October 3, 2003: Volume 59, Number 4

U-Start incubator expands into former cafe

The U-Start business incubator associated with the College has announced the opening of a new building at 2 Nott Terrace.

U-Start has operated since July 1999 at 4 Nott Terrace, a converted Victorian home just off Union College's South border. The new building, also a Victorian house most recently occupied by the Pedestrian Café, will add 1,350 square feet to the incubator and house six companies, bringing U-Start's occupancy to 12 firms when full.

"This expansion builds on the great success we have experienced to date with technology development in Schenectady," said Walt Robb, a U-Start board member and retired senior vice president at General Electric. "Now more than ever Schenectady must reaffirm its presence as a technology business leader. We look forward to continued success helping young entrepreneurs build their businesses and expand here in Schenectady County." Robb is also president of Vantage Management, Inc.

"I share Walt's commitment to investing our time, resources and energy in Schenectady County and assisting young companies succeed," said Union College President Roger H. Hull. "Union College is proud to be a partner in this exciting expansion."

Four companies currently occupy the first U-Start building: H&M Technology Acquisition, Inc, which provides technology consulting services; Meenan Information Services, LLC, a software consulting firm; FaciliTECH, a financial consulting firm to technology businesses; and Pinched Productions, a firm that develops software for matching up college roommates.

Three companies "graduated" out of the incubator to their own business space. Treetop Solutions, Inc., which provides web design, website hosting and e-commerce consulting, is now located at 112 Erie Blvd. Co-president David Ward is a recent Union College graduate with a degree in economics, and Co-president Derek Mebus will graduate next year from Union with a degree in computer information systems. Synetics, now located in Rotterdam, is a designer and developer of computerized information systems for mid-size businesses and organizations. Senior consultant Philip Oates started the company after completing an MBA degree at Union College's Graduate Management Institute. The third company, Artela Inc. (formerly Hotwire), designed and built applications for the telecommunications market.

U-Start's Co-directors Peter McElligott and Theodore Haller are currently working on contracts with two new tenants to occupy the additional incubator building.

Along with Robb, members of U-Start's board of directors include:

• Harry Apkarian, chairman and CEO of TransTech Systems Inc. and former CEO/Co-founder of Mechanical Technology, Inc.
• Edward Cummings, attorney
• Lewis Golub, chairman of the board, Golub Corporation
• Ted Haller, president of H&M Technologies Acquisition (and co-director of U-Start)
• Roger Hull, president of Union College
• Susan Lehrman, president of the Graduate College of Union University
• Peter McElligott, vice president of H&M Technology Acquisition (and co-director of U-Start)
• Dick Roberts, partner of Higgins, Roberts, Beyerl & Coan, PC
• Carl Rosner, chairman of the board of Intermagnetics General Corp. and chairman/CEO of CardioMag Imaging, Inc.

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