StanRohrer/Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now. This article originally appeared on The Plug, a news and information platform examining the Black innovation economy. Upstate New York is a burgeoning innovation hub, but Black founders say they're being left out. Organizations like LaunchNY and 43North with their $5 million pitch competition are trying to help. As the tech industry continues to boom in upstate New York, Black founders who have contributed to this growth feel they are frequently left out of the growing opportunities that come to the area. Yasmin Mattox is no stranger to missing out on grants because of where she lives. Last year, the Rochester-based entrepreneur planned to apply for Facebook's $100 million initiative to support small businesses in locations where the company operates. Living in New York state, Mattox thought the grant was open to residents like her. But when she scanned the list of eligible locations, she quickly realized her city was not on the list, making Mattox ineligible for a grant.