Applications Open for Dairy Runway Entrepreneurship Program

ITHACA, N.Y., June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cornell University's Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA) invites food entrepreneurs with early-stage ideas for value-added dairy products to apply for Dairy Runway, a free entrepreneurship program focused on initial product concept, customer discovery and prototyping. 

Launched in 2023, the program is administered by CREA in collaboration with Cornell's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the Northeast Dairy Foods Research Center (NDFRC). The program's Fall 2025 cohort is funded by the USDA's Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) and is open to food innovators located anywhere in the Northeast developing value-added products using cow, goat or sheep milk produced in the 11-state region.  

"We're excited to expand Dairy Runway to reach innovators from across the Northeast who are working with cow, goat and sheep milk," said Jenn Smith, director of Food & Ag Innovation at CREA. "By investing in this program, the NE-DBIC continues to define the Northeast as a place where dairy entrepreneurs can thrive, accessing the tools, coaching and product prototyping they need to bring new ideas to market, all at no cost." 

The program's seven-week virtual course introduces participants to the customer discovery process, including how to use and develop a business model canvas. The course combines self-directed online learning activities with Zoom-based class meetings and one-on-one instructor check-ins. Virtual classes feature discussions with subject matter experts representing creative marketing agencies, established retailers and founders of food and beverage startups. 

Participants who successfully complete the entrepreneurship course will move on to the program's Kitchen Incubator phase. During this phase, they are paired with business coaches who help them refine their business models and develop pitch decks for potential investors. At the same time, participants begin testing product formulations and working toward a prototype in one of Cornell's two food processing facilities, supported by the university's dairy specialists and food technicians.

"The Dairy Runway program is an excellent platform for accelerating innovation in our region's dairy sector," said Laura Ginsburg, center lead for the NE-DBIC. "We're proud to support this new cohort, which expands access to early-stage entrepreneurs across the Northeast and includes those working with goat and sheep milk, in addition to cow dairy. By opening the program to a more diverse range of producers and products, we're helping to grow a more resilient and inclusive regional dairy economy."

Since its inception in 2023, the Dairy Runway program has led four cohorts, with 32 teams completing the program's entrepreneurship course, 18 of which have completed the Kitchen Incubator phase.

"The Dairy Runway program gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to pressure test a concept with business and technical guidance," said Sam Alcaine, director of the NDFRC and Cornell CALS faculty advisor for the program. "Whether working with cow, goat or sheep milk, participants gain access to research-backed insights and pilot-scale resources that can help transform promising ideas into quality products."

Applications for Dairy Runway close September 8, 2025, at 5 p.m. ET. Up to six teams will be selected to participate in the program. To learn more, visit https://dairyinnovation.org/dairy-runway-program/ and register for an information session here.

Media Contact:

Leigh Toerper

(607) 427-0971

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SOURCE Center for Regional Economic Advancement