Empire State Development Announces 2025 Finalists

The Grow-NY competition announced 20 global finalists for its 2025 $3 million startup competition, highlighting innovative food and agriculture technologies aimed at driving economic growth in upstate New York. Finalists—selected from hundreds of applicants across dozens of countries—will participate in a business accelerator and pitch at the November summit, with a requirement to create jobs or expand operations in the region.

Among them, ThermoShade (Los Angeles) stands out for its climate-focused innovation: it has developed advanced shade panels that absorb radiated body heat and can make outdoor environments feel up to 20°F cooler compared to traditional awnings. This technology has applications across agriculture, public spaces, and outdoor work environments—addressing rising heat risks while improving comfort and safety.

In short, ThermoShade represents the competition’s broader theme: scalable, practical solutions that tackle climate challenges while offering economic and operational benefits.

Read the full story here: https://www.grow-ny.com/empire-state-development-announces-2025-finalists-for-3-million-global-grow-ny-business-competition/