eGifter Gets Suffolk County IDA Backing for High Tech Accelerator Project in Huntington Village
Huntington, NY (PRWEB) July 29, 2013 -- The founders of Long Island based tech startup GroupGiftng.com (eGifter) today received approval from the Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) to support a project to open a high-tech accelerator space on Main St. in Huntington. eGifter is a Suffolk County based venture, owned and operated by a group of veteran tech entrepreneurs who founded and sold Invision.com and LongIsland.com. The group is led by Tyler Roye, CEO, who is also a founder and Vice-Chairman of the Long Island Software and Technology Network (LISTnet).
“Downtowns across Suffolk County are the perfect location for high tech start-ups,” said Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone. “Huntington Village is the ideal place for our County’s new tech accelerator, creating dozens of high paying jobs for our innovation economy.”
The package approved by the IDA includes property tax abatements and other incentives at a value of more than $100,000. The project is part of the IDA’s Boost Program. “We have been working hard to make this happen for months,” said Anthony Manetta, CEO and Executive Director of the Suffolk IDA. “Creating accelerator spaces across the County is an important piece to growing our tech industry. This project will create employment opportunities for our area’s dynamic workforce and support innovative entrepreneurs who want to launch local companies.”
Roye and his team have been working toward creating a strong startup community on the Island. “In my role as the Vice-Chairman of LISTnet, I am always trying to help Long Island’s tech industry succeed,” he said. “Over the past couple of years, success has been defined by advancing startup company activity.
The team setup a special LLC called NuClique LLC to use for a project such as this and will be operating the facility under this LLC. “This gives us a vehicle for operating the facility without having to dilute the focus of eGifter,” said Roye. “We are now working toward finalizing the deal and can’t wait to get moving with the construction.” eGifter, MaxBurst, Inc. and RobotFruit are all planning to move into the space when the construction is completed.
Roye has been actively involved with trying to grow the software and IT industry on Long Island since the founding of LISTnet more than 15 years ago. “I have the benefit of Peter Goldsmith, LISTnet’s President, constantly brainstorming ideas on things we can do to help amplify the startup efforts on the Island,” said Roye. “We decided it was our time to step up as part of the club of veteran tech entrepreneurs and make an investment to help support the Long Island startup movement.”
Roye has worked hand-in-hand with Peter Goldsmith to help develop programs to support area startups and spent months trying to find space to create a tech facility on Suffolk County. “Once the facility is opened, LISTnet will have its Suffolk office in the space. I will be actively involved in helping make sure we maximize the potential impact of the project for local tech startups, and for the Long Island software and IT industry in general,” said Goldsmith. “We will extend all of our LISTnet activities to Huntington, including initiatives like LISTnet COMETS, a mentoring program for startups that we started last year.”
“We are personally making the investment to get this off the ground and then we intend to let the rest of the ecosystem that has been developing to support startups help layer in the programs needed to make this successful,” said Roye. “Andrew Hazen and Rich Foster, for example, have developed a lot of content and activity around LaunchPad. They are friends, fellow LISTnet Board members and investors in eGifter, so it just makes sense for us to work as a team to maximize the success of the project for all involved.” LaunchPad opened in Mineola February and has been instrumental in helping create a home-base for tech startup activity.
“We are pleased Tyler and his team have stepped-up to get this rolling and we look forward to helping out by bringing LaunchPad’s programs to the project. We anticipate that we will find more investment opportunities for LaunchPad ventures as a result,” added Hazen.
Mark Lesko has been supportive of the high tech cluster developing in Huntington and helped to connect the high growth companies seeking space. "Jeff Leventhal from WorkMarket originally found the space and showed it to Tyler, and then he took it from there,” he said. “I am pleased Tyler decided to lead the charge to get the deal done at 315 Main Street. Accelerate Long Island will continue to stay involved in helping downtown Huntington realize its potential as a tech hub for Suffolk County.”
The Long Island Angel Network (LIAN) has been ramping up its activity in anticipation of better quality deal flow resulting from all of the startup community activity, such as LaunchPad.
“Expanding the efforts to Huntington will just create more flow of better prepared companies to present to the angels,” said Mike Faltischek, Partner at the Long Island law firm Ruskin Moscou Faltischek, P.C. and the Long Island Angel Network (LIAN) President. eGifter is backed by a who’s-who of Long Island technology angel investors and is emerging nationally as a disruptive player in social and mobile commerce. Bob Brill from Newlight Capital, a board member of the LIAN, led an LIAN investment in eGifter earlier this year.
Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone, Suffolk IDA Executive Director Anthony Manetta and Group Gifting/NewClique’s Tyler Roye are planning to hold a press conference on Friday morning at 10:30am outside the space at 315 Main St. in Huntington announcing the new accelerator space.
Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone added, “This is an exciting development for Huntington and Suffolk County. We are happy to support projects like this to help add high paying jobs in the county. It is a critical part of our economic development plans for the region.”
Huntington Town Councilman Town Mark Cuthbertson plans to attend the event, as well as representatives from all of the organizations and companies involved with the project.
About eGifter
eGifter revolutionizes the act of gift giving with a social and mobile experience. A platform and marketplace, eGifter creates a fun experience for consumers while helping retailers unlock the viral potential of gift giving in social spaces. Founded in 2011 by a group of proven tech entrepreneurs, eGifter is the flagship app of New York-based GroupGifting.com. Try it out at http://www.eGifter.com or download the mobile app from iTunes or Google Play.
Please send media inquiries to media(at)groupgifting(dot)com or call Tyler Roye at 516-882-1200, ext. 101
About the Suffolk IDA
The Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency (IDA) is a public benefit corporation of the State of New York. The purpose of the agency is to promote economic development within Suffolk County. The Suffolk County IDA works in synergy with Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone and Economic Development Commissioner Joanne Minieri to foster positive economic development within the County. The IDA’s BOOST Program is designed to offer more aggressive and cost effective incentives for companies in Information Technology, Life/Bio Sciences, Green and Energy to grow in the County.
For anyone interested in learning more about the project, please contact Anthony Manetta at the Suffolk IDA at 631-853-4802.
Media, eGifter.com, http://www.eGifter.com, 516-882-1200 506, [email protected]
Share this article