It’s that time of year again! The Science, Industry, and Business Library (SIBL) is launching the 2019 New York StartUP! Business Plan Competition. I can’t believe it’s our tenth year; of all the amazing programming we offer at SIBL, I have to admit the StartUP! Competition is my favorite. There’s an excitement in the air at the workshops, as attendees strive to achieve their dream of starting their own business. 

Participants can win $15,000 to start their business but, perhaps even more importantly, they receive guidance and assistance in building a foundation to launch a viable business. In addition, SIBL offers access to comprehensive business resources for market and industry research, which participants will need to write their business plans.

How can you participate in New York StartUP!?

You must be a resident of Manhattan, the Bronx, or Staten Island and your business must operate in one of these three boroughs. Not to worry, Brooklyn residents: our colleagues at the Brooklyn Public Library will be starting the PowerUP! Competition soon and Queens residents can apply to the Queens StartUP! Competition.

Attend an orientation session in January to get all the details of the competition.

Create an account on the NY StartUP! 2019 site on FluidReview and complete the online orientation, quiz, and entry form by midnight on Thursday, January 31, 2019.

Then, from January through June, you are required to attend three out of four technical workshops that will help you put your plan together:
January 2019: Workshop #1, Business Planning & Research
February 2019: Workshop #2, Developing Your Marketing Plan
March 2019: Workshop #3, Developing Financial Statements*
April 2019: Workshop #4, Pitching Your Plan
*Attendance for Workshop #3 is required for all entrants.

Finally, all plans are due by midnight on Thursday, May 30, 2019.

Check out nypl.org/bizplan for all the details!