2012 Rochester Regional Business Plan Contest and Celebration of Entrepreneurship

What is it?
The Rochester Regional Business Plan Contest encourages entrepreneurship and recognizes new, high-growth ventures in the Greater Rochester New York Region. This year’s contest will run from January – April 2012, culminating in the awarding of up to $50,000 in cash and prizes.

Three winning companies will receive cash and services prizes, with one winning company selected to receive a customized package of acceleration services. The first place winner receives a $25,000 cash prize.

The winners will be selected by a panel of distinguished entrepreneurs and investors, and announced on Thursday, April 19th at the Celebration of Entrepreneurship Luncheon, which will also feature highlights and recognition of other community entrepreneurial successes.

Who’s Eligible?
Contest registration fee includes two people per company and the business plan writing workshops. Workshops are optional.

The contest is open to for-profit companies headquartered in the Greater Rochester region (Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming, and Yates Counties), or any student currently enrolled in a college/university within the region.

Companies should have a scalable business concept with high growth potential. Companies must be early-stage defined by:

Less than $250,000 of outside cash investment *
Less than $500,000 cumulative revenue excluding research grants *

* Revenue and investment limits apply at the time of application

Any cash prize winner of the Contest agrees to operate their business in the Greater Rochester region for at least twelve months after April 19, 2012.

Prior first prize winners of Rochester Regional Business Plan contests are not eligible to compete.

Experience. Success.
Have an idea, but want to learn more before launching your business? Participating companies can also attend four workshops—presented by experienced entrepreneurs—on how to plan and write your Business Plan.
Individuals can attend all four workshops for only $100. Register Today!

How To Enter
Registration opens on Thursday, January 5, 2012 and closes on Friday, February 17th. The application fee is $150 per company. Apply Now!

Once your application is accepted you will receive information on materials and submission dates.

Workshop Dates

Wed. February 15, 2012	Planning Your Business and Your Plan	6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m.
Wed. February 29, 2012	Creating the Financials and Capital Options	6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m.
Wed. March 7, 2012	Writing and Presenting Your Plan	6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m.
Wed. March 14, 2012	Presentation Practice	6:00 p.m - 8:00 p.m.

Join Us for the Celebration!
The contest winners will be announced at the Celebration of Entrepreneurship luncheon on April 19, 2012. Hundreds of local business leaders have attended this annual event since 2009. 

Sponsorship opportunities available
Become a sponsor and help foster the growth of new companies in the Rochester region. Click here for details about sponsor benefits.

More than a contest. A learning opportunity

Business leaders and entrepreneurs have found the Rochester Regional Business Plan Contest to be the motivation, the education and the guidance to move their business forward to a new level.

Here’s what a few Business Plan Contest alumni have said:

Participating in the Rochester Regional Business Plan Contest was one of the best decisions I made while launching our new venture. Although I had written plans for prior businesses…the instructional sessions during the contest preparation helped me to shape and focus the plan into something that was presentable to investors and banks. As a two-time finalist and 2011 winner of the competition, the cash and services we won were very helpful…but it was the process—the instructional sessions and the practice—that have proven to be the biggest benefits that my company and I received as a result of participating in the Rochester Regional Business Plan Contest.

—Tim Rohrer, Exiscan ,www.exiscan.com

As many entrepreneurs discover, launching a new business requires a lot of support and guidance. The Rochester Regional Business Plan Contest can play a valuable role in that process. It became an opportunity for us to refine our business strategy, develop a credible business plan, and meet potential investors and partners.

The activities leading up to the actual competition are designed to help business leaders develop solid business plans, and improve their ability to communicate those plans and convince others of their potential. Even today, months after the contest ended, we continue to realize benefits from our participation. We cultivated several relationships that were developed through our affiliation with High Tech Rochester and have secured investor interest using the materials and skills developed through the contest. I would encourage other entrepreneurs to look at the contest as an opportunity to meet other like-minded individuals and develop their skills as the chief evangelist for their company.

—Joel Benzel, TouchStream Solutions

The Rochester Regional Business Plan Contest is much more than a contest—it is a focused, hands-on class on effective business planning. All participants attend classes that provide direction on how to develop a business plan and how to summarize aspects of the plan into a useful introductory document.

The thought and business discussions required for a company to develop a meaningful business plan are very useful for a start-up. Comments received from the contest review panel lend direction on how to improve the business strategy, and to build more meaningful tactics for business success. With the plan and executive summary in place, the participants learn how to distill the most crucial elements of the plan into a compelling business story to share with potential investors. I picked up a new way to format information in my business pitch that has been very effective. This is a great opportunity for the leadership of a start-up…We left the contest with a much stronger plan, a more credible funding strategy, and tactics for business sustainability.

—Laura Weller-Brophy, PhD, FluoroLogic, www.fluorologic.com

Bronze Sponsors

Design Sponsor		Printing Sponsor

High Tech Rochester | Greater Rochester Enterprise | The Entrepreneurs Network
Excell Partners | Digital Rochester | Nazareth College School of Management 
University of Rochester Simon Graduate School of Business
Rochester Institute of Technology