Talk CNY

Meet the Winner of GENIUS NY Cohort 9

Communicating with animals is not just something out of a storybook, but a reality for the GENIUS NY Cohort 9 grand prize winner. Flox Intelligence is a wildlife AI company that aims to minimize harmful interactions between humans and animals. The idea recently won them a $1 million grand prize at the GENIUS NY pitch finals during CenterState CEO’s annual Innovation Night. On this episode of Talk CNY presented by NBT Bank, we talk about winning this round of GENIUS NY and the problem Flox Intelligence aims to solve with Flox Intelligence cofounder Sara Nozkova.  CONNECT CenterState CEO Website [https://centerstateceo.com/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/centerstate/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/centerstateceo] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/centerstate-corporation-for-economic-opportunity/mycompany/] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/CenterStateCEO] Sara Nozkova LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/s%C3%A1ra-no%C5%BEkov%C3%A1-91339685/] Host: Katie Zilcosky LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiezilcosky/]

How GENIUS NY Helps Companies Grow in the Uncrewed Systems Industry

Central New York is home to the world’s largest accelerator for robotics and uncrewed systems, GENIUS NY. Funded by Empire State Development and operated by CenterState CEO with support from National Grid, GENIUS NY has been bringing some of the most innovative uncrewed systems startups in the world to set up a headquarters in downtown Syracuse for nearly a decade now.  On this episode of Talk CNY, presented by NBT Bank, CenterState CEO Director of Programs and Engagement Kara Jones and Investment Manager Brad Banikowski join us to discuss how GENIUS NY is keeping speed with the UAS industry.  CONNECT CenterState CEO Website [https://centerstateceo.com/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/centerstate/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/centerstateceo] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/centerstate-corporation-for-economic-opportunity/mycompany/] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/CenterStateCEO] Brad Banikowski LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbanikowski/] Kara Jones LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/karaalheimjones/] Host: Katie Zilcosky LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiezilcosky/]

Quarter 2 Market Insights: Understanding Labor Shifts, Inflation Signals and Consumer Strength

In this episode of Quarterly Market Insights, a special series part of CenterState CEO’s Talk CNY podcast, presented by NBT Bank, host Kevin Schwab sits down with NBT Bank’s Chief Economist and Chief Investment Officer Ken Entenmann. From a strong jobs report to volatile oil prices, the conversation explores what the markets are signaling about inflation and growth.  Ken breaks down shifting labor dynamics, inflation expectations and consumer resilience, while offering grounded insight on what it all means for markets, businesses and Central New York’s outlook. CenterState CEO | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/centerstate-corporation-for-economic-opportunity/] |  Website [https://centerstateceo.com/] NBT Bank | Website [https://www.nbtbank.com/] |  LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/nbt-bank/]  Kevin Schwab | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevineschwab/]

Talk CNY Miniseries: Leadership Lessons - From Purpose to Growth: How Seen Nutrition Scaled a Women’s Health Startup

What happens when two experts decide the solution they need doesn’t exist? They build it themselves. In this episode of Talk CNY Miniseries: Leadership Lessons, presented by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, we sit down with Dr. Adrienne Bitar, co-founder of Seen Nutrition, to explore how she and her team transformed a deeply personal connection to bone health into a growing business serving customers across all 50 states. From navigating manufacturing challenges to rapid scaling as first-time founders, Dr. Bitar shares the leadership decisions that helped bring Seen Nutrition to life. Connect:  CenterState CEO Website [https://centerstateceo.com/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/centerstate/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/centerstateceo] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/centerstate-corporation-for-economic-opportunity/mycompany/] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/CenterStateCEO]  Excellus BlueCross Blue Shield  LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/excellusbcbs/]  | Website [https://www.excellusbcbs.com/] Seen Nutrition Website [https://www.seennutrition.com/] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/seennutrition/] Dr. Adrienne Bitar LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/adriennerosebitar/]

Micron's CNY Expansion: Site Preparation and Strategic Partnerships

CenterState CEO is hosting Micron’s Executive Vice President of Global Operations Manish Bhatia for its 2026 Annual Meeting. Bhatia’s visit to Syracuse comes as Micron preps its site for its first fab in Clay, NY, and the company continues to lay its roots in Central New York.  There are many moving parts, and it’s not always easy to stay on top of all of Micron’s activity in the region. On this episode of Talk CNY, presented by NBT Bank, Joe Nehme, Senior Manager for External Affairs at Micron Technology, joins us to discuss the latest on the Micron project. CONNECT CenterState CEO Website [https://centerstateceo.com/] | Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/centerstate/] | Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/centerstateceo] | LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/company/centerstate-corporation-for-economic-opportunity/mycompany/] | YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/user/CenterStateCEO] Joe Nehme LinkedIn Host: Katie Zilcosky LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/katiezilcosky/]