Buffalo State University students were featured on WGRZ-TV 4 on May 24 for their participation in the 2024 New York State Business Plan Competition, held in April. Thanks to a two-year, $57,000 grant from Bank of America, the student entrepreneurs had the opportunity to participate in the annual Shark Tank-like competition, in which students pitch their innovative business ideas to a panel of judges and compete for cash prizes.
WGRZ's segment, “Three Buffalo State College students compete in New York business plan competition,” interviewed Jada Ivey, a sophomore fashion merchandising major and owner of sustainable clothing brand XII XXI.
Of the five Buffalo State students who competed in the regional round of the NYBPC, three were selected as semifinalists, and two, Ivy and Jonah Christokis, along with adviser Olivia Harbol of Buffalo State's Small Business Development Center, advanced to the final round in Albany.
At the state competition, students were given eight minutes to present their business to the judges. After the presentation, the entrepreneurs had six minutes to answer questions from the judges about their value proposition, business capabilities and how they differentiated themselves from competitors in the industry.
“We were able to make connections,” Ivie said, citing networking as a valuable part of the experience. “We all stayed in the room after the presentations were over. We were able to connect with a lot of people.”
