Evan Jennings
  • Innovation & Entrepreneurship
  • Class of 2016
  • Lowville, NY

Clarkson University Student Evan Jennings of Lowville, N.Y., Takes First Place in North Country Regional Business Plan Competition

2014 May 29

Clarkson University sophomore Evan Jennings of Lowville, N.Y., was recently awarded first place in the Social Entrepreneurship category at the North Country Regional Business Plan Competition. Jennings pitched the business plan for Outland Manufacturing.

Clarkson University teams came home with four first-place, four second-place, and two third-place awards at the competition, competing against five other universities and colleges.

The students earned prizes of $2,000 each for first place, $1,000 each for second place, and $500 each for third place.

"The students are the stars," says Matt Draper, deputy director of Clarkson's Shipley Center for Innovation and one of the mentors for the Clarkson teams. "We provide guidance and a lot of one-on-one meetings, but the students provide the ideas, energy, and passion."

In this year's competition, which had a 30 percent increase in participation over last year's, 42 student teams from Clarkson University, St. Lawrence University, SUNY Plattsburgh, Clinton Community College, Jefferson Community College, and Paul Smith's College pitched their business plans to a panel of experts.

"The quality of presentations was unbelievable," says Erin Draper, director of operations for the Reh Center for Entrepreneurship, who served as a mentor and organized Clarkson's participation. "The variety of business plans went from high tech to social enterprise."

The competition is not just academic, she points out. Many of the students want to see this venture through and start a business in New York state. They can use their winnings to start the next steps of business, so this event is a strong engine for economic development.

"We're grateful to our very generous sponsors: SymQuest, The Development Corporation, SUNY Plattsburgh, the Reh Center for Entrepreneurship at Clarkson University, State University of New York, and the student-run business Mo Joe," she adds.

Clarkson University launches leaders into the global economy. One in five alumni already leads as a CEO, VP or equivalent senior executive of a company. Located just outside the Adirondack Park in Potsdam, N.Y., Clarkson is a nationally recognized research university for undergraduates with select graduate programs in signature areas of academic excellence directed toward the world's pressing issues. Through 50 rigorous programs of study in engineering, business, arts, sciences and health sciences, the entire learning-living community spans boundaries across disciplines, nations and cultures to build powers of observation, challenge the status quo, and connect discovery and engineering innovation with enterprise.