3AM’s FLORIAN software system is becoming a standard tool for first responders throughout U.S., world
Launch NY has supported 3AM’s growth with several different investments over the years
Feb. 13, 2025, Buffalo, NY – Launch NY and 3AM Innovations are pleased to announce a new phase of their longtime partnership amidst the company’s accelerating national traction.
Launch NY is investing $285,000 into 3AM, which has developed a high-tech tracking system for first responders during emergency situations. The company is led by CEO Mel Passarelli, also vice chair of the Launch NY board, a successful entrepreneur who joined the company in 2023 to give back to his hometown.
3AM achieved significant growth in 2024 as fire departments began accepting its FLORIAN software system as a new standard in worker safety. That includes major clients such as the Philadelphia Fire Department along with many smaller ones throughout the U.S., including The Orchard Park Fire District, which serves the Buffalo Bills’ Highmark Stadium.
The company is headquartered in the Roblin Building in downtown Buffalo, where the majority of its approximately 25 employees are based.
“We’ve long believed 3AM Innovations is capable of creating a product that is applicable to emergency personnel across the globe, making the work environment a safer place for these everyday heroes,” Launch NY president and CEO Marnie LaVigne, Ph.D., said. “It’s gratifying to watch them realize this promise on the back of a growing team at their downtown Buffalo headquarters. At Launch NY, we’ve worked hard to build the investment capacity to continue supporting local companies through different phases of growth.”
The funding came through several different Launch NY investment vehicles, including its new for-profit LP fund and its nonprofit seed fund. It also includes $60,000 through Launch NY’s Investor Network, a syndicate of more than 350 accredited investors dedicated to writing angel checks to entrepreneurs in Upstate NY.
Launch NY investments in 3AM now total nearly $500,000, which includes two previous Investor Network deals. Participants in the Investor Network gain exclusive access to pre-vetted deals in a format that removes much of the administrative work, allowing angels to focus on their analysis of the business. Current deals on the Investor Network include Zealot Interactive and energyGuard.
The current standard of tracking first responders in emergency situations relies on a system of physical tags and radios, leaving tremendous uncertainty on where people are in realtime. Using cell phones, FLORIAN creates a precise understanding of where people are in a building. It can also monitor the environment around them.
The company was cofounded by Ryan Litt and Patrick O’Connor, based on the latter’s experience as a volunteer firefighter in Grand Island, NY. O’Connor is now the company’s president while Litt is its chief operating officer.
3AM raised a Series A round in 2022 led by Tom Golisano’s Grand Oaks Capital, at which time Passarelli was named CEO. Passarelli has grown startups through acquisition, taken companies public and engineered corporate turnarounds. He was recently named to the board of directors of another fast-growing Buffalo startup, HelixIntel. Chief financial officer Katie Sullivan has also joined the 3AM leadership team and is playing a meaningful strategic role in the company’s growth.
3AM’s growth in 2024 included important partnerships such as those with Scott Safety, a global manufacturer and supplier of safety equipment, and Panasonic. T-Mobile awarded 3AM a 2024 Unconventional Award in its “Innovation for Community” category. The company plans to use the Launch NY to invest across the business as it grows, which will likely result in the creation of new jobs in Buffalo.
“From its earliest days as a startup company, 3AM Innovations has leveraged the support of its hometown to pursue its important mission,” Passarelli said. “It gives me great confidence in Buffalo’s startup community that Launch NY can help companies from their early assumptions all the way to reaching the market and achieving significant scale. This is a competitive advantage for our company, and it’s a big reason why I believe 3AM is building towards a great outcome for all involved.”
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About Launch NY: Launch NY is the only nonprofit venture development organization and U.S. Treasury-designated Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that serves and directly funds startups in Upstate New York. The core mission of Launch NY is to identify, support and invest in high‐growth, high‐impact companies and to catalyze the entrepreneurial culture of Upstate New York on behalf of job and wealth creation. Since its inception in 2012, Launch NY has served more than 1,750 companies which have gone on to raise more than $1.5 billion, generate more than $265 million in annual revenue and support more than 5,300 jobs.
Launch NY delivers its mission via mentorship and capital access programs, starting with pro bono mentoring through its Entrepreneur-in-Residence program, Founders Go Big program for underrepresented and underserved founders, and Emerging Cleantech Opportunity (ECO) Incubator. These programs prepare entrepreneurs for investment capital from multiple sources, including Launch NY’s InvestLocal Financing Programs comprised of nonprofit and for-profit investment funds, and the Investor Network deals marketplace that features hundreds of accredited investors. Through these vehicles, Launch NY is the most active seed investor in New York state and has been ranked among the top 5 nonprofit seed funds in the country. Women- and/or BIPOC-led companies have consistently comprised over 40% of Launch NY’s mentored companies and have received more than 55% of Launch NY’s investment capital.
About 3AM Innovations: 3AM Innovations delivers advanced AI and 3D technology solutions tailored to the needs of the public safety sector. Combining decades of incident command experience with advanced technology, 3AM empowers public safety teams by delivering critical, real-time information to improve safety, increase accountability, and drive efficient incident management. The flagship platform, FLORIAN, integrates with leading global technology partners, extending its impact through easy access to essential data feeds. By transforming the organized chaos of emergencies into actionable intelligence, 3AM Innovations supports first responders at every level. To learn more about 3AM Innovations and our offerings, visit www.3aminnovations.com.