panasci business plan competition

2023 Panasci Business Plan Competition Announced

Interested in learning how to write a business plan? Have a great idea for a business but are not sure how to get the funding you need? Looking for access to amazing mentors? Prepare yourself (and your team) by signing up for the 2023 Panasci Business Plan Competition. With more than $40,000 in cash prizes, this competition is a great opportunity to compete for seed funding for your business or idea.

2022 Panasci Business Plan Competition winners

The 2023 competition will be held on April 14. The Panasci Business Plan Competition, hosted at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University, is a campuswide student event made possible by a longtime Whitman supporter, the late Henry A. Panasci , founder of Fay’s Drugs.

Competing gives collegiate entrepreneurs real-world experience to pitch their startups, enhance their business strategies and learn what it takes to launch successful companies. The Panasci competition is open to all students at Syracuse University. Applicants will write and submit a business plan for the chance to advance to the finals on April 14, 2023, at the Whitman School.

• Dec. 2, 2022, 7-8 p.m.: First information session, Q&A to learn about the competition and hear from past winning teams. Join the Dec. 2 information session on Zoom .
• Jan. 30, 2023, 7-8 p.m.: Second information session, Q&A to learn about the competition and hear from past winning teams. Join the Jan. 30 information session on Zoom .
• Jan. 31, 2023, midnight: Submission of expression of interest due—not mandatory to compete but useful to stay up-to-date on the competition.
• Feb. 18-19, 2023: Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises 458—Business Plan Laboratory weekend course offered to learn how to write a business plan (1 credit). It is not a pre-requirement to compete but useful to write a better business plan. For information about the course, email Professor of Entrepreneurial Practice Ken Walsleben at [email protected] .
• March 26, 2023: Deadline to submit business plan  to compete.
• April 14, 2023: Panasci Business Plan Competition , Whitman School of Management.

A Few Items to Get You Started

• Review the key components of how to write a business plan [PDF] .
• If you need help preparing for the competition, reach out to the Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University Libraries by email .
• Review more information, including rules, regulations and qualifications .

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Home » Programs + Academics » Centers And Institutes » Falcone Center for Entrepreneurship » Student Programs » Panasci Business Plan Competition » Overview & Judging

Overview & Judging

The competition.

Any team of students from any school or college at Syracuse University can enter the Panasci Business Plan Competition. Individuals can also enter; however, the team leader must be enrolled as a student in a Syracuse University program. The submissions must be the teams' own original work and ideas.

Get Help with Your Plan

Our of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises faculty work with student teams to enhance their business plans. The Falcone Center offers special sessions with partner accounting and law firms, and occasionally hosts sessions with experts on subjects such as intellectual property and presenting financial information. The Falcone Center also is home to a video library of presentations of former business plan competition teams. 

Teams first submit entries for judging in the preliminary/Overview Phase, which takes place in early March. The independent panel of outside judges reviews all preliminary entries then narrows the field to a group of teams to proceed to the second round, the Business Plan phase.

In the Business Plan phase, the qualifying teams finish researching their new venture ideas, then write and assemble a complete business plan. These complete plans are reviewed by the judging panel, and judged on the basis of the concept, the market, the economics of the business, operations, management team, financing needed, and so forth. Click on the presentation type for judging guidelines for the oral and written plan presentations.

The completed business plans are due by early April. The judging panel reviews the plans submitted, then selects 16 teams to proceed to the semi-final round – the Presentation phase. During the semi-finals, each of the 16 teams will have 15 minutes to present their business plans. The judges will have 10 minutes to question the presenters, and at the end of day one, 16 teams are narrowed down to five. Winners are determined and awards are presented after a second round of presentations on day two.

Prize money is awarded to the top three teams whose new venture ideas represent the best potential for growth and for attracting outside financing. Cash prizes will be  given to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. In addition, any team from the semi-final round is eligible to receive the following prizes:

• The Fetner Prize in Sustainable Enterprise recognizes the entry reaching the final round of the competition that has the greatest potential for positive impact on society and the natural environment and best recognizes the interconnectedness of economic, environmental, and social considerations. The Fetner Prize is made possible through the generosity of Hal Fetner '83 BS, president & CEO of Durst-Fetner Residential, and his wife, Nina Fetner.

All ideas must be successfully communicated and presented to the independent panel of judges. All the winners need to submit their corporate documents and request prize money by December 31st of the year in which they win. Prize money not claimed by the December 31 st deadline will be forfeited. 

1st Place $20,000 2nd Place $7,500 3rd Place $2,500 Fetner Prize in Sustainable Enterprise $5,000

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• The Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition

Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition

Teams compete for startup funding and business services valued at $75,000.

