Applications are now being accepted online for the $100,000 Tech Valley Business Plan Competition.

The competition is open to companies whose products or services are technology-oriented and that are headquartered or willing to locate in the 17-county Tech Valley region.  Entrants must be legal entities with a $2 million per year revenue cap.  Along with the significant monetary award, the winning technology company will also receive advisory services to assist it in reaching its next level of success.

Applications and business plans will only be accepted through the Tech Valley web site (www.techvalley.org).  The submission deadline is Friday, March 21, 2003 at 5:00 P.M.  There is a $100 entry fee and an additional $150 fee for semi-finalists who will be selected by a panel of local business professionals.  Five semi-finalists will be announced Monday, April 21 and those companies will present their business plans to a panel of national venture capitalists on Tuesday, April 29, 2003.  The semi-finalist’s presentations will be part of the Summit in Tech Valley (see “What’s Happening in Economic Development” for details).

Complete rules and other information regarding the competition and the Summit in Tech Valley may be found by visiting www.techvalley.org or by contacting Justin Wright of the Albany-Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce at 518-453-5277 or justinw@ac-chamber.org.