Turn your innovative ideas into a winning plan and earn seed money

Have an idea for a new product, service or business? Submit your business plan to CCBC’s Center for Business Innovation Annual Business Plan Competition (BPC) and you could win up to $20,000 in seed money.

A total of $62,500 in seed money will be awarded to the top 6 winners. The Annual Business Plan Competition is open to students and alumni of CCBC who are interested in turning their idea for a new product or service into a business.

Participants in the Annual Business Plan Competition get:
  • Access to invitation-only workshops designed to help develop a strategic plan, marketing plan & financial plan — the core elements of a viable business plan.
  • Guidance from other entrepreneurs and business owners who serve as mentors during the competition.
  • An opportunity to earn seed money that can be used to help launch a business.

How it works

The deadline to participate in CCBC's 8th Annual Business Plan Competition has passed. If interested in competing in next year's 9th Annual business plan competition, 2021-2022, participants can submit an Intent to Participate registration form that simply states that you would like to participate in next year's competition. Deadline: Sunday, October 10, 2021. Students and alumni may enter as individuals or as teams.

Participants are encouraged to attend 3 business plan workshops focused on developing a strategic plan, a marketing plan and a financial plan as participants work on their business plan.

A Screening Round is the initial review of plans by CCBC faculty in which the top 12 business plans are selected to advance to the final round.

The Center for Business Innovation will match the top 12 finalists with mentors who can help prepare the finalists for the final round of the competition.

The 12 finalists will make their business plan presentations to a panel of judges. The judges will choose the top 6 winning participants.

What do the Top 6 Award Winners get?

A total of $62,500 that will be awarded to the top 6 finalists to help promote their business.


Here is how the seed money is awarded:
  • First place winner receives up to $20,000.
  • Second place receives up to $15,000.
  • Third place winner receives up to $10,000.
  • Fourth place winner receives up to $7,500.
  • And two runner-ups will receive up to $5,000 each.
Plus, the top 6 award winners get:
  • Invitation to work with CBI’s incubation network in which a class of students who can help implement the business plan during the spring semester. The winners will receive support in the areas of marketing and sales, website development, technology, accounting, human resources, management and will gain access to investors and creditors.
  • Scholarships to attend a 12-week course designed to help entrepreneurs launch and grow their businesses.
  • Up to four one-hour coaching sessions with experts in the business community on such topics as accounting, legal, marketing, insurance, information technology, and project management.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible to participate in the Business Plan Competition, one of the following conditions must be met:
  • Current or former CCBC students with at least 15 credit hours successfully completed in any discipline within the last five years.
  • An alumnus of CCBC who has graduated with a credit degree or credit certificate.
  • A non-credit graduate of any program/certificate or apprenticeship program offered by CCBC.
  • A student in the final year of a non-credit apprenticeship program offered by CCBC.
Learn more »

How is the event judged

The judges will review and judge each business plan. 

Learn more about how the event is judged »

Terms and Conditions

By submitting your business plan, you hereby confirm that you have read and understood the terms and conditions and will adhere to them at all times. You understand that non-compliance with the terms and conditions can result in the immediate exclusion from CCBC’s Center for Business Innovation’s Business Plan Competition.

Read Terms and Conditions »

Disclosures

By submitting your business plan, you hereby confirm that you have read and understood all disclosures.

Read Disclosures »

Timeline

Intent to participate deadline
 Sunday, October 11
Executive Summary Business Plan (5-7 pages) deadline
 Sunday, November 15
Screening round
 November 16 - November 29
12 Finalists selected
 Tuesday, December 1
Deadline to confirm commitment Friday, December 4
Match 12 finalists with mentors  Monday, December 7 
Mentor/Mentee mixer
 Tuesday, January 5
Practice Pitch workshop for 12 finalists Saturday, January 9
Business Plan Pitch workshop for 12 finalists
 Saturday, January 16
Full Business Plan (12-15 pages) deadline
 Thursday, January 21
Final round
 Saturday, January 30
(Feb 6 snow date)
Dinner & awards ceremony
 Saturday, January 30
(Feb 6 snow date)
Center for Business Innovation Incubator
 March - May 
These dates are subject to change.

Previous Winners

CCBC's Center for Business Innovation's Business Plan Competition has been the launching pad for many new businesses. Congratulations to our winners!


View the previous winners of the Business Plan Competition »

7th Annual Business Plan Competition

CCBC’s Center for Business Innovation held its 7th Annual Business Plan Competition on Saturday, February 1, 2020 on our Catonsville campus. Twelve participants competed for $62,500 in seed money to help jumpstart their businesses. Six winners were selected with the 1st place winner receiving $20,000. Nichelle Roane and Todd Sheridan pitched the winning business plan for their company Treehouse Juicery, which produces and delivers delightfully rich, premium cold-pressed juices to residential and commercial customers.