2025 New York Business Plan Competition Announced

Deadlines are approaching for students from colleges across the state to compete statewide for cash prizes

New Paltz, NY – The New York Business Plan Competition, powered by the Upstate Capital Association of New York, announced the start of the 2025 competition. The competition promotes entrepreneurial opportunities for college students from across the state who pitch their business plans to seasoned investors. They also receive the opportunity to engage with mentors and judges from the business community. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) will host the NYBPC Finals this year in Troy, NY on April 24, 2025. The NYBPC Finals connect students with business professionals, provide experiential learning opportunities through competitions, connect entrepreneurs with resources at the Entrepreneurship Expo, and award up to $100,000 in cash prizes to help seed new ventures.

The event is expected to bring up to 200 people, including 50-100 business executives, investors, and capital providers as well as professional advisors such as attorneys, accountants, investment bankers, and consultants. In addition, key stakeholders (local and regional press, local and state politicians) and up to 350 student entrepreneurs, advisors, and college professionals from 60+ colleges and universities representing all 10 regions in New York State will be in attendance. 

For the past six years, Upstate Capital has led the NYBPC, New York’s statewide intercollegiate entrepreneurship competition, to support the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders. The NYBPC has three goals: 

  • Foster entrepreneurial skills by providing experiential learning opportunities 

  • Build personal networks connecting students to the entrepreneurial landscape in New York 

  • Launch new ventures 

Interested students can submit business plans in one of the following 2025 tracks:

  • Food & Agtech: Agricultural Technology, Food Product, Food Service

  • Health & Well-being: 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: Business plans don’t fall into other tracks

  • Software & Services: Business plans don’t fall into other tracks 

Regional competitions are being held across Empire State Development’s 10 regions in New York State. The application deadline is March 1, 2025. For event dates, locations, and more details, visit: https://nybpc.org/studentsnybpc.

Bailey Burke, Director of the New York Business Plan Competition and Interim Director of Upstate Capital Association of New York said, “We believe in the power entrepreneurship has in changing lives for founders and communities. The annual NYBPC has served hundreds of founders and inspired a new generation of change-makers. We are excited about supporting people who start businesses and move toward owning their economic futures.”

Emily Rourke of Hobart William Smith Colleges, a 2024 special prize winner, states, “My favorite part of the NYBPC was meeting such an outstanding group of entrepreneurs and mentors. I was inspired by the other presentations I watched, and I loved hearing others’ stories of how ideas and businesses came to be. I loved the support everyone offered to each other, and I am excited to see all that my peers accomplish with their journeys. I am grateful for the connections I made through the NYBPC that I have since formed mentor relationships with.” 

Sponsors 
Our sponsors support, advise, and help fund the NYBPC. The sponsors of the 2025 NYBPC include Empire State Development, The Research Foundation for SUNY (SUNY RF), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), M&T Bank, and Colligan Law. Philanthropic donors include Bill Newman, Vikram Agrawal, The Opalka Family, the Thomas and Peggy Quinn Giving Fund, Heidi Knoblauch, and many more. 

A long-time supporter of the NYBPC, Vikram Agrawal of Levrx Technology, said, “Every business begins as an idea, and for some of us, college is the perfect time to launch new businesses. The NYBPC provides a platform for these ideas to thrive and grow through mentorship, skill development and professional connections. I am honored to be able to give back to the entrepreneurial ecosystem through sponsorship of the NYBPC and my board service at the Upstate Capital Association of NY.”

NYBPC Judges
Over 200 venture capitalists, angel investors, investment bankers, experienced entrepreneurs, and leaders from the business community participate in the NYBPC as judges. The full list of judges will be announced in April. Anyone interested in becoming an NYBPC judge can learn more at nybpc.org/judgementor. 

Regional Organizers 
The NYBPC Regional Organizers are charged with supporting ongoing efforts to enhance support for the NYBPC mission through regional leadership, collaboration, and implementation of regional competitions. We could only do this with the support of our Regional Organizers. The 2025 Organizers include Robert Griffin of Onondaga SBDC, Traci Geisler of Syracuse University, Chris Neville of Upstate Medical University, Danielle Blesi and Jodi Mather of Hudson Valley Community College, Chantz Miles of St. John Fisher University, Kim Forman of Farmingdale State College, Kristin Backhaus and Eliza Edge of SUNY New Paltz, Robert Edgell of SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Demetrius Boone and Ashley Sweeney of Clarkson University, Gavin Goldstein of Touro University, Emma Smith and Epiphany Munoz of Binghamton University, and Hadar Borden and Kelsey Wagner of University at Buffalo.

Our host at RPI, Eric Ledet, Director of the Severino Center for Technological Entrepreneurship, states, "The New York Business Plan Competition is a showcase for student-innovators from across the Empire State. The competition provides a unique opportunity for gathering the most creative and ingenious pioneers of the next generation to present their innovations. The competition is a stepping stone not only in the careers of the students who participate but also in the development of new businesses and new technologies that can benefit society. It is an honor for RPI to host this special event where we will witness the awesome talent of New York’s brightest college students.”

Since 2010, the NYBPC has helped to launch more than 200 student-led ventures and generated more than $150 million in economic impact. For more information, please visit the website: https://nybpc.org/.


Press Contact:
Bailey Burke
bailey@upstatecapital.org
(845) 204-8090

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Bailey Burke