The Greater Hudson Valley Launch
On October 15, 2026, Greater Hudson Valley launched at Senate Garage in Kingston, gathering 188 people around a shared goal: helping small and locally-owned businesses thrive. Whether you were there or are just discovering us, we invite you to get involved, share your expertise, and help shape what comes next.
CHECK OUT WHAT HAPPENED
A day of ideas, conversations, and new connections.
Keynote: Digital transformation and the AI era
Dr. Rebecca Gott, CTO of IBM Power Platform and a Hudson Valley resident, gave a direct look at where technology is going. She covered the origins of AI and demystified how it actually works. Then delved into the ways it is reshaping how businesses run, reach customers, and find the resources they need, and what the AI era means for the people building small businesses in our region.
Panel: Creative capital approaches for investing in our region
Most small businesses do not have access to the capital they need on terms that fit them. Investors Barbara Clarke, Duane Peterson, and Lizzie Vann, moderated by Nick Preddice, talked about doing it differently: keeping capital local, matching the way businesses actually grow, and backing founders who have been overlooked. The conversation looked at what a regional capital ecosystem can look like, and how to build one.
Panel: Challenges and opportunities facing small businesses
Running a small business is a large undertaking. Support is often inefficient to navigate for knowledge and networks, and capital is frequently out of reach. Sarah Lee of the Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation, and local business owners Eileen Banyra, Sam Shapiro, and Lagusta Yearwood discussed what small businesses are up against, what is working, and how they go to where they are now.
Demo Night: Showcasing the region’s emerging startups
The day wrapped up with Demo Night, hosted in partnership with the Hudson Valley Venture Hub, where emerging entrepreneurs pitched their startups to the room. The presentations showcased the innovation and ambition driving the region’s next generation of businesses and gave founders an opportunity to share their ideas with a broader community of potential supporters and partners.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED
Our speakers
We’re grateful to the speakers and panelists who brought their expertise and perspectives to the conversations shaping GreaterHV’s launch. From emerging technologies and small-business challenges, to creative approaches to capital, they helped highlight both the opportunities ahead and the work needed to make them accessible across the Hudson Valley.
Dr. Rebecca Gott, CTO, IBM Power Platform
Sarah Lee, EVP, HVEDC
Barbara Clarke, Investor
Sonya Smith, State Director, NYS SBDC
Duane Peterson, Investor
Eileen Banyra, Community Compost
Lagusta Yearwood, Lagusta's Luscious
Sam Shapiro, Camp Kingston
Lomax Campbell, Third Eye Network
Nick Preddice, HVEDC Board Chair
Lizzie Vann, Investor
Our volunteers, partners and everyone who joined us
A gathering like this takes a community effort. Thank you to Hudson Valley Venture Hub, SUNY New Paltz and Dutchess Community College for their partnership, to our volunteers for helping everything run smoothly, and to everyone who joined us at Senate Garage. Your contributions helped bring people together and laid the groundwork for the connections and collaboration that will carry GreaterHV forward.
HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED
What’s next?
We’re building the tools and connections that will help small businesses access the support they need, and give advisors a way to share their knowledge and expertise. There’s more to come, and we’d love for you to be part of what we’re creating.