The building at 235 Harrison Street in downtown Syracuse used to be a partially collapsed parking garage. Today it’s INSPYRE Innovation Hub — a $32 million, 90,000-square-foot facility that is now the largest business incubator in New York State and one of the largest in the country.
Operated by CenterState CEO and opened by Governor Kathy Hochul in September 2025, INSPYRE replaces the former Tech Garden, which had operated since 2005 but focused primarily on tech startups. The new hub is built for founders across every industry, size, and stage of growth.
What’s Inside the Building
The three-story facility includes private offices for more than 35 resident startups, coworking space, a renovated Hardware Center, a brand-new Makerspace, an uncrewed systems testing deck, and a media production facility. There’s a 3,000-square-foot theater for events, a matching meeting room, and a 5,000-square-foot rooftop terrace overlooking downtown.
INSPYRE is already home to companies like Arcovo AI, an AI workforce automation company that chose the hub as its headquarters, and Vitale Engineering, a manufacturer’s rep firm working in defense, aerospace, drones, and quantum computing.
The Programs
The marquee program is GENIUS NY — the world’s largest business accelerator for uncrewed systems and robotics. Since 2017, it has invested nearly $24 million in 42 companies that have gone on to raise more than $350 million in follow-on funding. The Round 9 cohort is in residence now, with Pitch Finals and a $1 million grand prize scheduled for May 7. Round 10 applications are already open.
New for 2026 is the INSPYRE Cleantech Accelerator, powered by National Grid, targeting early-stage clean energy startups with ties to higher education. There’s also the Syracuse Surge Accelerator, the Start It! Business Basics program for aspiring entrepreneurs, and CenterState Up Start for service-based businesses.
Why It Matters for CNY
INSPYRE anchors the City Center Innovation Hub and sits at the gateway to Innovation Alley on Warren Street — both pillars of the Syracuse Surge economic development strategy. M&T Bank signed on as founding sponsor with a seven-year commitment. National Grid backs both GENIUS NY and the Cleantech Accelerator. Empire State Development contributed $16.6 million through the CNY Rising Upstate Revitalization Initiative.
The name itself tells the story: the Y in INSPYRE replaces the I, shifting the focus from “me” to “why” — because every breakthrough starts with a question. It’s also a nod to Syracuse.
The hub is targeting 100 events in its first year, scaling to 300 by year three. Between the accelerator programs, the resident startups, and the growing roster of fireside chats and community programming, Harrison Street is quietly becoming the most important block in downtown Syracuse.