Office Interiors and
others continue to step up and fund what is a truly game-changing competition and initiative for
Western New York.

Final designs for the new incubator are expected to be complete in early-September 2014, with
construction scheduled to begin in October 2014 and conclude in December 2014.

We are thrilled to have 43North and the winners of the business plan competition be a part of
the growing entrepreneurial ecosystem on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, said Patrick J.
Whalen, Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, Inc. Chief Operating Officer. These dynamic and
growing companies will join the more than 12,000 employees and over 85 private companies on
the Medical Campus, adding to this growing hub of innovation in our region.

Buffalo Office Interiors (BOI) is a WNY-located business and we are proud to partner with
43North on their exciting incubator project, said James Spano, Buffalo Office Interiors, Inc.
President and Chief Executive Officer. As a homegrown family-owned operation, we at BOI
applaud the creative and innovative approach of 43North in helping attract and grow business in
this great area.

A total of 6,932 business ideas were initially submitted for the 43North competitions first round,
which took place February 5 through May 31. From a pool of 2,603 qualified submissions, 113
semifinalists were selected to advance to the second round through a formal, month-long review
period conducted by more than 269 judges from an array of professional sectors. Eleven
finalists will advance to the third and final round of the competition and will vie for a series of
cash prizes, including a top award of $1 million, six $500,000 awards and four $250,000
awards. All winners will be required to locate their companies in Buffalo, New York, for one-year
under the terms of the competition.

The New York Power Authority (NYPA), Governor Andrew Cuomos Buffalo Billion initiative, and
Launch NY are 43Norths primary and founding sponsors. Additional support comes from
National Grid, Orange Capital, Buffalo Niagara Enterprise, Buffalo Office Interiors, Perfect
Sense, Larkin Square, Superior Group, Rich Products Corporation, M&T Bank, Delaware North
Companies, SoftBank Capital, Buffalo Niagara Partnership, Bright Buffalo Niagara, Phillips Lytle
LLP and others. See a complete list at www.43north.org/43north-sponsors.
To learn more, visit www.43north.org.

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