MCC News
MCC Announces Lite Coms Joins START-UP NY Program (10/16/2019)
New Business Locating Near MCC’s Brighton Campus Will Invest Over $3 Million to Establish Operations, Create 37 Jobs
BRIGHTON, N.Y. – Oct. 16, 2019 – Monroe Community College (MCC) today announced that Lite Coms LLC, a new business to New York state that designs, fabricates, assembles and tests satellite communication devices, is participating in the START-UP NY program. Lite Coms, partnering with MCC, plans to invest more than $3 million in research and development and create at least 37 jobs locally over five years. This investment complements the Finger Lakes Forward regional strategic plan to revitalize the local economy.
Lite Coms is the first START-UP NY partner sponsored by MCC.
“This new collaboration reflects MCC’s latest demand-driven workforce development collaboration,” MCC President Anne M. Kress said. “With SUNY and state support through START-UP NY, we look forward to building on our partnership with Lite Coms to meet the company’s need for a skilled workforce and provide career opportunities for our students.”
As a specialty designer and fabricator of ultra-lightweight, durable, carbon fiber-based tactical communication devices designed to operate in the harshest environmental conditions, Lite Coms intends to use New York state sources of supply for raw materials and components.
MCC students will have an opportunity to gain valuable applied learning experiences at Lite Coms as paid interns and to seek full-time employment with the company upon graduation. Of particular interest to Lite Coms are students in MCC Engineering Technologies and Information and Computer Technologies degree and certificate programs.
“We feel extremely fortunate to have been selected as a START-UP NY company. The benefits provided to our employees are amazing, and our ability to grow and reward our local suppliers with production orders are all made possible by this program,” said Lite Coms President and CEO Bob Jacobson. “We would like to thank Governor Cuomo, Empire State Development, Monroe Community College, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce and the SUNY Chancellor for all working together to make this possible. Taking excellent care of our people allows our people to take excellent care of our customers!”
Jacobson said Lite Coms has already secured multiple contracts to supply terminals to the U.S. Army as well as equipment to various Department of Defense prime contractors.
“Our company produces the highest-performing Very Small Aperture Terminals available in the market and designs these products in record time using talent from MCC, RIT, Clarkson, SUNY Buffalo and Nazareth,” Jacobson said. “The entrepreneurial passion and drive of the team has been the key to Lite Coms success as a startup. The company has exceeded plans for its first year in operation and has a great backlog heading into year two. Lite Coms is continuing to post new positions every week and looking at additional local facilities to handle rapid growth.”
For information about START-UP NY partnerships with MCC, contact Matthew O’Connor, assistant vice president for Economic and Workforce Development and Career Technical Education, at (585) 685-6183 or moconnor20@monroecc.edu.
About START-UP NY
Launched by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo in 2014, START-UP NY is an innovative tax incentive program that partners new, growing and relocating businesses with New York state’s large network of public and private colleges and universities.
Through the use of tax incentives which significantly reduce state and local taxes for participants, the program encourages businesses to create new jobs while establishing a meaningful, mutually beneficial partnership with its college or university sponsor. These partnerships enable companies to access faculty, industry experts, equipment and advanced research facilities associated with the schools; and create new opportunities for students to receive first-hand experience and internships with START-UP NY businesses.
Dozens of colleges and universities across New York state are participating in START-UP NY, with more than 679 approved zones that represent over 6.8 million square-feet of eligible space for new or expanding businesses to operate on or near campuses. Each college and university’s approved START-UP NY plan is available at www.startup.ny.gov.
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KRISTIN DEVOE
Director of Communications, Upstate
Empire State Development
518.292.5107
kristin.devoe@esd.ny.gov
Media Contact:
Hency Yuen-Eng
Government and Community Relations
585-292-3063
hyuen-eng@monroecc.edu