Dairy Runway Program

Grant Overview

Donor: New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, Dairy Promotion Order

About: The Dairy Runway Program is an entrepreneurship initiative designed for early-stage dairy entrepreneurs and food innovators using New York-produced cow milk. Based on the NSF Innovation-Corps model, this free virtual course hosted by Cornell University focuses on product-market fit, desirability, viability, and feasibility of value-added dairy products. Participants are guided through customer discovery and business model development, gaining skills to create scalable product plans. Graduates receive access to Cornell’s Food Processing Lab, technical support, and business coaching for prototype development.

Focus:
-Dairy entrepreneurship
-Value-added dairy products
-Product branding and consumer trends
-Business model development
-Customer discovery process

Region: New York and New England states

Eligibility:
-Dairy entrepreneurs or food innovators
-Must use cow milk sourced from New York State
-Teams of 1-2 participants per cohort

Benefits:
-Free virtual entrepreneurship course (6 weeks)
-Access to Cornell’s Food Processing Lab
-Technical support from food science experts
-Business coaching with Cornell Entrepreneurs in Residence
-Prototype development opportunities

Terms:
-Participation in every course session is mandatory
-Kitchen Incubator access depends on engagement and coursework completion
-Funded by the New York State Dairy Promotion Order