UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) will once again host the Mohawk Valley regional of the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC) on Friday, April 3, providing a platform for college students to present their business ideas, receive expert feedback, and compete for cash prizes. Organized by the Upstate Capital Association of New York, the NYBPC encourages student entrepreneurs to develop innovative solutions with real-world impact.

“The NYBPC is committed to advancing entrepreneurship through hands-on, experiential learning that equips students with real-world insight into building and scaling new ventures,” said Shelby Schneider, President and CEO of Upstate Capital Association of New York. “This year’s competition creates a powerful space for ideas to evolve—connecting students with mentors, practical skill-building, and meaningful relationships with leaders across the business community.”

“The Mohawk Valley regional of the New York Business Plan Competition brings together students from SUNY Poly and colleges across the region to exchange ideas, challenge one another’s thinking, and learn through collaboration,” said Dr. Jim Staihar, Executive Director of the NYSTEC Business Center of Excellence and Associate Professor of Business Ethics at SUNY Poly. “We are grateful for the generous support of the M&T Bank/Partners Trust Bank Charitable Fund and the Community Foundation of Herkimer & Oneida Counties, whose commitment makes this experience possible. Through this competition, students gain valuable feedback from industry professionals, strengthen their business skills, and develop tools that will benefit them well beyond the competition.”

Interested students from institutions such as SUNY Poly, Fulton-Montgomery Community College, Hamilton College, Hartwick College, Herkimer County Community College, Holy Trinity Orthodox Seminary, Mohawk Valley Community College, Pratt Munson, St. Elizabeth College of Nursing, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Cobleskill, and Utica University are eligible to participate in the Mohawk Valley regional competition and must apply by March 8, 2026, via the NYBPC website. Winners from each of the 10 statewide regions will have the opportunity to advance to the state finals in late April in the Capital Region, where they will compete for a grand prize of $25,000.

The competition is typically divided into six tracks: Food & Agtech (Agricultural Technology, Food Product, Food Service); Health & Wellbeing (Health IT, Life Science, Medtech, Wellbeing); Learn, Work & Live (Education, Community Building, Productivity, Fintech); Safety, Power & Mobility (Defense, Energy, Climate Tech, First Responder, Infrastructure, Mobility, Transportation); Products & Hardware (for business plans that don’t fit other tracks); and Software & Services (for business plans that don’t fit other tracks).

Dr. Staihar highlighted the broader value of the competition, noting, “The New York Business Plan Competition gives students the opportunity to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom to real-world challenges. It pushes them to think beyond the pitch by refining their ideas, learning from experienced mentors, and building the flexibility and perseverance required to succeed in an entrepreneurial environment.”

For more information, including application details and resources, students are encouraged to visit https://nybpc.org/studentsnybpc. Also, if you have any questions, please contact Dr. Staihar at Jim.Staihar@sunypoly.edu. He is serving as the regional organizer for the Mohawk Valley competition of the NYBPC.