2023 Panasci winners, RHM Innovations Inc.: Courtney (CJ) Burris and Brandon Davis Burris. Photo illustration: Douglas Levere.

Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad University at Buffalo North Campus 340 Student Union Buffalo, NY 14260

Tel: 716-645-8111 [email protected]

The Panasci Technology Entrepreneurship Competition (Panasci TEC) was created by the UB School of Management and the UB Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships, and is funded with a $1 million endowment from the late Henry A. Panasci Jr. to facilitate and promote the commercialization of UB-generated technologies.

Hosted by UB's Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad, the event brings together UB students from all academic disciplines to maximize their potential and create viable businesses in Western New York.

• 4/26/23 Read about the 2023 winners

$75K in startup funding and business services

Five finalist teams give live pitch-style presentations in April each year, competing for a top prize of $25,000 in startup capital and in-kind services valued at $40,000. A $10,000 prize is given to the second-place team.

Panasci 2024

Who should apply?

You should apply if you are ready to take your student-led business to the next level of growth. It is anticipated that the concepts will be at the earliest stages of development, yet embrace sound technologies and innovations.

Application process

Attend an information session, network to form your team and develop your idea. Training sessions and one-on-one venture coaching are available through the UB Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad .

Application deadline: 11:59 p.m. on February 25.

Be sure to read the guidelines and rules [PDF] before you apply at the link.

• Application

Schedule and resources

• 2024 schedule [PDF]
• Sample pitch template [PPT]
• Venture coaching

For more information, contact UB’s Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad at [email protected] or 716-645-8111.

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• Resources >

Media Advisory: Aspiring entrepreneurs to compete for more than $75,000 at UB

By Jacqueline Molik Ghosen

Release Date: April 12, 2024

Related Links

• 4/12/24 Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Six teams will vie for more than $75,000 in startup funding and in-kind services in the final round of the  Henry A. Panasci Jr. Technology Entrepreneurship Competition  (Panasci TEC).

Who:  Selected from 31 first-round pitches and 12 semifinalists, the six finalists feature a diverse array of business plans: 

Who: Selected from 31 first-round pitches and 12 semifinalists, the six finalists feature a diverse array of business plans:

• Empasta produces a plant-based, cheese-like sauce, using whole food ingredients to deliver a tasty product inclusive to most diets.
•  J+J is a weighted magnetic band that helps promote stabilization of the hand for people with neurodegenerative diseases who suffer from hand tremors.
• DUCCS is a new technology in the composting industry, biochar wattles, that will decrease greenhouse gas emissions through natural adsorption and improve the carbon impact of current aerated composting processes.
• Hive is an ed-tech platform designed to enhance campus life by seamlessly connecting students, clubs and universities.
• Exergi develops and deploys a solar energy generator for residential and small commercial buildings.
• Connext is a pioneering solution that leverages technology and personalized mentoring to address challenges in the career exploration journey of high school students.

What:  Each of the final teams will present 2-minute pitches, 43North style, to a panel of judges and other viewers, and will be evaluated on how well they describe the feasibility and marketability of their venture, prove the need for their product or service and present potential sources of capital.

The team that presents the best plan for launching a viable new business in Western New York will earn $25,000 in seed money plus in-kind awards valued at more than $40,000. The second-place team will collect $10,000 in startup funding.

In addition to the competition, guests will be immersed in a demonstration of Buffalo’s “fashionpreneurs” and “foodpreneurs” and an exclusive runway presentation by Western New York Fashionpreneurs.

Why:  Hosted by UB’s Startup and Innovation Collaboratory powered by Blackstone LaunchPad, the event brings together UB students from science, technology, business and other disciplines to maximize their potential and create viable businesses in Western New York.

When:  4:30 to 7:30 p.m. on  April 18  (detailed schedule below).

Where:  The  Center for the Arts  on UB’s North Campus.

Details and Photo Opportunities:

• 4:30-5:30 p.m. -  Networking, fashionpreneurs and foodpreneurs
• 5:40-5:55 p.m. - Welcome remarks 
• 5:55-7 p.m. - Team presentations and Luminary Awards
• 7-7:20 p.m. - Fashion show from Western New York Fashionpreneurs
• 7:20-7:30 p.m. - Presentation of awards

For additional details, visit the  Panasci program . 

Anyone interested in attending the presentations on April 18 should register at  https://bit.ly/PanasciRSVP_2024 .

Created in 2001 by the UB School of Management and the UB Office of Business and Entrepreneur Partnerships, Panasci TEC is funded with a $1 million endowment from the late Henry A. Panasci Jr. to facilitate and promote the commercialization of UB-generated technologies.

