Nine North Country Student Teams Advance to the Semi-Final Round of the New York Business Plan Competition

April 6, 2023

Clarkson University student teams celebrated 10, first- and second-place wins at the 2023 North Country Regional Business Plan Competition (NCRBPC) held at the Hotel Saranac last Friday, March 31.

students hold up large checks as they pose for a photo following the business plan competition — Clarkson students hold up large checks following the business plan competition.

“These students are pursuing their passions and applying what they’ve learned in the classroom to a wide range of new businesses and innovative products. These include safety devices, ways to lengthen the shelf life of produce, and an innovative way to feed pets.” said the Director of Clarkson Ignite, Ashley Sweeney. “At Clarkson, we ask students in all majors to challenge the status quo, and provide them with resources and guidance to help make their ideas a reality. Four of the five winning teams are part of the Cube, Clarkson’s intensive student incubator program, while the other first-place team is made entirely of freshmen, so we will look forward to their continued success over their remaining three years at Clarkson.”

A total of 20 teams from Clarkson, SUNY Plattsburgh, and Paul Smith's College presented their business plans at the event.

Clarkson took the top two prizes in the Food & AgTech category, with TrioTech placing first and The Jerk Shack taking second.

In the Health & Well-being category, Clarkson swept the awards, with Epiclip winning the top prize, while Allay finished second, and Trin finished third.

Clarkson teams finished first and second in the Learn, Work, & Play category, with Sendy Paradise finishing first and D-Tech placing second.

In Products & Hardware, Clarkson again swept the competition, with Fathead Feeder taking first place, WETEC Developments placing second, and Stow placing third.

Clarkson also swept the Safety, Power, & Mobility category, with Doorbit placing first, Eagle Eye Drones second, and Constantino Aircraft Company third.

The Grand Prize was awarded to Fathead Feeder and first-year Clarkson student Lily Clonan.

Prizes for each team track were $2,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place. Additionally, one of the first-place teams was awarded the Grand Prize of an additional $3,000, making their total prize money for the day $5,000. Beyond the monetary prizes, the top two winners in each category have the opportunity to advance to the statewide competition.

“Having students thrive in the classroom and then take their products to the next level by pitching them at a state qualifier is nothing short of amazing,” said Jim Franklin, adjunct instructor in the Reh School of Business. “I teach a hands-on learning class that allows students to find creative solutions to real-world problems and then allow them time to fully build out a go-to-market plan. These are viable solutions that I look forward to seeing in the market in the future.”

The semi-final round of the New York State Business Plan Competition will be a video competition, where each team is vying for their spot at the in-person competition being held at the Syracuse OnCenter on April 27.

For the first time, Clarkson’s Shipley Center for Innovation sponsored two special $500 prizes related to innovation and technology commercialization. The prize for Most Innovative Technology, which recognizes a team that has undertaken a highly innovative project in terms of new technology development or the application of existing technology in a novel way, was won this year by TrioTech. The prize for Greatest Commercialization Potential, which recognizes an invention or business model that provides a financially and technologically viable solution to a significant and validated industry or societal problem, was won by Doorbit.