Resources for putting together your business plan courtesy of Merlin Joseph, KeyBank, merlin_joseph@keybank.com, (607) 770-4212:

• Small Business Administration (SBA): https://www.sba.gov/
• SBA Learning Center Dashboard: https://learn.sba.gov/dashboard
• KeyBank online resources
  https://www.key.com/small-business/index.html
• Small Business Worksheets & Checklists
  https://www.key.com/small-business/tools-resources/sheets-checklists/index.html
• Small Business Calculators
  https://www.key.com/small-business/tools-resources/calculators/index.html

Books recommended by Cheryl Fabrizi, Fab Idea, SUNY Broome, cherylfabrizi@gmail.com, (570) 499-9466:

• "Storytelling: Branding in Practice"—Klaus Fog
• "The Storyteller's Secret"—Carmine Gallo
• "All Marketers Tell Stories"—Seth Godin
• "Building a Story Brand"—Donald Miller

Books recommended by Ewelina Zajac-Holdrege, Idea-Kraft, eholdrege@idea-kraft.com, (607) 235-5855:

• "Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike"—Phil Knight
• "Authentic: A Memoir by the Founder of Vans"—Paul Van Doren
• "Tools of Titans"—Tim Ferris
• "Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You"—John Warrilow
• "It’s How We Play the Game"—Ed Stack, Chairman/CEO, Dick’s Sporting Goods

2024

Civic Alert Systems, was the 1^st place winner ($5,000) of the 14^th annual BLDC-EAP Binghamton Business Plan Competition. Owned and operated by Ryan Crist and Jason Duda, Civic Alert Systems plans to locate at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator. CAS provides a modern web application that closes the gap between local government and its citizens by leveraging the simple convenience of text messaging (i.e., SMS, MMS, etc.). This offers an effective means of communication without the complication and overhead of requiring users to install a separate mobile application. To use Civic Alert, an administrator selects a group of recipients by name, geographic location, or other customizable attributes. Then, the administrator drafts the message for sending, including optional attachments such as images or website links. Once ready the message can be sent immediately to all recipients or optionally scheduled for later. Examples of uses are travel bans, road construction, water main breaks, civic reminders, etc. Texting technology is a cheaper, greener, faster and more effective communication method than mail, email or phone contact. Civic Alert Systems intends to target cities, villages and towns across the US. Owner, Ryan Crist, has over a decade of experience as a software engineer working across multiple industries including defense, aerospace, mobile applications, and video technology.

UMAHARI, was the second-place winner ($2,000), a start-up company based at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator. Owned and operated by Dr. Alok Adholeya, UMAHARI is developing biologics-based plant fertilizer products positioned to be cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and sustainable alternatives to conventional synthetic fertilizers. NutriShield is a cost competitive product that includes ecosystem friendly inter-compatible biologics with robust shelf life, biologically derived molecules, and bio-nano nutrients from a "true-to-type" manufacturing process. UMAHARI states that the product ensures better performance to synthetic chemicals currently in use for crop productivity and disease control, improves plant immunity to pathogens as well as mitigates climate change impacts. Dr. Adholeya has 38+ years' experience in technology development, translation and commercialization in biologics for agriculture and use of biologics to solve industrial overburdening. He has 10 patents and transferred 20+ technologies to companies globally including North America. The company is exploring setting up a pilot manufacturing facility in the City of Binghamton.

2^nd Heaven/Chroma Café & Bakery was our third-place winner ($500), which operates a popular bubble tea business on the Binghamton University campus and the Broome Regional Farmers' Market and has been exploring a downtown Binghamton location to serve the BU campus market. Owner Leighton Blackwood has acquired an existing downtown café/bakery. It intends to expand its existing fun and refreshing non-alcoholic drink options with salads, sandwiches and pastries. Leighton Blackwood holds a BS In Business Management from Binghamton University's School of Management and is a graduate of NYC's Stuyvesant High School.

2023

Electric Light Apparel—a start-up Binghamton company was the first-place winner of the 13th Annual BLDC-EAP Binghamton Business Plan Competition sponsored by the Binghamton Local Development Corporation (BLDC) with generous financial support from M&T Bank. Additional support came from the Entrepreneurial Assistance Center (EAC) based at SUNY Broome Community College with support from the Binghamton University Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator. Electric Light Apparel was selected as the first-place winner ($5,000) based on the strength of their written business plan, presentation, and final Q&A session with judges. Owned and operated by Stephen Gonya, Electric Light Apparel provides a unique apparel product integrating Flexible Hybrid Electronics (FHE) with textiles to create wearable illuminated graphics. The product uses a thin-flexible micro-LED array combined with textiles to selectively illuminate different sections of a graphic design to create lighted patches that can display company logos, organization emblems, and municipal insignias. The business expects to generate direct sales; custom designs for companies, organizations, and teams for advertising purposes; and lighted insignia for municipal first responders who value safety and visibility in low-light conditions. Founder, Stephen Gonya draws experience from a career with Lockheed Martin and Ph.D. research at BU using FHE technology on military and industrial platforms.

