Rules and Eligibility: New York StartUP! 2024 Business Plan Competition

  • 1. Entry Form

Competition entrants must complete an online entry form in the New York StartUP! 2024 Business Plan Competition site to enter the competition. (This competition will hereafter be known as “NY StartUP! 2024.”)

  • 2. Age

All NY StartUP! 2024 applicants, whether individuals or members of a team, must be 18 years of age or older to win a cash prize. Documentation may be required.

  • 3. Location

The business proposed in the NY StartUP! 2024 entry form must operate in Manhattan, The Bronx, or Staten Island.

  • 4. Residency

All individual applicants and team members must be legal residents or U.S. citizens. All individual applicants and/or team leaders must have a legal residence in Manhattan, The Bronx, or Staten Island. Documentation will be required of the finalists.

  • 5. Start-Ups Only

All businesses must have ideas or business models in the start-up phase. Operating businesses that have earned more than $10,000 in revenue are not eligible to enter the competition.

  • 6. For-Profit Businesses Only

NY StartUP! 2024 is a business plan competition for for-profit businesses. Non-profits are not eligible to enter.

  • 7. Individual and Team Entry

NY StartUP! 2024 entrants may enter only once, either as an individual or as part of a team. If entering as a team, the team must appoint one individual as the team leader and main contact, and one other as the secondary contact. The team leader must be a resident of Manhattan, the Bronx, or Staten Island. The team leader's entry form must list all individuals on the team. 

  • 8. Orientation

All participants must attend an online Orientation Session. 

  • 9.  Entry Form

Entry forms must be submitted on the NY StartUP! 2024 site no later than 11:59 PM on May 31, 2024.

  • 10. Training Workshops

All eligible individual entrants and either the leader or secondary member of an eligible team are required to attend all four (4) virtual training workshops held from May 2024 through September 2024.

  • 11. Meet with a Business Librarian

Each applicant must meet at least once with a business librarian during the competition. Click here to schedule a online consultation.

  •  12. Meet with a Business Advisor

Each applicant must meet at least once with a business advisor during the Competition. Click here for a  list of advisory groups.

  • 13. Deadline

​​​​​​​Your Business Plan must be uploaded to the StartUP! Competition site no later than 11:59 PM on                       September 18, 2024.

  • 14. Judging Criteria

Applicants must read and become familiar with the Judging Criteria and Elements of a Business Plan template.

  • 15. Ineligibility

Employees or their family members from either The New York Public Library or Wells Fargo are not eligible to enter NY StartUP! 2024 either individually or as any part of a team.

  • 16. Finalists

Finalists will be asked to provide their 2023 tax return and a New York State driver's license or New YOrk State non-driver ID card.

  • 17. Disbursement of Funds

Prize money will be awarded to each winner following the end of the competition. The winning NY StartUP! 2024 entrants or teams will have sole responsibility for deciding how to allocate or otherwise use the prize proceeds. Please note that the awards are taxable and that The New York Public Library must have the winner’s Social Security number before a check can be issued.

  • 18. Selection of Winner

All decisions of the judges are final.

  • 19. Confidentiality

By the submission of your Business Plan, you understand and agree that a short description of your Business Plan will be considered a “public summary” of your plan and may be used in public documentation related to the competition. The Library will provide a copy of your business plan to competition staff and judges and will inform them that no additional copies are to be made. 

  • 20. Disqualification

​​​​​​​Violation of any one or multiple rules for eligibility will result in disqualification from NY StartUP! 2024 at any point.

Please Note: Interpretation and enforcement of these regulations are at the sole discretion of The New York Public Library and the decisions of the judges are final.

Questions about the StartUp! Competition? Contact startup@nypl.org.

 

Funding provided by the Wells Fargo Foundation.