Business Plan Competition for the Community
The Business Library of the Brooklyn Public Library just announced the winners of their fifth annual PowerUP! Business Plan Competition. Top prizes went to a Brooklyn fudge maker, a local evening-wear creator, and a neighborhood retail shop selling earth-friendly products. Other prizes were also awarded amongst the 75 plans submitted.
Now this is the kind of Planning Startups Stories blog mentions some of the more prestigious business plan competitions: Notre Dame University, Rice Alliance, Moot Corp, New Venture Competition. They offer big prizes, have teams of five MBA students, pitch plans for companies with global reach who are seeking a half-million dollars or more in investment financing.
In contrast, I look out the office window, and view three blocks of our street. I see an auto repair shop, a dentist, a mini-mart, a doctor, an aquarium store, two small restaurants, a credit union, a coffee kiosk, a lawyer, a women’s clothing resale shop, a specialty beer emporium, and of course, us, a software developer.
This is small business in America. This is the business that keeps our lives organized every day and our economy moving. So where are the business plan competitions for the local teams of one and two entrepreneurs, who sell us our shoes, fix our cars, and feed us our rushed business day lunches?
I say three cheers for the Brooklyn Library and their PowerUP! Business Plan Competition for showing us how it can be done.
PowerUP! celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of Brooklyn, enhances the vitality of the local business community and rewards the ingenuity and determination of ALL participants!
If you are 18 years of age or older, live in Brooklyn, are a legal resident or US citizen, and wish to start a business in Brooklyn, you are eligible. “PowerUP!” is a competition to help applicants start a business.
Three winners will receive cash awards for entering the best business plan to start a business in Brooklyn. Cash prizes of $15,000 for first place and $5,000 for two runners-up will be awarded.
Hopefully more communities and public agencies will follow their lead, and support the local entrepreneurs we depend on.
Steve Lange
Senior Editor
Palo Alto Software
You should follow us on twitter here
Have you covered international business plan competitions? You have one called Venture Cup in Sweden.
Martin,
There are so many competitions out there, it’s often difficult to track them all. We do try and bring attention to the events as we find them.
Thanks for pointing this one out, I’ll go take a look.
You are welcome! It is good to see so many business plan competitions out there.
I agree! It is tough to keep track of them all, but I would much rather have MORE to sort through than have a dearth of competitions.
Has anyone heard anything about the Launch Together business plan competition? Not a great deal of money imo, but certainly enough for me to enter. Check out the short video linked to on the page. I think it’s great!