UTICA, NY - SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) will host the Mohawk Valley regional of the 2025 New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC) on April 4, 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 fosters entrepreneurship through experiential education so students can gain insights and perspective on developing new ventures from people in the business community,” said 
Bailey Burke, Director of the NYBPC.  “The competition provides a platform for ideas to thrive and grow through mentorship, skill development, and professional connections.”

“SUNY Poly is thrilled to once again host the Mohawk Valley regional of the NYBPC and provide students with this extraordinary opportunity to test their entrepreneurial ideas in a supportive and competitive environment,” said SUNY Poly Professor of Technology Management Dr. Robert Edgell, who serves as NYBPC’s regional chair for the Mohawk Valley competition. “This competition builds confidence, sharpens critical thinking, and fosters connections with industry leaders, all of which are invaluable experiences for young entrepreneurs.”

This year, Dr. Son Tran from SUNY Cobleskill and Adam Chaloeicheep from Hartwick College will co-chair the event.

Interested student teams 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 1, 2025, via the NYBPC website. Winners from each of the 10 statewide regions will have the opportunity to advance to the state finals on April 25 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. Edgell emphasized the competition’s impact, stating, "The NYBPC allows students to take their innovative ideas beyond the classroom and into real-world application. It’s about more than just pitching—it’s about learning how to turn a vision into reality, gaining expert mentorship, and developing the resilience and adaptability needed to succeed as an entrepreneur."

For more information, including application details and resources, students are encouraged to visit https://nybpc.org/studentsnybpc.