Business Plan Competition

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.

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.

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 »

The judges will review and judge each business plan. 

Learn more about how the event is judged »

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 »

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

Read Disclosures »

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.