An Ithaca-based company has taken home the $150,000 grand prize in one of New York State’s top innovation competitions.
REEgen, a Southern Tier startup focused on recovering rare earth metals from industrial waste, was named the top winner at FuzeHub’s 2025 Commercialization Competition. The annual event, held this year at the Rochester Convention Center, featured twelve companies vying for a share of more than $450,000 in state-backed funding.
REEgen’s breakthrough technology uses genetically engineered microbes to recover and purify rare earth elements — materials used in everything from electric vehicles to wind turbines. With the U.S. currently recycling only about 1% of these elements, REEgen’s cleaner, domestic solution aims to reduce dependence on foreign supply chains and build a more secure and sustainable rare earth economy.
“This is a national security and economic priority,” the company said in its pitch. “We’re closing the loop on critical minerals.”
Other Southern Tier startups win big
Two other Southern Tier-based startups also earned top prizes.
CryoBio, Inc. received $80,000 for developing a spray that prevents frost damage on crops — a growing issue for New York farmers facing unpredictable weather and increasing losses. The technology, developed by a Cornell researcher, could help save millions for struggling growers and address global food security challenges.
IVSonance Biomedical Inc. earned $60,000 for an innovation aimed at transforming in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Using sound waves to automate a delicate IVF step currently done by hand, the startup’s technology could help make fertility treatment more accessible and scalable for clinics worldwide.
Two other winners were GynStrong, Inc. (Mid-Hudson), which received $100,000 for a device offering drug-free pelvic pain relief, and TunaBotics LLC (Central New York), which won $60,000 for soft robotic grippers designed to help automate delicate manufacturing tasks.
Backed by the state, focused on the future
The competition is part of the FuzeHub Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund, supported by Empire State Development and Governor Kathy Hochul’s office. The funding is designed to help early-stage companies move from prototype to commercial success — with an eye on manufacturing, sustainability, and economic growth.
“By pairing visionary entrepreneurs with targeted support, we’re investing in the future of our state’s economy,” said Ben Verschueren of Empire State Development.
The New York State Innovation Summit, which hosted the competition, also highlighted cutting-edge research, commercialization opportunities, and the latest in tech-led economic development.
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