Empire Discovery Institute (EDI) is organized as a 501(c)(3) corporation and designed to help overcome key challenges typically faced by life science researchers in academia – lack of external funding to continue research efforts and lack of pharmaceutical industry expertise to advance their programs to fruition. Its mission is to identify medically important pathways and targets related to human disease that will serve as the basis for the discovery and development of novel, highly differentiated new therapeutics. EDI is a key component of the NYS life sciences initiative. In the FY 2018 budget, New York State enacted a $620 million initiative to spur the growth of a world-class life science research cluster in New York, as well as expand the state's ability to commercialize this research and grow the economy. EDI refocuses time and funding on discovery candidates that are most likely to succeed. By doing this, EDI can more efficiently translate pivotal research into life-saving medicines. Programs that demonstrate the most promise will either be licensed to one of EDI's strategic partners or become new life science companies within upstate New York. In addition to developing strategic relationships with pharmaceutical partners and venture capital firms, EDI seeks to attract philanthropic sources of funding to facilitate the discovery, development and access of innovative new medicines for rare and orphan diseases in adults and children.