Zachary Dean
The Center for Innovation and Economic Development (CIED) is hosting a Student Business Competition Showcase featuring past winner Zachary Dean.
The showcase is slated for Thursday, Sept. 18, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., at the Blue Devil Lounge at the Williams Center. Refreshments will be provided.
Mr. Dean is a client of the CIED business incubation program and the founder of Shorewood Commerce, LLC. After winning SUNY Fredonia’s annual student business competition last fall, Dean competed at the Western New York Student 2 Biz competition in Buffalo. Students, faculty and staff interested in attending the showcase can register online.
The center sponsors the unique applied learning opportunity open to all students and offers a $1,200 cash prize for the winner. Participating students submit a business idea and work with CIED staff and mentors to develop a business model and an investor pitch deck, or slides for the presentation, during the fall semester. Students will then present their pitches to a panel of independent judges in December. The deadline to apply is Friday, Oct. 3.
The winner will also receive office space at the center along with the stipend.
Participants can also earn 1 college credit (Independent Study) by participating in the program. In the spring, students can utilize what they have learned and apply for the New York State Student 2 Biz competition. Designed to help student entrepreneurs present business ideas, develop proposals, receive guidance from experienced business mentors and launch their businesses, the Student Business Competition has been successful since the first event held in 2015.
Any student interested in learning more about the contest can explore online.
The Center for Innovation and Economic Development is a collaborative hub for entrepreneurship, economic development, and community engagement. Since 2007, the Center, formerly the Fredonia Technology Incubator, offers a business incubation program including administrative and business services, mentoring, networking, professional consulting, education opportunities, access to capital and work ready space.