Vedova La Couverture was the second-place winner ($2,000), operating an online woman's boutique that offers fashion clothing, accessories, shoes, bags, beauty, and hair applications from business casual to lingerie. Owned by Tatiana Williams, Vedova started online and opened its first store in May 2023 at 168 Clinton Street. The business targets women ages 28+, mothers, and plus size women who want to express beauty and growth through appearance. Vedova specializes in urban street wear, party attire, business casual, swimwear, and lingerie not found in department stores or area boutiques. Vedova also offers personal fashion consultation, beauty, and salon services with monthly mixers for beauty and networking. Tatiana Williams has worked in fashion retail and is a graduate of the Koffman Incubator's Support Black Business 607 Accelerator Program.

Perfectly Poured was our third-place winner with an online business focusing on self-care with aromatic products such as candles and wax melts, body care, stationery, and books. Launched in 2022 by Ashley Hall, Perfectly Poured's uniquely scented, humorously named candles are not found in local candle shops or big box stores. Perfectly Poured's niche is the intersection of humor and self-care, with a focus on young minority women in their 20s and 30s. Ashley Hall holds Business Administration degrees from SUNY-Broome and Binghamton University and was a graduate of the Koffman Incubator's Support Black Business 607 Accelerator Program.

2022

Strategic Test Prep, LLC—a start-up company located at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator was the winner of the 13^th Annual BLDC-EAP Business Plan Competition sponsored by the Binghamton Local Development Corporation (BLDC) and the Entrepreneurial Assistance Center (EAC) based at SUNY Broome Community College with support from the Binghamton University Office of Innovation&Entrepreneurship at the Koffman Southern Tier Incubator. Strategic Test Prep was selected as the first-place winner ($5,000) based on the strength of their written business plan, presentation, and final Q&A session. Owned and operated by Laura Whitmore, Strategic Test Prep specializes in SAT and ACT test prep as well as math and science subject tutoring and is looking to expand by offering college preparatory services. Whitmore believes demand for in-person tutoring is on the rise after parents and students experienced limitations of remote learning during COVID. Strategic Test Prep is focusing on hiring and training new tutors and marketing to expand the business. Laura Whitmore has 15 years of tutoring experience and is a certified teacher in NYS pursuing a master’s degree in Curriculum Development.

Downtown Danny’s LLC —was selected as second-place winner ($2,000), operating a food cart specializing in hot dogs and sausages. Owned by Daniel Carlin and Christina Andrews, Downtown Danny’s provides convenient, high-quality affordable meals to patrons and downtown workers. Daniel drew on experience managing a hot dog cart in Denver, CO outside Coors Field while attending Metropolitan State University for Business Management where he met Christina Andrews, an Economics major. Downtown Danny’s will use funds to build a second custom cart to serve the farmer’s market on Upper Front Street in Binghamton, festivals, and private events.

USEFUZE, Inc.—was our third-place winner ($500) with a mobile app created to help trade and service workers build their own side businesses. The app helps people doing part-time/weekend/gig work to create a digital business card to showcase their work portfolio, create estimates and invoices; provide a summary for customers to view of every job and review; and get paid for their work. Owner Rawley Filbin realized the opportunity from experience with his family’s painting business. USEFUZE will use funds from the competition for marketing.

2021

KLAW Industries—was the winner of the 12^th Annual BLDC-EAP Business Plan Competition sponsored by the Binghamton Local Development Corporation (BLDC) and the Entrepreneurial Assistance Center (EAC) based at SUNY Broome Community College with support from the Binghamton University Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the Koffman Incubator. This annual contest awards $5,000.00 cash on top of professional services to the best plan for developing a new business in the City of Binghamton.

Finalists in the competition included: Anna Warfield Art, LLC—art business focused on advancing women in art with studio and contract work; 2^nd Heaven—mobile kitchen with proprietary bubble tea, tea-based beverages; Downtown Danny's LLC—food cart specializing in hot dogs and sausages to locate downtown; Stellar Human LLC—fashion-forward thrift clothing, creative workspace located at 128 Robinson Street; LIU Logistics for You—freight brokerage business with focus on food distribution; and The Women's Butterfly Event Hall & Catering Service—event planning and catering service.

KLAW Industries is a start-up company located at the Binghamton University Koffman Incubator. Prior to entering the BLDC competition, KLAW had won a number of NYS and regional business plan competitions, and received a number of National Science Foundation I-Corps grants. The company has a proprietary process to extract recycled glass from the household waste stream, refine it and market it as an additive to manufacturing concrete. For more information about KLAW Industries, please contact Jacob Kumpon, jacob@klawindustries.com, (607) 222-2291, Koffman Incubator, 120 Hawley Street, Binghamton, NY 13901.

Day 1 — Monday 2026.03.23

5Cs of Credit

Day 2 — Tuesday 2026.03.24

Marketing Training

Visualize Your Business

Day 3 — Wednesday 2026.03.25

"How to Win a Business Plan Pitch Competition" Brad Treat, Southern Tier Startup Alliance