Cloud Management Platform Company CloudCheckr, Communication Hardware Manufacturing Specialist Mastodon, And Communication Software Development Company Calero To Grow Operations In The City of Rochester
Investments Further Support «Finger Lakes Forward» – The Region’s Comprehensive Strategy to Revitalize Communities and Grow the Economy
Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the 24th proposal of his 2020 State of the State agenda – expansions of three industry-leading high technology companies in the City of Rochester that will further grow the Finger Lakes regional economy as part of the Governor’s continued commitment to growing the high-tech ecosystem in and around Rochester’s Downtown Innovation Zone. Cloud management platform company CloudCheckr is ready to expand its headquarters in the City of Rochester’s Downtown Innovation Zone, committing to creating up to 397 new well-paid, high technology jobs. Communication hardware manufacturing specialist Mastodon Design has moved into a 34,000 square-foot facility on Science Parkway, committing to creating up to 235 new jobs. Additionally, Calero Software will significantly grow its operations and create up to 100 new jobs over the next five years in the City of Rochester.
«Rochester is quickly gaining a reputation as the home of some of the most innovative tech companies in the region thanks in part to targeted state investments and our locally-driven approach to economic development,» Governor Cuomo said. «The investments by these companies to expand in the region will create new, good-paying jobs and help ensure all the arrows continue pointing in the right direction for the Finger Lakes region.»
CloudCheckr serves large enterprises, managed service providers and the public sector with a software-as-a-service platform that makes the most complex cloud infrastructures easy to manage and secure with immediate results. The company partners with the largest public cloud service providers such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud. The cost for the headquarter buildout is expected to be $6.7 million.
Empire State Development is assisting CloudCheckr with its expansion plan by providing up to $8 million through the Excelsior Jobs Tax Credit Program in exchange for job creation commitments. CloudCheckr expects to complete the expansion sometime in the summer of 2025. Monroe County and Greater Rochester Enterprise also assisted with this project.
Mastodon Designs primary customer is the United States Department of Defense. Founded in 2013, Mastodon Design are experts in the rapid design and manufacturing of rugged signals intelligence & communications products and solutions. In February 2019, Mastodon Design was acquired by CACI International, a defense contractor with facilities in Virginia and Florida. CACI provides information solutions and services in support of national security missions and government transformation for Intelligence, Defense, and Federal Civilian customers
To facilitate Mastodon Design’s relocation and growth, Empire State Development will provide up to $3 million through the Excelsior Jobs Program in exchange for job creation commitments. The City of Rochester, Monroe County, and Greater Rochester Enterprise are also assisting with the project. The total cost for the relocation and expansion has been placed at $4.755 million.
Calero was founded in 2013 and in December 2019 merged with MDSL headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. The company maintains its largest operating facility in Rochester, NY and also has offices located in Atlanta, GA, the United Kingdom, Hong Kong, France and the Netherlands. The communication software development company will expand its business in a building located at 1040 University Avenue in an effort to be closer to the city’s vibrant downtown area which is drawing highly successful companies due to the highly-skilled talent pool available. Serving customers across the globe, the technology company helps enterprises manage their full spectrum of communication services including telecom, mobility and cloud through a combination of advanced software and services.
To support this project, ESD is providing up to $1 million dollars through the Excelsior Jobs Program in exchange for job creation commitments. The total project cost has been placed at $3 million. The company expects to be operating at the new location in the first quarter of 2020.
Downtown Rochester is in the midst of a rebirth. According to the Rochester Downtown Development Corporation, the designated area is known as the innovation zone, is home to 195 businesses that are working to support the city’s evolving downtown area. That momentum is also complemented by the comprehensive «ROC the Riverway» initiative first announced by Governor Cuomo in February of 2018. The 13 selected phase one projects, funded by a $50 million Finger Lakes Forward Upstate Revitalization Initiative grant, aims to revolutionize the area surrounding the Genesee River and unlock the potential of Rochester’s waterfront.
For additional Information about CloudCheckr, click here.
For more information regarding CACI international and Mastodon Design, click here.
For more information about Calero Software, click here.
Accelerating Finger Lakes Forward
Today’s announcement complements «Finger Lakes Forward,» the region’s comprehensive blueprint to generate robust economic growth and community development. The State has already invested more than $6.1 billion in the region since 2012 to lay the groundwork for the plan – investing in key industries including photonics, agriculture and food production, and advanced manufacturing. Today, unemployment is down to the lowest levels since before the Great Recession; personal and corporate income taxes are down; and businesses are choosing places like Rochester, Batavia and Canandaigua as a destination to grow and invest in.
Now, the region is accelerating Finger Lakes Forward with a $500 million State investment through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative, announced by Governor Cuomo in December 2015. The State’s $500 million investment will incentivize private business to invest well over $2.5 billion – and the region’s plan, as submitted, projects up to 8,200 new jobs. More information is available here.