About The Competition

A business plan competition is an opportunity for an early-stage or startup company to submit its business plan to a panel of judges- many of whom are investors- and to win a cash prize. More importantly, the competition is a way of showcasing emerging businesses before panels of judges who are themselves investors, thus offering these businesses immediate access to capital.

 Growth businesses go where investment funds are available.  Businesses are attracted to areas where they can source and secure funding for various stages of development, particularly in the early stages when businesses are looking for angel investment. Bringing businesses together with early stage investment opportunities builds the reputation of a region as a good place to do business.

Many funding sources can be accessed in both Boston and Cambridge.  But what makes the North of Boston attractive for investment is the number of highly educated and highly skilled people who live here and would much prefer to work here rather than make the commute to Boston or around the gridlock on 128.


The North of Boston Business Plan Competition provides a real opportunity to attract the kind of businesses that grow jobs to the Northern area.


About The Enterprise Center at Salem State College

The Enterprise Center at Salem State College is both a non-profit business incubator where 30 small businesses lease space in the center's building and a virtual center for North entrepreneurs at every stage of business development. Opened in 1998, the Enterprise offers office space for start-up and established companies and provides dozens of free programs designed to help small business owners and employees improve their business skills. The Enterprise Center is active in initiatives to attract growth businesses and to grow the creative economy on the North Shore. Contact us at www.enterprisectr.org.

About The Merrimack Valley Ecnomic Development Council

MVEDC boilerplate description: The Merrimack Valley Economic Development Council is a private, non-profit, tax-exempt charitable organization whose mission is to advance the economic interests of the entire Merrimack Valley region, from Greater Lowell to the sea. www.merrimackvalley.info

 About The Merrimack Valley Venture Forum

 MVVF description: The Merrimack Valley Venture Forum is an on-profit organization that facilitates business growth in the region’s technology and scientific sectors by serving the needs of entrepreneurs, emerging and established companies, professional service providers, academia and investment community. www.mvvf.org 

2008 Co-sponsors

128 Innovation Capital Group  www.128icg.com
 Amesbury Chamber of Commerce and Industry www.amesburymass.com/
Beverly Chamber of Commerce http://www.beverlychamber.com/
Cape Ann Business Incubator www.businc.org
Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce www.capeannchamber.com
Creative Economy Association of the North Shore www.ceans.org
 Greater Lowell Chamber of Commerce   www.greaterlowellchamber.org/
 Greater Haverhill Chamber of Commerce   www.haverhillchamber.com/
Lynn Area Chamber of Commerce www.lynnareachamber.com
Marblehead Chamber of Commerce   www.marbleheadchamber.org
Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce www.merrimackvalleychamber.com
Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce  http://www.newburyportchamber.org/
North Shore Chamber of Commerce

www.northshorechamber.org

Peabody Chamber of Commerce www.peabody-chamber.com
Salem Chamber of Commerce www.salem-chamber.org
Bertolon School of Business, Salem State College www.salemstate.edu/business
Small Business Development Center at Salem State College

www.salemstate.edu/sbdc







121 Loring Avenue, Salem, MA
(978) 542-7528 Fax (978) 542-7061