SUNY Cobleskill Ag & Tech marked an exciting milestone in experiential learning and entrepreneurship with the successful launch of its first-ever Student Startup Competition (SSC), held on campus this March.
Organized by the Steps for Success! (S4S) Entrepreneurship Program, the event brought together student innovators from across disciplines to present, test, and refine their business ideas. Competitors ranged from first-year students exploring entrepreneurship for the first time to seniors preparing to launch their ventures. Participants developed and pitched startup concepts spanning agriculture, food, consumer products, technology, and services.
Designed as more than just a competition, the SSC served as a hands-on learning platform where students experienced the full entrepreneurial process: identifying problems, researching markets, validating ideas, and communicating value to an audience of judges. Each team worked under structured mentorship, gaining practical skills in business modeling and pitching.
A panel of judges, including faculty and industry representatives, evaluated the teams based on clarity of problem definition, value proposition, market potential, and presentation effectiveness.
The awards reflected both innovation and endeavor:
- First Prize ($500): GoLinkly (Spencer Reisman & Chrischen Chung), a platform connecting homeowners and service contractors, with strong national scalability potential.
- Second Prize ($200): The Blooming Bayou (Khyonna Riley-Donegal), recognized for its compelling farm-to-table, sustainability-driven concept aimed at revitalizing food and farm businesses in rural areas.
- Second Prize ($200): Sacandaga Lakers SC (Samuel Spraker & Jake Lewis), a sports-focused venture with strong community engagement potential.
- Third Prize ($100): The Polish Purpose (Skyla Rosado, Ashaunie Moore, Albert Sippio, Rayner Tenna), a mobile beauty service with a clear customer value proposition in major metropolitan areas such as Manhattan, New York City.
- Third Prize ($100): Skyview Grain LLC (Ashton Thomas), a non-GMO agricultural product venture rooted in family farming heritage, pioneering in New England farmland.
- Third Prize ($100): Sacred Reign (Sara Rashid, an international student from the UAE), a horse-assisted therapy venture that supports emotional healing and personal growth, with strong identity and growth potential.
- Endeavor Prize ($50): AHA – Ariana Handmade Accessories (Ariana Cook), which stood out for its creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, transforming handmade designs into meaningful, personalized products.
The competition awarded a total of $1,250 in prizes, made possible through a generous donation from M&T Bank.
Five teams later participated in the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC), Mohawk Valley Region, held in at SUNY Polytechnic Institute, where Skyview Grain LLC, founded by Ashton Thomas, won first prize in the Food and Agriculture category. He has advanced to the New York Business Plan Competition at the state level, held on April 22 at the Golisano Institute for Business & Entrepreneurship in Rochester, New York.
Reflecting on the event and student startup competitions, now increasingly popular among higher education institutions nationwide, Dr. Son Tran, Director of the Steps for Success! Entrepreneurship Program, emphasized the role of hands-on learning in entrepreneurship: “Startup competitions like this are powerful learning experiences where students can discover themselves as entrepreneurs, test innovative ideas, and build the confidence to take action. This is the essence of true entrepreneurship education.”
