Story Alchemy: Building Innovation Through Visual Storytelling and Accessible Technology
Story Alchemy with Cooley Comics uses accessible AI tools and visual storytelling to turn ideas into compelling stories and concepts. Participants will explore how generative AI can break down creative barriers, amplify diverse perspectives, and provide new ways to ideate, collaborate, and innovate—no technical or design experience required.
- Chris Cooley,CEO & Co-Founder, Cooley Comics
NY State’s Place in the New Space Economy
New York helped shape the space age—from hosting the world’s first space-based radio communication to supporting the development and tracking of the Space Shuttle. Today, as commercial space activity accelerates and new markets emerge, New York is poised to play an important new role. Government leaders, academic innovators, and industry experts explore the state’s current capabilities, competitive advantages, and opportunities for growth—and what it will take for New York to lead in the New Space Economy.
- Kaylon Paterson, CEO, Paterson Aerospace Systems, Corp.
- Prof. Mason A Peck, Professor of Astronautics, Cornell University
- Patrick D. Chase, Co-Founder & Chairman, Empire Space
- Dr. Joel B Mozer, Senior Partner, Mind Set
- Michael Zemcov, Professor, Astronomy, RIT
- Steven McDonald, Staff Manager, Propulsion Engineering, Moog
Digital Twins in Healthcare: Building Virtual Patients to Accelerate Medical Research and Personalized Medicine
Explore how digital twins—virtual models of patients, organs, and biological systems—are transforming healthcare and medical research. Featuring expertise and innovation from across New York State, this session will highlight how digital twin technologies can accelerate discovery, improve treatment planning, and advance more personalized, data-driven approaches to patient care.
- Adam Volini, Executive Director & VP, Life Sciences & Strategic Partnerships, Empire State Development
- Dr. Mohammed Cherkaoui, Senior Vice President of Research & AI Intelligence, Long Island University
- Dr. Adrian Buganza Tepole, Associate Professor of Mechnical Engineering, Columbia University
- Dr. Jason Davies, Associate Professor of Neurosurgery and Biomedical Informatics, SUNY Buffalo
- Thomas E. Slowe, CEO, Breadcrumb Analytics Inc.
Commercialization Competition
