College students are encouraged to apply for the seventh annual New York Business Plan Competition.

Each team that enters will be able to pitch a business idea to an experienced panel of judges — national venture capitalists, angel investors, investment bankers and private equity investors — and potentially win more than $500,000 in total prizes, including a $100,000 grand prize.

The regional semifinals are scheduled to take place in late March and early April, and the statewide finals will be hosted Friday, April 29, by SUNY Polytechnic Institute in Albany. A list of application deadlines by region is available at www.nybplan.com.

The semifinal will take place in 10 regions, based on Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s 10 Regional Economic Development Council. The local semifinal will take place Friday, April 8, at SUNY Poly in Marcy.