Tech Valley Center of Gravity

10/23/2026

As part of our fundraising efforts this year, we’ve put together an 💻ONLINE AUCTION💻 including generous donations from our members and local businesses, ranging from handcrafted pieces, to 1:1 maker classes, to tickets for upcoming events and experiences! We’ve got something for everyone, and the virtual auction will begin ➡️Monday, 10/26⬅️

This auction will be open to the public, so even if you can’t make our Awards Dinner on 11/5, you can still support our Community Access Fund, and walk away with a specially curated gift!

❄️ by one of our amazing members, Grace Knight — just one of many gems on our auction list!

10/21/2026

Meet Cole Belmont — TVCOG’s “Innovator of the Year” awardee for our upcoming Awards Dinner & Fundraiser! Cole’s work focuses on interdisciplinary applications of digital fabrication, critical making and advanced manufacturing. Cole has developed curriculum, supported programs and run workshops on advanced 3D modeling and simulation, parametric and computational design, digital to physical workflows including 3D printing, laser cutting and robotic fabrication. As the Makerspace Director at Union College he is both a practitioner and an academic, working on his own design research and at the same time, educating and helping to facilitate the research and work of others. He also leads the Electric City Maker Faire which has become a staple event for our local Maker community!

Come celebrate Cole with us on 11/5! Tickets available at tvcog.net/awardsdinner 🎟️

10/20/2026

November 5th is just a few weeks away ⏳ have you secured your spot yet for our upcoming Awards & Fundraising Dinner?

Tickets get you a seat at a table full of artists, engineers, and entrepreneurs from all the major industries of the Capital Region’s maker movement, PLUS dinner and a drink! 🥂

Connect with your local maker network, while supporting our Community Access Fund, which ensures equitable making opportunities for all our neighbors. Every dollar directed towards the CAF puts tools and training within reach of someone who might otherwise be left out.

Hope to see you at Brown’s Revolution Hall on November 5th! Ticket available at tvcog.net/awardsdinner

10/16/2026

Big news day for COG Members!

💵 Amoeba Technologies, a COG Incubated Maker member, raised $100,000 in Kickstarter crowdfunding in 24 hours, after the project met its $25k goal in under 30 minutes. Their launch product, Amoeba One , is a social-media free keychain phone.

✂️ COG member business Yamaguchie celebrated the ribbon cutting of their reopened shop on Lark Street. After a devastating fire in 2023, the COG’s Community Access Fund stepped in to provide Yamar with free membership and workspace to keep the business running as he rebuilt.

🏭 New statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau show the Capital Region experienced its biggest annual increase of Solo Manufacturers in more than a decade. This includes many of the businesses that operate out of the COG, such as Ashpond Amplification. As reported by The Center for Economic Growth , the region saw an increase of 77 non-employer manufacturers, which includes gig workers, freelancers, independent contractors and other enterprises with no paid employees.

We’ll take a closer look at these stories in the coming days!

10/15/2026

Meet Ron Grieco — TVCOG’s “Member of the Year” awardee for our upcoming annual Awards Dinner & Fundraiser! Ron has served as the COG’s woodshop coordinator since 2023. In that time, he has successfully grown his woodworking business from the ground up, conducted over 65 safety orientations & classes, and has been a reliable sounding board for countless COG members exploring the joys of woodworking! You can see Ron’s work at Philadelphia Museum of Art Fine Craft show and Hudson’s Basilica Farm and Flea in November.

Come celebrate Ron with us on 11/5! Tickets available at https://www.tvcog.net/awardsdinner/

10/08/2026

Each summer, we offer Micro Internships for high school and college students studying engineering, product design, or a related field. In exchange for completing a volunteer project that improves the makerspace community, students get 3 months of membership, which they can use to work on personal projects as well.

Patrick, a sophomore studying Electrical and Computer Engineering at UAlbany, helped our members recognize when hearing protection is required. Using our laser cutter, woodworking, and electronics zones, he built and programmed a sign that responds to the ambient noise level. The light turns yellow as it approaches 85 dB, and red once it exceeds the threshold. He fully documented the build, allowing future volunteers to make additional signs for other areas. The eardrums of the COG are forever grateful to Patrick! 👂🎧🙌

We want to expand the Micro Internship into a full time paid opportunity, and are looking for a partner to help make that happen next summer. Reach out if that partner could be you!

10/07/2026

You’re cordially invited to our annual ⚙️AWARDS & FUNDRAISING DINNER⚙️ on November 5th! This year, all proceeds benefit our Community Access Fund, which offsets membership costs and creates equitable maker opportunities throughout our community! This fund supports our:

⚙️Pay-What-You-Can Program for LMI neighbors
⚙️Small Business Support Program
⚙️Field Trip Experience Program
⚙️Manufacturing Residency
⚙️STEAM powered Saturdays

General Admission tickets include a buffet dinner, a drink ticket, and a seat at a shared table where you can connect with members of the Capital Region’s maker movement — artists, engineers, and entrepreneurs from all our major industries. Tickets available at tvcog.net/awardsdinner, and don’t hesitate because the first 30 people to register get a free commemorative shot glass!

Flyer by Giselle Lora — one of our former artists in residence 🖼️✨

10/02/2026

Sunday, Free! We'll see you there!

08/18/2026

COG member Sam Wechsler participated in the DARPA Heavy Lift Challenge, vying after the $6.5 million prize for the first team to build a vertical takeoff and landing drone weighing 55 pounds or less capable of carrying a 220 lb payload over a 5-nautical-mile course. While his entry didn't do so well, he spent time getting to know some of the more unique designs. Check out his interviews!

These were the coolest drone designs at the DARPA Heavy Lift Challe...

07/14/2026

Startups! Check out this funding opportunity!

Applications are now open for the 2026 New York State Commercialization Competition, and eligible NYS startups have the opportunity to compete for a share of up to $420,000 in funding to accelerate commercialization.

Join our free informational webinar on Tuesday, July 14 at 10:00 AM ET to learn more about:
• Eligibility requirements
• The application process
• Key deadlines
• What applicants need to know before submitting

Whether you're preparing your application or exploring commercialization opportunities, this webinar will provide valuable insights to help you navigate the competition process.

📅 July 14, 2026
⏰ 10:00–11:00 AM ET

Register today and learn how your startup can compete for funding: https://bit.ly/4eOdoCF