Digital technology company set as first START-UP NY business at SUNY Plattsburgh

Its objectives in context of the START UP-NY program are to grow a customer base in the United States while leveraging business and academic alignment opportunities with SUNY Plattsburgh, including internships, experiential learning and employment, said Nathalie Azoulay, president and CEO of Eye-In Media.

"The natural markets for our expansion and growth are in the United States,” said Jeff Singer, vice president of finance and operations at Eye-In Media. “The North American Free Trade Agreement opened the doors to this vast marketplace. Given our Montreal headquarters’ close proximity to New York State, SUNY Plattsburgh is the ideal setting that allows us to achieve this."

Founded in 2003 in the basement and garage of its founders, Eye-In Media’s customers in Canada include hospitals and health-care facilities, shopping malls, and quick-service restaurants, including McDonald's Restaurants of Canada and MTY Group, which operates 26 franchise concepts with over 2,000 locations across Canada.

Established in 2013, START-UP NY (SUNY Tax-free Areas to Revitalize and Transform Upstate NY) is Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s initiative to transform SUNY campuses and other university areas across the state into tax-free communities for new and expanding businesses. Under the program, businesses have the opportunity to operate tax-free for 10 years on eligible land and space. Businesses partner with the higher education institutions, enabling them to access industry experts and advanced research laboratories as well as student learning and internship opportunities.

This Eye-In-Media addition brings the total number of statewide companies participating in START-UP NY to 73, representing commitments to create more than 2,400 new jobs and invest more than $104 million in communities throughout the state.

“Today is another example of how START-UP NY is providing a critical boost to local economies across the state,” Gov. Cuomo said. “By offering new companies the opportunity to operate tax-free alongside our first-class universities and talented workforce, this program is attracting significant private sector investments and creating hundreds of new jobs for New Yorkers.”

Participation in the START-UP NY program will permit Eye-In Media to grow at a rate faster than would be possible without the attendant program incentives. The company is also in an industry aligned with several academic programs at SUNY Plattsburgh, including art, computer science, public relations and journalism, and management information systems, said John Ettling, president of SUNY Plattsburgh.

“Eye-In Media plans to hire employees from the immediate area, including students graduating from SUNY Plattsburgh,” he said. “The company is the first of several future businesses that will cooperate with the college to provide internship opportunities for students that can result in local jobs for graduates immediately after finishing college.”

Initially, the college will work with the company to establish internships in graphic and dynamic content development as well as computer programming and software development, said Keith Tyo, START-UP NY campus coordinator at SUNY Plattsburgh.

The internships will provide students with real-world work experiences that can create a potential pool of future employees the company could hire from as it expands under START-UP NY. Tyo added there are a number of other prospects the college hopes to explore that could assist students in preparing for post-graduation opportunities in the industry.

“Governor Cuomo’s START-UP NY program has positioned SUNY as the most innovative and attractive academic partner for businesses across the country,” said SUNY Chancellor Nancy L. Zimpher.

Eye-In Media will locate in a section of the 8,301 square-foot START-UP NY tax-free area on the second floor of Redcay Hall on Beekman Street. SUNY Plattsburgh has also designated 45,862 square feet of office space at the Northstar Technology Center in Chazy as a START-UP NY tax-free area.

Companies interested in the START-UP NY program can learn more online at www.startup-ny.com or by contacting Keith Tyo at 518-564-3930 or [email protected].

Media inquiries regarding Eye-In Media should be addressed to Nathalie Azoulay at (514) 395-9327 x305.