The crackers are organic, gluten-free, vegan, made here and the winner of the $1 million top prize and a year of free space at Seneca One in the annual 43North business competition.
Smoke and digital fireworks filled the stage, as a packed house at Shea's Buffalo watched the winners be named Thursday evening.
A judge in the competition last night said Top Seedz isn't very techy but it is "joby" and that's why the panel of judges chose the firm headed by a transplanted New Zealander, a kiwi.
"I was so impressed with Top Seedz," said judge Brian Brackeen. "The business model, the founder. This thing is always about the founder, really. She's bubbly, bright, intelligent. She knows the business well."
Founder Rebecca Brady said her company has 20 employees operating from a bakery site near the Buffalo Niagara International Airport — for now.
"We've got a couple of different things in the works here," she said. "We're not sure exactly what we'll do. But we have a great landlord at the moment."
Top Seedz has a rapidly rising list of stores selling company products, although Brady said none of the ingredients come from around here.
The description of the company products used in an earlier stage, which narrowed the contestants to Thursday's 10 finalists, said "artisan crackers and roasted seeds packed with nutrition and flavor using the simplest ingredients that nature provides. We want the seeds to shine!"
Brady said she now wants the help the competition.
"The connections. I'm looking for the mentorship," she said.
43North now wants those additional jobs. The City of Buffalo said over 800 new jobs have been created as a result of 43North.
The entrants winning a $500,000 prize range from a company providing online mental therapy for college students to a company using machine vision to improve farmed chicken health and well-being.
