MARCY, N.Y. — SUNY Polytechnic Institute hosted the Mohawk Valley Regional Competition of the New York Business Plan Competition on April 4.
The event selected winners from 37 student-led teams from SUNY Poly, Hartwick College, Mohawk Valley Community College (MVCC), Pratt Munson, SUNY Oneonta, SUNY Cobleskill, and Utica University. Those winners advance to the statewide finals set for April 24 in Troy.
“This year’s competition showcased the incredible creativity, drive, and commitment to real-world problem solving that our students bring to the table,” competition Regional Chair and SUNY Poly Professor of Technology Management Robert Edgell said in announcing the winners. “It was an inspiring event that reflects the strength of entrepreneurship across our campuses and communities.”
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The $2,000 grand prize went to Heads Up, a team of SUNY Poly students, for developing a safety device that detects falling limbs and enhances workplace safety for loggers in the field. The team includes Jake Burrows, Randy Carnright, Omar Diop, Tanner Hill, Isiah Markle, Connor Morris, and Dallas Robinson.
The Coping Skills Toolbox, created by SUNY Poly student Whitney Vik, received the $1,000 second-place prize. The toolbox offers products to help those with special needs and mental-health disorders build resilience and self-regulation and provides caregivers and educators with tools to promote emotional well-being.
Pratt Munson student Brett Faucett received the $500 Best of the Mohawk Valley prize for KIPKEES, a venture encouraging artistic exploration and imaginative play.
In addition to the top three ventures, several track winners qualified to represent the Mohawk Valley at the state competition.
Freshfoundry — led by Jerry Tylutki, Kate Donnelly, Marisol Verbeek, and Martin Mulvey of SUNY Poly — and New Food Station — by Rayner Tena and Sebastian Zilempe of SUNY Cobleskill — will advance in the Food and AgTech category.
In the Safety, Power, and Mobility track, Resi-Con — led by Marc Mesick, Marilin Molina, and Jasper Calandra of SUNY Poly — advances to the next round.
Melley — by SUNY Cobleskill’s Emely Taveras and Lillian Kearbey — will advance in the Health and Wellbeing track.
In the Learn, Work, and Live track, True Skills Interactive — led by Christopher Abdou and Gurpreet Lahl of SUNY Poly — advances.
Passagetotheworld — by Hartwick College’s Chelsea Kotey — and My Home Solutions — by Francesca Bonfardeci and Paul Barbato of SUNY Poly — advance in the Software and Services track.
The finals connect students with business professionals, provide experiential learning opportunities through competition, connect entrepreneurs with resources at the Entrepreneurship Expo, and award up to $100,000 in cash prizes to help seed new ventures.
