Hospitality Business Plan Competition

The Cornell Hospitality Business Plan Competition is an annual entrepreneurship event that begins at the start of the academic year when students form teams and deliver 5-minute pitches for their hospitality business concepts. The competition ends in early spring during Hotel Ezra Cornell (HEC), when the student teams submit their final business plans and semi-finalist teams present to a judging panel that selects the top three concepts as winners.

Prizes for the top three finishers total over $37,000 (All prizes subject to tax withholdings as required by IRS regulations). The Business Plan Competition is a meaningful learning experience for students interested in pursuing an entrepreneurial venture and whose ideas serve as new independent ventures in the seed, start-up, or early growth stages.

WATCH THE COMPETITION RECORDING   Official Rules and Guidelines


Congratulations 2025 Winner!

First place: Aunt Flo’s Kitchen
Team Member: Armita Jamshidi ’25 (A&S), Monica Lee ’26

Nolan School BusinessFeed: Snack Startup Cramp Bites Wins Hospitality Business Plan Competition


Business Plan Competition Results by Academic Year


BPC

Are you a current student wondering how you can get involved?
Are you seeking information about how you or your company can become a sponsor?
Contact Michelle Mahool at mlc296@cornell.edu.