These start up businesses have names like Microgen, Brand-Yourself and Orthogonal. Haledyne and ZetrOZ round out the top five finishers. If you're worried about business hurting in Central New York you should hear what the management teams from these companies have to say. I was front and center for their presentations tonight in the role of moderator of the Creative Core's Emerging Business Competition.

Each company survived a stiff preliminary competition to get to the finals. The winner will receive a $200K grant to kick start their business plan. Most of them are already well underway. The teams working to build these companies have put in countless hours in development to get to this point. Any of the five could be the next big star from our region.

The range of the competitors is impressive. The players involved range from college age to mature business people. The business concepts stretch from internet based to microtechnology. The time frame to get to market difer from already in to a couple of years away.  The investment in each company has come from a host of sources including personal funds, research and development partners and grants. The common bond is a belief that their idea will sell and scale up into a successful business.

In addition to learning from the five businesses presenting I enjoyed hearing the questions of the five judges who will decide the winner and runner-up.  These business people know what gives a start up a chance at success. They have either done it themselves or help fund others.   Their insight reveals the tought process needed to poke holes in a plan and find evidence that the foundation is solid.

Good luck to the five. We'll hear the winner next week. We hope they become a fixture of Central New York in the years to come.

You can read the entire News Release from the Creative Core Emerging Business Competition below.

SYRACUSE‐ Hundreds packed Storer Auditorium at Onondaga Community College to see five finalists make the ultimate pitch in New York’s Creative Core’s $250,000 Emerging Business Competition. The live presentations before a panel of distinguished judges, including nationally recognized financial experts, venture capitalists, and investors is the last competition challenge before one finalist wins a $200,000 investment and, for the first time a second place $50,000 prize is awarded to the runner‐up.

“Our judges bring a wealth of experience in investing and business development, and have the ability to recognize promising companies,” said Allen J. Naples, regional president, Syracuse Division of M&T Bank and title sponsor. “As companies go through this judging process they gain valuable feedback and ultimately a better understanding of what it will take to be successful.”

The finalists emerged from the 100 applications the completion received this year. Their quality was noted both by the judges and by the audience members who were given the chance to ask questions. “These presentations are the community’s opportunity to witness firsthand the innovation and potential of each finalist company,” said Patrick J. MacKrell, president and CEO of NYBDC. “It’s private businesses that sponsor this competition, we are making a direct investment in these companies because we recognize the positive impact they will have on our region’s economy.”

The $200,000 grand prize and the $50,000 runner‐up prize represent a co‐investment in the winning companies which the Regional Alliance hopes will pay dividends as the company grows. The Regional Alliance receives no management control or board position resulting from this investment, but winners are required to meet certain performance milestones, and repayment of funds would be required in the event the company moves out of the CenterState region or is sold. Full contest rules are available at www.creativecoreny.com.

“Both the $200,000 and $50,000 prizes are a significant investment in an emerging company,” said Robert M. Simpson, president of CenterState CEO. “This investment will return dividends for our region and help ensure that the competition’s next generations of entrepreneurs are supported.”