From Rust Belt to Tech Belt: How Digital Infrastructure Built Buffalo's Startup Ecosystem

This episode of TechXY Turbo spotlights one of Buffalo’s quiet powerhouses: Jack McGowan. For more than 30 years, Jack has been the connective tissue between investors, entrepreneurs, and the technologies shaping the region’s economic future. As Executive Director of the WNY Venture Association and leader of the Buffalo Angels, he has helped hundreds of founders translate innovation into opportunity.

In this conversation, we explore how Western New York’s tech ecosystem evolved from manufacturing roots to a thriving hub for AI, biotech, and advanced software startups — and what Jack has learned about building trust, community, and momentum along the way. Listeners will gain a rare look into the foundations of regional innovation and how angel investing has become the lifeblood for early-stage tech growth.