Business Plan Contest 2023

 

Sponsored by M&T Bank and the FCC Foundation, the 10th Annual FCC Business Plan Contest is open to any current FCC student enrolled in one or more credit or non-credit classes during the 2022-2023  Academic Year. Interested students with a business idea will develop a complete business plan to be evaluated by a panel of local business leaders.

Written business plans are scored by the panel of judges based on established criteria. The students with the three highest scoring plans shall be invited to provide oral presentations to the same panel of judges. Similar to the popular television show, “Shark Tank,” the final oral presentations should be formatted as an “elevator speech” or “pitch” for the business idea.

The panel of judges will score the oral presentations and scholarship prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd highest combined scores from the written plans and oral presentations. Scholarship prizes may be used at FCC or a transfer college, and are not transferable to other persons.

Special thanks to M&T Bank for generously providing the following scholarship prizes through the FCC Foundation, Inc.:

• First place will be a $2,500 Scholarship 
• Second place will be a $1,500 Scholarship 
• Third place will be a $1,000 Scholarship

Students who wish to enter the contest must submit an Intention to Compete Application by Friday, March 10, 2023, before 11:59PM.

The final written business plan must be submitted by Friday, March 31, 2023, before 11:59PM. Early submission of the written business plan is encouraged; students must use the submission link below.  Please refer to Contest Rules, Instructions, and Examples in the links provided below.

The top three finalists will be notified via email by Friday, April 7, 2023

The final presentations will be held on Wednesday, April 12, 2023, 1:00 – 2:30PM.

Interested in finding out more?

Students are encouraged to contact the following FCC Professors for advice or if they have questions regarding their business plans:

Larry Devan
[email protected]

Rick Dillon 
[email protected]

Norman Endlich
[email protected]

Tom Mazerski
[email protected]

Participating students must also familiarize themselves with the following documents:

Business Plan Contest Rules

Business Plan Contest Instructions

Financial Plan

Financial Plan Example

Intention to Compete Application Form

FCC Written Business Plan Submission Page


2022-2023 Contest Committee Members:  
Larry Devan 
Charles “Rick” Dillon
Norman Endlich
Thomas Mazerski 
Doree Lynn Miles
Karen A. Wilson 

 

2022-2023 Contest Judges

Shantay DeMar, CEO and Founder
@VR Virtual Reality
Vice President, Golden Mile Alliance Board
 
Laurence Gerard-Martinez, AVP
Commercial Branch Manager, M&T Bank
Business Representative, Golden Mile Alliance Board
 
Melissa Lentz, Owner
Mjach Designs
Certified Minority, Disadvantaged and Women’s Business Enterprise (MBE/DBE/WBE)
 
Christopher McCamy, Director of Market Development
Patton, LLC
 
Tara Trench, Owner
Right Hair – Universal Hair Studio
 
.