BALTIMORE, MD—The Community College of Baltimore County awarded a total of $62,500 to aspiring entrepreneurs at the 12th Annual Business Plan Competition Awards Ceremony and Alumni Showcase on Monday, Feb. 3. The event, hosted by CCBC’s Center for Business Innovation & Trades (CBI), saw 10 finalists pitch their business ideas, all of whom are CCBC students or alumni, vying for seed money to launch or grow their ventures.

The competition, made possible by the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation, has awarded nearly $500,000 to 59 new businesses since its inception in 2013. This year’s winners are:

• First Place ($20,000): Joyson BaLisamore, Jay’s Watermelonade, Owings Mills, Md. Jay’s Watermelonade, LLC offers a heart-healthy alternative to sugary drinks, promoting hydration and healthier choices in Baltimore communities.
• Second Place ($15,000): Lindsy Liu, Happy Little Paper Co., Baltimore, MD. Happy Little Paper Co. is an illustration and stationery business founded by self-taught artist Lindsy Liu, an AANHPI (Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander) entrepreneur. Happy Little Paper Co, a Maryland-based company, creates whimsical, cheerful designs that promote joy, inclusivity, and kindness.
• Third Place ($10,000): Madelin Martinez, MiNest, Baltimore, MD
• Fourth Place ($7,500): Latesha Reid, Ready, Set, Prep Early Learning Center, Gwynn Oak, MD
• Runner-up ($5,000): John & Kimberly Fishback, PartyPix DJ, LLC, Middle River, MD
• Runner-up ($5,000): Chanel Waller, Herway Expedited Logistics, Baltimore, MD

“It has been truly inspiring to work alongside each finalist as they transform their passion into a strategic business plan and present their vision with confidence to the judges,” said Dennis Sullivan, executive director of CBI. “While we can only award seed money to a few, every finalist has demonstrated incredible potential. We look forward to watching these entrepreneurs grow and scale their businesses in the years ahead.”

The finalists were chosen from over 85 businesses participating in workshops led by CBI. Judges included Jon’ll Boyd, co-owner of Boyd Cru Wines and past Business Plan Competition winner; Kimberly Ellison-Taylor, CEO of KET Solutions, LLC, who also served as the keynote speaker at the event; and Kevin Fulmer, director of Alex Brown Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.

The Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation has awarded more than $2 million in grant funding to expand CBI over the past eight years. This grant not only provides start-up capital but also supports instructional resources for new courses and workshops to foster business acumen.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Image via Pixabay