NYS High School Business Model Resources - Center for Economic Growth

Our New York State High School Business Model Competition offers high school students an opportunity to showcase their business model in an educationally competitive environment.

This free, daylong event, held at Siena College in Albany, NY, affords students an opportunity to present their ideas in front of their peers and judges (successful entrepreneurs, business professionals, institutional faculty) culminating in an awards ceremony where 3 top prizes are awarded as well as 6 specialty awards.

As of January 2023, the New York State High School Business Model Competition has been suspended until further notice.

For inquiries or to receive notifications, please contact Ellyn Davis at ellynd@ceg.org.

NYS HS Business Model Competition 2019

Helpful Information & Resources:

Presentation Guidelines

Customer Discovery – Why & How

Let’s Talk About the Canvas Pt 1: Value Proposition, customer segments & customer archetype

Let’s Talk About the Canvas Pt 2: Channels & customer relationships

Let’s Talk About the Canvas Pt 3: Key activities, partners & resources

Let’s Talk About the Canvas Pt 4: Revenue & expense

Steps to uploading a YouTube video

Informational Videos: What is the Business Model Canvas | Nine Components of the Business Model Canvas | How to Conduct Customer Interviews

For information regarding the NYS High School Business Model Resources, please contact startups@ceg.org

2018 Video Interview Series

Check out this series of videos where students, teachers and judges share insights on benefits of entrepreneurship and how to prepare for the NYS High School Business Model Competition.

A successful skill for life

See what Kevin Smith, Technology Teacher at Shaker High School, in Latham, NY has to say about the life long benefits of entrepreneurial thinking.

So, what does motivate you – why are you doing this?

Bruce Toyama, Co-founder of IgniteU, a business accelerator, says if it’s more than just money, you may be on to something!

Be confident, and believe in your product — but also take all the feedback you receive into careful consideration.

Creator of Magnet O Wear, the 2017 winner of the Business Model Competition shares her advice for students entering the competition this year.

Discovering the real needs of your customer means talking to potential customers.

I to I, a team from Emma Willard School, faced rejection but didn’t give up – their message, be brave.

As you go down the entrepreneurial path you learn more about yourself and as I to I found out, learn how to leverage each team member’s strengths.

Meet Steve Lobel, a serial entrepreneur and investor who speaks about entrepreneurship as a form of discovery – what excites you?

To kick off our interview series meet Nick & Chris formerly of Shaker High School who presented Hydro Eye last year and Social Studies Teacher Mr. Lucas Snow, of Clean Technologies Early College High School.

As a presenter, what should the presentation focus on?

What Hydro Eye learned from their participation in the 2017 competition:

F= Failure, but that’s ok!

What Mr. Snow has to say about failing:

New York State High School Business Model Competition