Now in its 100th year, the UB School of Management is recognized for its emphasis on real-world learning, community and impact, and the global perspective of its faculty, students and alumni. The school also has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes and U.S. News & World Report for the quality of its programs and the return on investment it provides its graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit management.buffalo.edu .

Media Contact Information

Contact Jacqueline Molik Ghosen Assistant Dean and Director of Communications School of Management 716-645-2833 [email protected]

Do you have questions or comments for the Office of the Provost? Let us know your thoughts and we’ll be happy to get back to you.

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Two Swanson School Students Compete at Prestigious Rice Business Plan Competition

The rice business plan competition awards millions in prizes to the best student startups across the globe.

Engineering students Becca Segel and Benjamin Leslie led two teams and represented the University of Pittsburgh at the 2024 Rice Business Plan Competition April 4-6, 2024. Only 42 teams were accepted to the world’s most prestigious and “richest” competition for student startups, offering millions in prizes. 

What’s more, Pitt also fielded startup Korion Health whose CEO and founder, Anna Li, is an MD/PhD student at Pitt. 

Chris Wilmer, associate professor and William Kepler Whiteford Faculty Fellow of chemical and petroleum engineering, accompanied the students to the competition and said he was incredibly proud to see Pitt stepping into the global arena. 

“This is a historic achievement, which I hope will inspire other Pitt students and prove that the heights of our success know no bounds,” Wilmer said. “The competition was very fierce this year, but our students did a phenomenal job representing Pitt’s entrepreneurial spirit and ambition.” 

The first Pitt competitor was Malleous, co-founded by Benjamin Leslie , a senior bioengineering student, Adi Mittal , a student at the School of Medicine, and Amna Imran, a junior bioengineering student. The team created an instrument that combines retraction and suction functions to help surgeons and declutter operating rooms. In a clinical trial, the device reduced neurosurgeons’ simulated procedure time by 28% and prevented the need to suction on average every 40 seconds.

“ It was a great experience to see some of the other startups being formed around the world,” Leslie said. “It was an excellent way to measure ourselves and our progress compared to others and to speak with other students pursuing similar goals. Talking with some of the competing founders helped us learn from the experiences of others and gain insight into what others were doing to navigate some of the common challenges we all face as startups.”

FlowCellutions 

Swanson School of Engineering PhD student Becca Segel , a graduate student researcher in Pitt’s Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, says her startup, FlowCellutions , aims to reduce carbon emissions by advancing energy storage. The battery diagnostics company consists of experts spanning software engineering, electrochemistry and energy markets.

It was great meeting over 200 investors throughout the weekend, because we were able to get advice from the decision makers who would potentially give us investment in the future,” Segel said. “No other opportunity so far gave us insight into how investors think. The event was really well organized and it had a very exciting atmosphere for three days straight, from the initial practice pitches and elevator competition all the way until the final pitches at the end of the weekend.”

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Experiential Programs

Competitions

Competing in inter- and intra-collegiate competitions gives students real-world opportunities to pitch their startups, enhance their business strategies and learn what it takes to launch and run successful companies. Whitman offers many opportunities for friendly competition on and off campus:

Capstone is the culminating experience for every Whitman student’s education. The course is taught each semester by Whitman Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprise Faculty, who challenge teams of students to create a concept for a new product, service or business model that is unique to the “real world” and includes a novel approach to the creation of its economic value. It must be scalable with the ability to reasonably achieve $3 million in gross revenues by year five of operation and investment by an outside source that exceeds $100,000. Students present their plans to seasoned industry professionals and compete for awards and bragging rights!

Orange Tank

Orange Tank brings Whitman student and alumni entrepreneurs together to pitch their ventures to a panel of seasoned entrepreneur judges in hopes of receiving the $25,000 grand prize. Thanks to the generosity of Whitman Advisory Council member and Syracuse University Life Trustee John Couri ’63 (A&S), H’08, the cash prizes for the event total over $41,000! Teams are matched with alumni coaches to guide them as they prepare their presentations.

Panasci Business Plan Competition

Interested in learning how to write a business plan? Have a great idea for a business but need help figuring out how to get the funding you need? Want to get access to amazing mentors? Then prepare yourself (and your team) by signing up for the Panasci Business Plan Competition. With more than $40,000 in cash prizes, this competition is an excellent opportunity to compete for seed funding for your business or idea. The Panasci Competition is open to all students at Syracuse University.

Student Case Competitions

Whitman supports graduate and undergraduate student teams in preparing and participating in various business case competitions. Case competitions are events where corporate partners provide students with a business challenge to solve in an allotted time frame. Teams compete for head to head to develop innovative and impactful solutions and present them for feedback and prizes. In addition to experience thinking strategically, these events provide great exposure and networking opportunities. Whitman students recently participated in the NBMBA Case Competition in Atlanta in Sept. 2022, as well as the Deloitte FanTAXtic Competition.

