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Dominic Costanzo relocated from Richmond, VA, to Buffalo, NY, to contribute to the growth of Buffalo’s Startup Ecosystem. In this episode, Dom sits down with Cindy Sideris to discuss the qualities of successful emerging tech ecosystems in mid-sized cities.
THE INTERVIEW
Dom Costanzo joined the 43North team as VP of Portfolio in February 2023. Hailing from Richmond, VA Dom dives into the topic of emerging ecosystems and specific qualities of cities like Buffalo that are making the tech scene boom. In this episode, Dom sat down with Cindy Sideris, Sr. Platform Manager at 43North to discuss why it’s important to support emerging tech ecosystems and how founders can find success by moving to these smaller, mid-sized cities to grow their startups.
ABOUT DOM
Much of Dom’s career has focused on catalyzing and supporting early-stage startups, from research commercialization to venture capital. At 43North, he actively finds high-leverage ways to drive value for our portfolio companies.
EMERGING ECOSYSTEMS
Dom shares his story about working at Virginia Commonwealth University and his experience in corporate incubation and venture capital programs. Throughout his career, he’s gained a passion for emerging tech ecosystems and shares four reasons why emerging ecosystems, such as Buffalo, are crucial for startup founders and economic development:
Collaboration and excitement: Emerging ecosystems like Buffalo offer a collaborative and exciting environment for startups to grow and learn from each other. This provides a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to share resources, knowledge, and experiences.
Supportive environment: The supportive environment in emerging ecosystems can significantly benefit startups. The community spirit in Buffalo is an example of how a supportive environment can provide the right setting for startups to thrive and succeed.
Growth potential: As emerging ecosystems are smaller, they offer growth potential, and Buffalo is no exception. With a growing startup community, Buffalo has much potential for startups to grow and scale their businesses.
Valuable lessons: Dom’s experiences and insights shared on the Latitude podcast provide valuable lessons for startup founders and investors. Through his insights, he shows that emerging ecosystems like Buffalo can provide an excellent opportunity for growth and collaboration.
RESOURCES
Apply: 43North Accelerator Program
Website: 43north.org
Email: dominic@43north.org
Twitter: @costanzodr
LinkedIn: Dominic Costanzo
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