January Activities for the 

2025 HCC Business Plan Competition

Our 18th Year!

The Competition is for Proposed, Startup and Existing Entrepreneurs

Are you working on your application?

Application Deadline is January 27th!

The annual HCC Business Plan Competition is for Proposed, Startup and Existing Entrepreneurs. All accepted contestant teams get free training and advising late February through May to refine and polish their plans to start and/or grow their business.  The top five teams win prize money!  All graduating teams feel like winners because they all come out with the greatest value, a stronger written plan, slide deck and video to pursue their business goals and to seek funding. 

Are you ready to apply?  

Proposed and Startup* Entrepreneurs - Steps to Apply  

1) Complete One Prequalifying Class or Program and 

2) Attend the Financial Webinar/Workshop

3) Apply in January

Have you completed ONE of these Prequalifying Classes or Programs?

• Small Business Success Series by HCC
• HCC Creating a Successful Business Plan Online Continuing Education Class - to use this as a prerequisite, you must have completed the class within this time period (09/2020 - 05/2023)
• Small Business Management - College Credit Class at HCC
• Entrepreneurship and Economic Development - College Credit Class at HCC
• Liftoff Houston Startup Competition
• Houston Area Urban League Small Business University
• University of Houston SURE Program

If you still need the financial workshop/webinar sign up for one of the January financial workshop. Then submit a strong application January 6-27. Have you completed the above already? Then take a sneak peak at Application questions and get started on your answers before the Application period opens! 

* You are considered to be a Startup Entrepreneur for the purposes of our competition if you have not yet achieved six continuous months of net profit prior to or during the pandemic.

Existing Entrepreneurs - Steps to Apply

1) Financial Webinar/Workshop - Sign Up Now for a January Webinar/Workshop & attend it.

2) Apply

All Applicants Should Submit a Strong Application between January 6 - January 27

Ready to start working on your application? Our Competition Website gives you a sneak peak at the application's business concept questions, if you'd like to start working up your answers!  

See link below for past winners, competition structure, alumni success stories and more. Look here for more on 2025 in the coming weeks as we move toward January activities!

www.hccs.edu/businessplancompetition

Scroll down to sign up for January 2025 activities

and for the full 2025 Competition Schedule!

For proposed, startup and existing business owners. A free two-and-a-half hour webinar that sets you up for success. Know your numbers and plan right for 2025!

This workshop is a prerequisite for the team lead of all teams applying for the 2025 HCC Business Plan Competition. Other entrepreneurs are also welcome!

Featured Topics:

• Understanding the Primary Purpose of your Business
• How to Generate Revenue from your Business Idea
• Understanding concepts such as Burn-rate, Breakeven, and Cash-Flow
• Determining Cash Needs of Business
• Financing Cash Needs
• Financial Record Keeping



Funding Panel - Learn and ask questions from our financial resource partners.

Event Fee: Free to all entrepreneurs 

Choose One of the Following Financial Workshop Dates and Register Now: 



Wed, Jan 22, 2025, 10:30am - 1:00pm - Onsite at HCC Alief Hayes Campus

THE JANUARY 22 WORKSHOP HAS BEEN CANCELLED DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER - WE ENCOURGE THOSE INTERESTED TO SIGN UP FOR THE JANUARY 30 WEBINAR ON ZOOM - SEE LINK BELOW.

Thu, Jan 30, 2025, 6:00pm - 8:30pm - Virtual on ZOOM

2025 HCC Business Plan Competition Timeline

 Apply in January - Plans Due in May - Prizes Awarded in June

Sign Up Now for January Activities!

www.hccs.edu/businessplancompetition

Thank You Again to our

2024 HCC Business Plan Competition Sponsors

Platinum Sponsor

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

In-Kind Sponsors

More About Each 2024 Competition Sponsor

Announcing 2025 Sponsors Soon! 

More about our Sponsors in Upcoming Newsletters!

About the Glenda & David Regenbaum Center for Entrepreneurship

HCC Northwest

OUR MISSION: To help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.

We do this by offering workshops, seminars, summits, classes and competitive training and advising, while also providing practical knowledge, resources and connections. We are also known for three Signature Programs: the Annual HCC Business Plan Competition, now in its 17th year; the Small Business Success Series by by HCC^©; and the HCC Mattress Mack School of Selling^©. 

Our Center for Entrepreneurship is part of the Houston Community College Office of Entrepreneurial Initiatives. The Office of Entrepreneurial Initiatives was established to build and sustain the Houston business community through effective and relevant educational initiatives to help businesses grow in revenue, personnel and business opportunities. The Office of Entrepreneurial Initiatives leads and coordinates all business and entrepreneurial initiatives by providing system-wide support, and leadership to fulfill HCC’s Strategic Agenda to “Cultivate and Entrepreneurial Culture Across the Institution.”

The HCC Office of Entrepreneurial Initiatives has been honored with a number of prestigious awards. For more on awards in recent years; https://conta.cc/3wgcmxc

On behalf of all of our entrepreneurial programs and staff, we thank all of the entrepreneurs, partners, sponsors, volunteers, students, and HCC faculty and staff who have contributed to our efforts! Without your support and dedication to our programs, these awards wouldn't have been possible!

Contact our center at c4e@hccs.edu or 713-718-6650