During an Aug. 3 visit to downtown Ithaca, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., brought a message of both congratulations and her continued commitment to Ithaca and the Southern Tier’s economic development efforts.

Robert Barker/University Photography

Ithaca mayor Svante Myrick '09 participates in an Aug. 3 roundtable on economic development, hosted by Sen. Kirsten Gellibrand, D-N.Y. From left, Tompkins County legislator Martha Robertson '75; Myrick; Gillibrand; U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Matt Erskine; and Cornell President Elizabeth Garrett.

Gillibrand, joined by Cornell President Elizabeth Garrett, hosted a roundtable with representatives of Cornell, local businesses, elected leaders and others to discuss successes and opportunities to support economic growth in the region. The event took place at the temporary location of Rev: Ithaca Startup Works, Ithaca’s downtown business incubator.

Before the roundtable, Garrett and Gillibrand toured the permanent Rev space that is undergoing construction at the historic Carey Building at 314 E. State St., while also taking in the nearly complete Ithaca Commons renovation – a project Gillibrand supported in its early stages.

The gathered industry, university and business leaders also heard remarks from Matt Erskine, U.S. deputy assistant secretary of commerce for economic development and chief operating officer for the Economic Development Administration (EDA), part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. He and Gillibrand congratulated Cornell for successfully co-establishing the Southern Tier Innovation Hot Spot, now known as the Southern Tier Startup Alliance, bolstered by a grant from the EDA’s “i6 Challenge” awarded earlier this year.

The $500,000 EDA award continues support of the Southern Tier Startup Alliance, a collaboration among Binghamton University, Cornell and Corning Inc., and which comprises five business incubators operating in the Southern Tier. Among the Startup Alliance’s activities has been development of the Southern Tier Hardware Accelerator Program, hosted at Rev this summer.

With 27 member companies now operating in its temporary space, Rev, established in 2014, is adding to the vitality of the region, Garrett said. The Cornell president also thanked Gillibrand for her efforts on behalf of Rev, the Startup Alliance and of economic growth in general.

Robert Barker/University Photography

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Matt Erskine, and Cornell President Elizabeth Garrett tour the newly renovated downtown Ithaca Commons.

“She’s a champion of technology transfer as a means of helping universities and small businesses assess the commercial potential of the technology they license, with the ultimate goal of creating and expanding small companies, which in turn bring jobs to our region,” Garrett said of Gillibrand.

Representatives of several regional companies that fit that description joined the conversation, including Alex Deyhim, president of Lansing’s Advanced Design Consulting, and Nick Nickitas, CEO of Rosie, a Cornell startup.

Said Gillibrand: “I think New York state, particularly upstate New York, has such talent to offer the world. We have some of the brightest minds, the greatest workforce, a wonderful quality of life and amazing resources.”