The Top Three Reasons Why Cows and Geniuses are Accelerating Upstate NY’s Surging Economy

Say “Upstate New York” and most people picture rolling farmland, dairy cows, and long winters. What they probably don’t picture is drones, advanced AI research, and technology startups.

Yet quietly and maybe even surprisingly, Upstate NY has become the nation’s proving ground for drones, AI and other technology, and that unlikely mix of cows, machines, and entrepreneurial minds is fueling a surge of economic growth.

You may have read in September 2025 that Upstate NY is the “Tomorrow Land” for a new drone economy, or back In November 2024, we featured an article in UAV Commercial News titled, “Why Upstate NY is the Center of the Drone Universe.” 

The obvious questions now are: how’s that center holding up? Are you suggesting that cows cannot be geniuses? And why are cows in economic development?

Turns out, the answers aren’t complicated. Let’s look at the top three reasons for the surge.

Reason 1: Chobani, one of Upstate New York’s homegrown success stories, is investing $1.2 billion to build a new factory in Rome, NY — a major boost for the regional economy. That means Upstate’s cows are about to be working overtime to keep up with the yogurt demand. On behalf of all Upstate New Yorkers, we salute you, cows.

Reason 2: Like drones, AI research has become a priority in the region. At Upstate Medical, there are researchers like Tamara Jamaspishvili and Darwin Babino who are advancing AI technology to treat cancer and eye diseases. Cornell also houses one of the most advanced research programs for AI. They received multiple grants and continuously host events for sustainable agriculture practices. That way, cows don’t actually have to pull all-nighters like founders do. 

Speaking of founders, let's introduce you to a few of Upstate’s leading startups in AI. 

At ANDRO Computational Solutions, the married dynamic duo of Anu and Jithin Jagannath lead a team of innovators who are creating artificial intelligence capabilities that enable drones to self-navigate to targets. “We’ve developed artificial intelligence technologies that can run on light-weight mobile processors. There’s nothing like this today across the world,” says Andy Drozd, CEO of ANDRO. 

At ResilienX, sophisticated AI capabilities assess issues that exist with data in the UAS ecosystem. According to their founders, the “mission is to protect the world from autonomous error, meaning we use AI to safeguard the data that other AI systems are using for autonomous decision making.”

Based in Rome, NY, AIS is a defense-industry titan that is a leader in all things cybersecurity. They were recently awarded a $95.5 million contract by the Air Force, and their tech defends the military from infrastructure attacks. “It’s all about keeping our cybersecurity capabilities ahead of our adversaries - something Upstate New York has an incredible talent base to support,” said Charles Green, CEO and co-founder.

Reason 3: You may have noticed that in recent news, the INSPYRE Innovation Hub, formally known as The Tech Garden, completed a $32 million expansion in downtown Syracuse. Along with housing various existing company offices, the hub also hosts GENIUS NY, the largest drone accelerator in the world today. 

They host a competition that focuses exclusively on UAS technologies. Hundreds of applicants are narrowed down to five finalists (aka “geniuses”) who compete for the opportunity to receive a grand prize of $1 million. The remaining four geniuses make out well since they also receive a $500k investment regardless. 

Now that you know more about what is going on at INSPYRE, let’s introduce you to the current cohort of “geniuses” and what they are doing:

 Lamarr AI: Much like an MRI of a body, this company focuses on taking MRI-like scans of buildings to ensure safety. According to their founders, they focus on “revolutionizing the way we diagnose the health of building exteriors and roofs using drones, thermal imaging, and AI.”

 Sky Fire AI: This group works closely with various public safety groups across the country. With Drone First Responder (DFR) technology, they are enhancing public safety by equipping UAVs to assist emergency personnel when every second counts.

 Flox Intelligence: All the way from Sweden, this company’s founder bridges her love for animals with her passion for technology. Their tech protects critical areas from wildlife incursions through intelligent, autonomous, and humane drone solutions.

Lighthouse Avionics: Tyler Bair (CEO) from Hilliard, OH, decided the aviation community in Upstate, NY, was the best place to bring his proprietary AI-driven EO/IR hardware known as VICTOR. Their tech specializes in the visualization of air traffic in low-altitude airspace to enable safer and more transparent aviation missions at scale.

According to team member Emily Limpert, “the industry is desperate for an affordable and precise way of visualizing anomalies and non-cooperative players in low-altitude airspace. Our VICTOR systems are a scalable and reliable solution to detect and avoid incoming traffic in real-time, at a low cost. This enables more UAS programs to advance into sophisticated and safe operations.”

Modovolo: Founded in our very own Syracuse, NY, this company is launching the "Lift," an endlessly configurable modular drone platform where pods click together to build the right drone for any application. They are promising the longest flight time for a delivery drone at a fraction of the market cost.

Upstate and Syracuse, NY, have created a unique formula for growth. With a combination of hardworking cows, forward-looking infrastructure, and entrepreneurial genius, the region is now the home for sustainable agricultural innovation, nation-defining aviation technology, and a hot spot for drone innovators. Pretty darn cool.