News About Competitions

How much does software complexity matter for maintenance productivity the link between team instability and diversity, capstone competition highlights business skills, entrepreneurial spirit of whitman's graduating seniors.

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Panasci 2019 business plan competition winners

Each year the Martin J. Whitman School of Management welcomes students from across Syracuse University ’s campus for the annual Panasci Business Plan Competition , an event that encourages students to think entrepreneurially and allows them to showcase their innovative business ideas. While winners of the Panasci Business Plan Competition are awarded cash prizes, all participants are given the opportunity to further refine their products by gaining valuable feedback from a panel of distinguished industry professionals. The Panasci Business Plan Competition is open to Syracuse University and SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry students from every academic and programmatic level.

The winners of this year’s $20,000 first place Panasci Business Plan Competition award were Alec Gillinder ’20 and Quinn King ’20, both students from the College of Visual and Performing Arts . The team pitched their business, MedUX, LLC, a medical product design and research firm that seeks to create innovative solutions for inpatient, at home and mobile care. Their product, Liberating Intravenous (L-IV), is a wearable and portable IV system that allows people in emergencies or disaster situations to get IV treatment quickly and efficiently while keeping them mobile. MedUX, LLC were also first-place winners in the Invent@SU competition and represented Syracuse University in the  ACC InVenture Prize Competition in North Carolina, where they came in second place and won $10,000.

“We were very grateful to compete in this year’s Panasci Business Plan Competition,” said King. “Seeing the motivation in the community of entrepreneurs helps us strive to continue to grow our company.”

“This was our hardest competition yet, and it was an amazing experience to compete against such impressive companies,” said Gillinder. “This $20,000 is monumental in allowing our company to cover the next big steps in our startup costs.”

Jonathan Gregory ’19, Stephen Bolen ’18 and Isaac Yates ’18, all online MBA students from the Whitman School’s MBA@Syracuse program, took home the $7,500 second place prize for their product Latchkey. Their product, a smart home device that provides an easy and automatic way to be notified of arrivals or departures, requires no manual actions to trigger a notification and does not involve invasive GPS tracking. Latchkey also won the Student CNY Business Start-Up Award of $3,000 and are former winners of Syracuse University’s Orange Tank Business Pitch Competition.

First-year Whitman School student Matthew Shumer ’22 and Samuel Hollander ’22, a first-year student at the  S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications  (Newhouse), earned the third-place prize of $2,500 after pitching OptechVR, a startup building the world’s most powerful virtual reality headset, designed for enterprise usage. Shumer was also named Student Entrepreneur of the Year.

“The Panasci Business Plan Competition is a great opportunity for entrepreneurs to present all of the progress they’ve made on their businesses to a group of successful entrepreneurs and business people,” explained Alex McKelvie , associate dean for undergraduate and master’s education at the Whitman School. “The varying academic levels and backgrounds of competitors makes this competition unique in that participants are exposed to not only the judges’ perspective but the diverse perspective of their peers. This year we were excited to see a first-year student and online students among the winners. And it was outstanding to see the camaraderie and support for their fellow student entrepreneurs.”

Team Knifehand Nutrition, comprised of  the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics’  Holly Terpstra ’19 and Bridget Clark ’19 and their partners Joseph Dunaway ’12 a Whitman School alumnus, earned the $5,000 Fetner Prize in Sustainable Enterprises award.

The Gilded Social Rising Entrepreneur Award, a $5,000 cash award, went to the Whitman School’s Jose Javier Garcia-Rovira ’19 for his business Gamercraft. (Garcia-Rovira, left, with Quentin Rosso ’18, last year’s Entrepreneur of the Year)

The Carol Nulman Social Enterprise Award of $1,000 was given to Alina Rashid ’19, an M.S. in entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises student at the Whitman School, and Hina Naz Nagi ’19, a Whitman School M.S. in finance student, for their business Takmeel.

Honorable mentions go to the Whitman School’s Marcus Cook ’19 of MCM, an investment management firm with a focus on global fixed income, and Prioritage, an integrated technology platform and apparatus that uses vital sign monitoring and patient prioritizing algorithms for triage and patient management in emergency settings. Team Prioritage included the College of Engineering and Computer Science ’s Angelica O’Hara ’19, Samantha Santoni ’19 and Brooke Waldon ’19 and their partner McKenna Murtha ’18 (Newhouse).

See original article here:

https://voices.whitman.syr.edu/programs/entrepreneurship/syracuse-university-2019-panasci-business-plan-competition-meet-the-winners