Colleen Heidinger Takes 43North CEO Role, Succeeding Sarah Tanbakuchi-Ripa After 6 Years
Updated
Updated · Buffalo News · Sep 9
Colleen Heidinger Takes 43North CEO Role, Succeeding Sarah Tanbakuchi-Ripa After 6 Years
1 articles · Updated · Buffalo News · Sep 9
Summary
Colleen E. Heidinger will become CEO of the 43North Foundation, moving up after serving as president since 2020 and earlier leading events and programs for the Buffalo startup accelerator.
6 years at the top for Sarah Tanbakuchi-Ripa end with the handoff to Heidinger, a longtime internal leader tied to 43North’s growth from its early competition years through its current accelerator operations.
43North has become a central piece of Buffalo’s startup push, backing five $1 million winners each year and helping produce standouts such as ACV Auctions, which later went public and topped a $1 billion valuation.
The leadership change comes as 43North nears its 12th and final competition cohort, with recent winners already relocating to Buffalo and some planning manufacturing and hiring in Western New York.