Buffalo's Jeca Energy Bars wins $1M grant at final 43North competition
What's the deal? Jeca Energy BarsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Buffalo-based maker of clean-label, non-ultra-processed energy bars, won a $1 million grant from 43NorthDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, the state-backed startup competition. It was one of five winners selected at the event in Buffalo in October 2026.
Why it stands out: At $1 million, Jeca's award ranks in the 82nd percentile by size among comparable grants — a notable sum for a consumer packaged-goods startup. Jeca was also the only Buffalo-based company among the winners, which spanned three states.
The details: 43North awarded a combined $5 million across five founders, each receiving $1 million to join its portfolio and grow their companies in Buffalo. Jeca also took home the $25,000 People's Choice Award, sponsored by Highmark Blue Cross Blue ShieldDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, after a live audience vote.
Jeca produces energy bars built around real, whole food ingredients for both retail and direct-to-consumer sales.
Why now? The competition, held at Shea's Performing Arts Center before more than 3,000 people, marked 43North's "final Finals" — the last edition of the contest after 12 years. Eight finalists pitched live before a panel of five investors and industry leaders.
The other winners were AirbuildDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (Portland), which turns wastewater plants into fertilizer microfactories; LeanSiteDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (Arlington, Texas), an AI facilities-operations platform; Playground (Rochester), a women's intimate wellness brand; and Valene HealthDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → (New York City), an AI clinical operating system for health systems.
The big picture: Launched in 2014, 43North has now backed 84 companies with $56.5 million in investments. "For more than a decade, 43North has demonstrated the power of investing in entrepreneurs and giving them the resources to turn bold ideas into successful businesses," Governor Kathy Hochul said.
The signal: The final round closes a 12-year experiment in using state money to seed a startup ecosystem in Western New York. For Jeca, a hometown win — plus the audience vote — signals that locally rooted consumer brands can still compete for capital alongside AI and climate-tech peers.
Read more: wnypapers.com
Image credit: Jeca Energy Bars
