SUNY New Paltz to Serve as ‘Innovation Hot Spot’ for Mid-Hudson Valley

SUNY New Paltz announced that it has received $1.25 million in funding from the Empire State Development Council. This award was received through the Regional Economic Development Council Initiative and will provide SUNY New Paltz School of Business with funding over five years to serve as the Innovation Hot Spot for the Mid-Hudson Valley. The Mid-Hudson region encompasses Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland, Sullivan, Ulster, and Westchester Counties. This is the first time the state’s Innovation Hot Spot will be located in Ulster County.

Innovation Hot Spot

Since 2018, New Paltz School of Business’s Hudson Valley Venture Hub has served as a resource for the regional startup and entrepreneurial community. The Venture Hub attracts fundable, high-growth ventures to generate jobs. The services provided benefit the community and the economy. Roughly 70% of the small businesses that have been supported are women- and minority-owned.

The funding award and recognition as the Mid-Hudson Valley’s Innovation Hot Spot will support SUNY New Paltz in continuing and expanding the existing efforts of the Venture Hub. The director of the Hudson Valley Venture Hub, Eliza Edge, said:

“We want to be part of growing strong companies and jobs for New York’s future, by connecting entrepreneurs across the Mid-Hudson Valley region to the support, mentorship and investment they need, when they need it.”

Walden Working Together with SUNY New Paltz

Walden has collaborated with SUNY New Paltz on several innovative projects in recent years. Together Walden and SUNY New Paltz worked on Town of New Paltz’s Landfill and Adjacent Wooded Areas Solar Facility Project. This project included conducting a field study of the site and nearby areas as an initial step to assess the baseline wildlife communities living on the existing grassland (capped landfill) and woodland habitats using birds and insects as indicator species.

On another collaboration project, Walden investigated the feasibility of utilizing solar energy technology at the New Paltz Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) with SUNY New Paltz engineering students. Walden assisted in the evaluation of the electric consumption of the process equipment of the WWTP in order to determine the extent to which solar energy and battery storage can be utilized at the WWTP to save money for residents. Walden’s services extend to evaluating the feasibility of using other renewable energy systems such as biomass/biogas energy as well as incorporating combined heat and power (CHP) systems in order to improve the resiliency and sustainability of water treatment and wastewater treatment facilities’ operations.

Walden has also had the opportunity to engage with the engineering classes to present on Engineering Ethics. Through these connections, Walden has been able to work with SUNY New Paltz students as interns.

Walden congratulates SUNY New Paltz on receiving this award and we look forward to seeing the expansion of their services. Walden is continuing to pursue innovative ventures and expand our green energy services. Give us a call at 516-271-1948 to learn more about Walden’s research and development efforts. We look forward to future partnerships with SUNY New Paltz to promote future developments throughout the Mid-Hudson Valley.