On April 12, 95 students from seven area colleges will present their best business ideas to a panel of judges.

April 9, 2019—Teams of students from seven colleges in the Hudson Valley will present their best business ideas in the 7th annual Mid-Hudson Valley Business Plan Competition on Friday, April 12. The all-day event will take place in the Murray Student Center on the Marist College campus in Poughkeepsie.

Top student teams from this regional competition will be eligible to compete at the premier New York State Competition, playing against winning teams from colleges and universities across ten regions, for cash and in-kind prizes.

This year, 103 students in 39 teams from a wide array of colleges, including Marist College, SUNY Dutchess, SUNY New Paltz, SUNY Ulster, The Culinary Institute of America, United States Military Academy at West Point, and Vassar College.

The teams compete in six tracks:

• Consumer Products & Services
• Technology & Entertainment
• Agricultural Technology & Food
• MedTech & Well-Being
• Energy & Environment
• Military & First Responders

Students present to a panel of judges with expertise in their field, which include business executives, community leaders, and investors. 

“Beyond bringing together students from many institutions, this is an important event for student entrepreneurs,” said Dede Hourican, Assistant Dean, Marist School of Computer Science and Mathematics. “Students receive real exposure, feedback, and financial support, which allows them to move forward with developing their product.”

The event is supported by TD Bank, the Marist School of Computer Science and Mathematics, the Marist School of Management, Eastern Heating and Cooling Inc., CJ & SL Properties, Hudson Valley Startup Fund, and Small Ball Marketing.