Center for Business Innovation

Turn your idea into a winning plan and earn seed money.

The Annual Business Plan Competition is open to students and alumni of CCBC who are interested in turning their idea for a new product or service into a business.

Have an idea for a new product, service or business? Submit your business plan to CCBC’s Center for Business Innovation Annual Business Plan Competition (BPC) and you could win up to $20,000 in seed money. A total of $62,500 in seed money will be awarded to the top six winners. The purpose of the competition is to encourage new businesses.

The competition is designed to promote start-up ideas and economic development among CCBC students and alumni with the support of faculty and local entrepreneurs. The winners are also eligible to participate in the Center for Business Innovation (CBI) incubation network that provides support in the areas of marketing and sales, website development, technology, accounting, human resources and management, as well as access to investors and creditors, which can be invaluable for any start-up.

Mentor other entrepreneurs. Receive mentoring from entrepreneurs.

If the greatest athletes and most successful CEOs need coaches, a new business owner certainly could benefit from a mentor too. That's why participants in the Annual Business Plan Competition are matched with business owners who can help guide them and advise as they work on their business plans. Call it our secret sauce. It's a unique opportunity for participants to get valuable advice from other entrepreneurs and for business owners to share their unique experiences and passion for business.

Attend invitation-only, free workshops to help you develop a strategic plan, marketing plan and financial and legal plan — the elements of a viable business plan. These workshops help you develop a business plan to compete in our annual Business Plan Competition, if interested. There is no obligation to participate in our Business Plan Competition. To register and be invited, you will need to complete an “intent to participate” registration form.

Center for Business Innovation’s Elite 10 Accelerator Program is available by invitation-only to the top 10 companies that have been part of CCBC's Business Plan and Pitch Competitions. The purpose of the Elite 10 Accelerator Program is to support early-stage, growth-driven companies through education, mentoring and financing as they continue to take their business to the next level.

Members work with one of the area's top business minds each month as a group and they also receive one-one-one coaching. Costs for similar accelerator programs run about $20,000, but thanks to the generous support from the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation, the Elite 10 Accelerator Program is provided at no charge. In addition, members receive a grant for their successful participation to help them fund new initiatives.

Earn credits and learn how to launch a business.

In addition to offering business and management courses, CCBC also offers a unique course, MNGT 216, that allows students to serve as consultants to a start-up so they can apply the principles and concepts in the classroom to a real business.

Students earn three credits in this unique elective. There are no exams and there are no textbooks. Instead, students evaluate each other's performance as they work in teams to help a business get started. Leading the students is Associate Professor Dennis Sullivan, who has launched more than 100 products and businesses in his career.

The Center for Business Innovation features a series of 60-minute topical workshops with an opportunity for participants to network and learn from experts in the entrepreneurial world. Past topics include digital and social media marketing, Intellectual Property in entrepreneurship and Communicate with Charisma, Clarity and Compassion.

The Small Business Ownership Program emboldens entrepreneurs to succeed in today’s competitive business landscape. Experienced professionals provide practical guidance and valuable insight to help students strengthen their existing businesses. Those who have completed the Small Business Ownership program are eligible to participate in CCBC’s Annual Business Plan Competition.

This comprehensive program is a 12-session series where students will learn how to utilize practical business principals and strategies like:

• Business Management Basics
• Effective Sales and Marketing Strategies
• Fundamentals of Business Law
• Accounting and Bookkeeping Principles
• Acquiring Funding for Your Small Business
• Pricing for Profitability
• Social Media Marketing Tactics
• Understanding Business Insurance
• Conducting Market Research

Learn more about CCBC's Small Business Program. 

Note: This program is recommended for small business owners who have been in business for at least six months. However, this is not a requirement.

The Center for Business Innovation will feature a series of 90-minute topical workshops with an opportunity for participants to network and learn from experts in the entrepreneurial world. Past topics include Digital and Social Media Marketing, Intellectual Property in Entrepreneurship and Communicate with Charisma, Clarity and Compassion.