A team of Binghamton University students has received $50,000 in state funding for their new startup electronics project.
On Aug. 3, SUNY Chancellor John King announced the results of the seventh annual SUNY Startup Summer School Demo Day, which seeks to showcase and advance promising startups across SUNY campuses. In 2026, the program brought members from 25 campuses, with just under 250 participants.
Binghamton University’s Grip Power team was one of four teams selected from a pool of 14 to win a quarter of the program’s $200,000 prize — double the amount offered in 2025. Participants received coaching and mentorship from successful industry veterans, who will continue to support each team moving forward.
Binghamton University Startup selected to receive $50,000
According to King, the program is part of SUNY’s concerted effort to help uplift and mentor young entrepreneurs, ultimately benefiting both students and the state’s future.
“A SUNY degree is a pathway to opportunity and upward mobility, and the SUNY Startup Summer School bolsters ingenuity and entrepreneurship across the SUNY system,” said King. “This program helps ensure that SUNY continues to nurture the next generation of entrepreneurs as they develop technologies and startups that help communities across New York State.”
Binghamton University’s Grip Power team is working to help increase computer processing performance and decrease cooling needs — technology that could help alleviate the massive cooling needs at AI data centers. In July, New York became the first state to officially pause new large AI data center construction with a one-year moratorium.
In addition to Grip Power, three other teams were selected as winners, with all three choosing to focus on medical technology. SUNY Albany’s CurrentView team developed a non-invasive bedside system used to monitor air and blood flow for patients.
VascuArch, from SUNY Stony Brook, is developing a skin substitute which will help patients with wounds, burns and severe injuries heal more consistently and quickly. The final team, SUNY Upstate Medical University’s BioQuoVadis, is working to develop a saliva-based liquid biopsy system to evaluate the efficacy of treatments for prostate cancer.
In addition to the funding, all four teams will receive assistance from SUNY to pursue further grants and pen effective proposals, with the goal of commercializing their technologies. Teams will also continue to receive mentoring from SUNY entrepreneurs, advancing their technologies and further developing their business models.
This article originally appeared on Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin: Binghamton U. startup could lower cooling needs for AI data centers
Reporting by Riccardo Monico, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin / Binghamton Press & Sun-Bulletin
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By Riccardo Monico, Binghamton Press & Sun Bulletin | USA TODAY Network
