Capro-X and Combplex Win $250K at Grow-NY

Rev members, Capro-X and Combplex took home $250K each in prize money at the inaugural Grow-NY business competition, an innovation and technology startup challenge focused on enhancing the emerging food, beverage and agriculture hub in the Grow-NY region, which is comprised of Central New York, the Finger Lakes, and the Southern Tier. The business competition was part of the Grow-NY Food & Ag Summit held in Rochester, New York on Nov. 12 and 13.

Capro-X uses a Cornell-patented fermentation process to turn acid whey, a by-product of Greek yogurt production, into bio-oils that are valuable to several industries, including flavor and fragrance companies, as well as companies looking for an alternative to palm oil, which has been linked to deforestation.

Combplex has developed a smart beehive frame capable of detecting and eliminating parasitic Varroa mites that are responsible for the devastation of bee colonies without harming the bees themselves.

Additional winners included the Grand Prize Winner ($1M), RealEats America (Geneva, NY); $500K Winners, Dropcopter (Syracuse, NY) and Tiliter (Munich, Germany); and fellow $250K Winners, The Perfect Granola (Victor, NY) and Whole Healthy Food (Ithaca, NY). Upon accepting the award, winners commit to operating in the Grow-NY region for at least one year.

Learn more about the Grow-NY winners and their innovations!