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.
About the New York Business Plan Competition
The New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC), powered by Upstate Capital Association of New York, is New York State’s premier entrepreneurial competition, advancing innovation and venture creation by providing student-led startup teams with mentorship, education, and the opportunity to pitch for prizes and exposure to key ecosystem partners. 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/
About SUNY Polytechnic Institute
SUNY Poly, located in Utica, N.Y., is a vibrant and inclusive community where students, faculty, and staff are empowered through a forward-looking STEAM education and dynamic campus experience. Founded in 1966, SUNY Poly is currently celebrating its 60th anniversary, marking six decades of impact, innovation, and service to the Mohawk Valley and beyond. As New York State’s premier public polytechnic, SUNY Poly fosters innovation and interdisciplinary learning across its four colleges—Arts & Sciences, Business, Engineering, and Health Sciences—preparing graduates to lead in a rapidly evolving global landscape.
Guided by a bold vision for societal impact, SUNY Poly advances use-inspired research and
transformative collaborations that drive economic development, technological progress, and
humanitarian solutions—locally in the Mohawk Valley and globally across diverse communities. For more info, visit http://www.sunypoly.edu.
About the Upstate Capital Association of New York
Upstate Capital is a robust membership network for private equity investors, M&A professionals, venture capital investors, CEOs and business owners, entrepreneurs, and ecosystem support professionals. Its mission is to increase access to capital for companies and deal flow for investors across New York.
The Upstate Capital Association of New York, founded in 2003, is a 501(c)(6) membership
association built by venture capital and private equity investors and professionals. The organization supports entrepreneurship education and advancement through NYBPC and other programs via its educational 501(c)(3), the Capital Foundation of NY, founded in 2018.
