With over $500,000 in prizes annually, the NYS Business Plan Competition is one of the largest collegiate business plan competitions in the world.
More than 70 of New York’s top colleges and universities actively participate in the NYS Business Plan Competition annually. Since 2010, more than 2,100 teams have pitched their ideas and ventures investors, investment bankers and seasoned entrepreneurs. As of the end of the 2016 competition, more than $2,300,000 in cash and in-kind prizes have been awarded to student entrepreneurs throughout New York State.
Advice for entering the NYS Business Plan Competition
Dual:Lock was awarded the $100,000 grand prize in 2016. Dual:Lock is led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute student Timothy Oh. His innovative biometric-based gun safe provides the ability to secure any handgun. Dual:Lock also allows specific owners to gain instant access based on their fingerprints in order to protect their home and family. Dual:Lock also took first place in the Products/Service track.
Last year five other first place teams were each awarded $10,000 within their respective categories: NanoHydroChem from the University at Buffalo for the NYSERDA Energy/Sustainability track; XBoard from Cornell University for the Nanotechnology/Advanced Technology track; Abcombi Biosciences from the University at Buffalo for the Biotechnology/Healthcare track; Oasis Foods from the University of Rochester for the Social Entrepreneurship/Non-Profit track; and Buffalo Automation Group from the University at Buffalo for the Information Technology/Software track.
Here’s a look at the 2017 Regional Competitions leading up to the big event.
Capital Region
Application Deadline: Friday, March 24
Competition Date: Friday, March 31
Location: SUNY Polytechnic Institute’s Colleges of Nanoscale Science & Engineering
Central New York
Application Deadline: Wednesday, March 15
Competition Date: Friday, March 24
Location: Syracuse University
Finger Lakes
Application Deadline: Sunday, March 12
Competition Date: Thursday, April 13
Location: Rochester Institute of Technology
Mid-Hudson
Application Deadline: Friday, March 10
Competition Date: Friday, April 7
Location: Marist College
Mohawk Valley
Application Deadline: March 24
Competition Date: Saturday, April 1
Location: SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Utica Campus
North Country
Application Deadline: Thursday, March 30
Competition Date: Friday, April 7
Location: Clarkson University
Southern Tier
Application Deadline: Sunday, March 12 (extended)
Competition Date: Friday, April 7
Location: Binghamton University
Western New York
Application Deadline: Friday, March 24
Competition Date: Friday, April 7
Location: Hilbert College
Other regions competing include Long Island and New York City.
The winning teams from each regional competition will advance to the final round of the 2017 NYS Business Competition on April 28 at SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Albany. They will compete head-to-head for the grand prize.
Watch Timothy Oh of Dual:Lock pitch at the 2016 NYS Business Plan Competition
