NextCorps recently welcomed educators from across Monroe County for a powerful half-day immersion into the region’s startup ecosystem. The Monroe County Teacher Ambassador Program Tour, coordinated and moderated by Holly Barrett, created space for dialogue between education and innovation. The panel featured five dynamic voices—Holly Barrett (Moderator), Mike Marvin, Jennifer Sertl (representing Circle Optics), Josh Cropp, and Kathleen Martin—each bringing a unique lens on workforce development, manufacturing, and how to connect student potential with regional opportunity.
Since its founding, NextCorps has helped nearly 100 companies grow and scale, connected over 150 investors to promising startups, and served as a vital force in Rochester’s innovation economy. With programs like Luminate, Scale for ClimateTech, and the Manufacturing Accelerator, the team is not only fostering startups—but also shaping the future workforce.
But there’s a gap. As educators in the audience expressed, students don’t know what they don’t know. Without exposure to the region’s career landscape, students—especially in high school—struggle to envision real-world applications of the subjects they’re learning. And for startups, early talent is a lifeline—especially those who can grow into specialized technical or creative roles.
Five Voices, Five Perspectives
Each panelist brought a rich perspective on how their work intersects with education and youth opportunity.
Holly Barrett, Moderator & Marketing Director at NextCorps
“We need a spiderweb of connections—investors, researchers, vendors, support, and talent—to truly help startups grow. And that includes you—our educators. You’re the first node of that web.”
Barrett opened the session with an overview of NextCorps’ impact, including Luminate’s role in providing $100K–$2M in funding to optics, photonics, and imaging startups. She emphasized the importance of visibility—not just funding—for founders and the value of bringing students into the ecosystem earlier.
Mike Marvin, Program Manager, Manufacturing Accelerator
“We’ve added sustainability as a core design element because the future of manufacturing demands it. We want to make that thinking part of the DNA from day one.”
Marvin outlined how his 9-week accelerator helps hardware startups move from prototype to scalable production—now with a sustainability component developed alongside RIT. He also spoke about the Clean Jobs Collaborative, a workforce pipeline project aimed at aligning underserved populations with clean energy jobs.
Jennifer Sertl, Vice President of Marketing, Circle Optics & Workforce Chair, TechRochester
“It’s not just about the idea. It’s about the confidence to share it. If students believe their voice and insights matter, we have the ecosystem to help bring that idea to life.”
Sertl shared the origin story of Circle Optics—a panoramic imaging company that began as a University of Rochester student project and is now a DoD and aerospace contractor. She stressed the need to demystify innovation by introducing students to the full ecosystem: marketing, prototyping, customer discovery, and operations.
She also represented her work with TechRochester, particularly the outreach initiative bringing professionals into high schools to share personal career journeys. “Life only makes sense looking backward,” she said, “but we can create clarity forward by connecting students with real stories.”
Josh Cropp, VP of Talent, WAE (Work Available Everywhere)
“We’re not just competing with other manufacturers—we’re competing with Uber, DoorDash, and the gig economy. So we built a tool that matches workers with flexible jobs—on their terms.”
Cropp spoke about his team’s development of WAE, a platform designed to reduce barriers to employment for entry-level workers. By removing the need for resumes and interviews, WAE opens pathways for students who need to earn income but may not have traditional experience or scheduling availability. His company’s goal: meet this generation where they are.
Kathleen Martin, Business Advisor, NextCorps MEP & Scale for ClimateTech
“We need to stop thinking of manufacturing as just widgets. If someone’s bottling sauce, brewing cider, or making skincare—those are manufacturers. And they need support too.”
Martin highlighted her work with small- and medium-sized manufacturers, helping them secure grants and connect with local startups. She emphasized the role of applied learning and the need to reach students—especially young women—with hands-on STEM experiences before high school ends. Her years of mentoring all-female robotics teams underscored the power of early exposure.
Action Items & Opportunities for Cross-Pollination
Dialogue is the real technology for progress.. Teachers asked about job-shadowing, internships, classroom visits, and student-appropriate pitch competitions. Here are ten actionable ideas and offers that emerged:
1. Industry in the Classroom
- TechRochester’s workforce committee invites teachers to request speakers to visit classrooms and share diverse career paths.
- Circle Optics and other NextCorps startups are open to participating in student panels.
2. Job Shadowing & Micro-Internships
- NextCorps staff and affiliated companies welcome case-by-case shadowing experiences for high school students.
- Flexible timing and project-based shadowing could be explored.
3. Illuminate Pitch Finals as Teaching Tool
- The Luminate Finals are streamed and recorded—perfect for classroom analysis in business, entrepreneurship, or STEM classes.
- Students can even vote in the Audience Choice Award, impacting real funding.
4. Optica Suitcase Lab Kits
- The Optical Society’s “suitcases” with experiments and lesson plans are available for classroom use—helping students understand light, imaging, and photonics.
5. “What Is a Manufacturer?” Lesson Toolkit
- Kathleen Martin is creating materials to expand the definition of manufacturing to include food, drink, and crafts—making career exploration more relatable.
6. Bridge to Makerspace
- Local maker spaces like the one downtown are open to youth exploring industrial design, prototyping, and digital fabrication.
7. WAE Platform Access
- High schools could introduce students to the WAE app as part of career readiness or CTE programs—especially for those seeking gig-style flexibility.
8. Clean Jobs Pathways
- The Clean Jobs Collaborative is mapping training-to-job pipelines. Once finalized, this will provide clear “you are here → you can go here” roadmaps.
9. Parent Engagement
- Panelists emphasized the need to reach parents with success stories of non-college pathways, apprenticeships, and high-paying technician roles.
10. Applied Math & Finance Sessions
- Educators requested real-life examples and labs to bring abstract math and finance lessons to life—employers committed to co-creating these.
As educators shared their frustrations with curriculum limitations and the cultural bias toward four-year degrees, the panelists echoed a hopeful counterpoint: change is already underway.
“There’s a shift happening,” Sertl noted. “The region is starting to reward all post-secondary success—not just college. Our challenge is visibility.”
Cropp added, “Today’s students want flexibility. And instead of resisting that, we’re building systems that honor it.”
Perhaps the most resonant insight came not from a statistic or case study, but a simple truth:
“You don’t have to know the whole path. You just need to make your next best decision.” — Educator in the audience
And that’s where this collaboration begins. If educators can help students name their curiosity, and innovators can make room for questions, Rochester will be not just a hub of photonics—but a launchpad for the next generation of thinkers, builders, and dreamers.
Thank you to the NextCorps team and all educators present. Special shoutout to TechRochester’s commitment to workforce innovation and to Circle Optics for championing immersive technology and regional engagement.
If you’re an educator interested in bringing an entrepreneur into your classroom—or a startup looking to inspire the next generation—contact TechRochester or NextCorps to join the movement.
