Get Your Application in for Ben Franklin’s BIG IDEA Business Plan Contest!

ERIE, Pa. - April 8, 2013 - PRLog -- For further information:

Liz Wilson, Marketing Director

Ben Franklin Technology Partners/CNP

814-898-6541

lizwilson@psu.edu

Get Your Application in for Ben Franklin’s BIG IDEA Business Plan Contest Today!

ERIE, PA– It only takes a few minutes to apply to Ben Franklin’s BIG IDEA Business Plan Contest. In addition to the grand prize of $35,000, one entrepreneur or tech-based startup in NORTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA will also receive six months of residence at Gannon University’s Erie Technology Incubator (http://erietech.org), one year free tuition for classes/seminars offered by the eMarketing Learning Center (http://emarketinglearningcenter.org), and a free, five-hour consult on intellectual property (IP) from Attorney Jonathan D’Silva with the Erie Law Firm, MacDonald, Illig, Jones, & Britton (www.macdonaldillig.com)  

There’s Still Time to Apply! The deadline is 5:00 P.M. on April 19, 2013.  

It’s easy to qualify for the contest:

Be located in one of the seven counties served by the Erie Office: Erie, Clarion, Crawford, Mercer, Venango, Warren, or Forest
Have a new, marketable tech-business idea that includes a commercialization plan
Have no significant sales if a product has already been developed
Have less than 50 employees if a company has been formed
Never received previous BFTP funding.

Visit http://bigidea.benfranklin.org or click on the contest button on our home page, http://cnp.benfranklin.org for a complete description of the rules, entry forms, and FAQs.

Stephen Brawley, President/CEO of Ben Franklin commented, “We always knew that Northwest Pennsylvania hosted a very entrepreneurial environment, and the 2,100 people who have checked out the landing page for the contest so far proved our theory. Ben Franklin has been investing in entrepreneurs and tech startups for 30 years, and we’re excited to meet people who have a BIG IDEA.”

Ben Franklin Technology Partners CNP, an initiative of the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development and funded by the Ben Franklin Technology Development Authority, provides investment capital and business support services to emerging tech-based companies and small, existing manufacturers for the purpose of creating and retaining jobs in Pennsylvania.  Contact the Erie office of Ben Franklin in Knowledge Park at (814) 898-6650 or see our website at www.cnp.benfranklin.org