BUFFALO, N.Y. -- For the first time in decades, the Queen City is being showcased as a model for upstate economic development. Just five years ago, no one would have believed Buffalo would one day be on the cutting edge of innovation and job growth. That all changed with the Buffalo Billion: the governor's turnaround plan for Western New York, that is now being rolled out in other parts of the state.
A 3D printed replica of a human heart and a vascular surgical simulator are just some of the cutting-edge technologies being developed at the Jacobs Institute where new medical devices are being designed, prototyped and tested right in the heart of Buffalo.
"Industry, more and more, is seeing Western New York as the place to go to advance innovation in the medical device space," said Bill Maggio, Jacobs Institute CEO.
It's that kind of innovation on the Buffalo medical campus that has politicians, educators and developers from all across New York looking to Buffalo for the first time in decades as a leader in job creating and economic growth.
"I think today, the people here who are visiting from other parts of New York state are seeing it. There's a lot of entrepreneurial activity happening here. We've created a lot of jobs at the Jacobs Institute. We'll continue to do so," said Maggio.
The credit goes to Governor Anderw Cuomo's Buffalo Billion, which has been spun-off statewide as the upstate revitalization initiative.
"We've been hearing about the Buffalo Billion and what's been going on here. So, we're going through all of the same planning process in our region so this is a great opportunity to see how it's working, actually happening right now," said Scott Samuelson, Sullivan County legislature chairman.
Seven upstate regions will compete and only three will split $500 million in state funding. Representatives from all seven regions are on a field trip to Buffalo to find out how they can repeat the Queen City's success.
"They're hear today to learn lessons about what we did here in Western New York and to see how you transform a region that was about as hard hit and depressed as you'd ever find in the state of New York," said Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul.
"What's happening here is extraordinary. The partnerships and the collaboration and learning all of the different pieces and how their putting them all together makes so much sense," said Samuelson.