2025 PowerUP Business Plan Competition

PowerUP 2025 is an annual business plan competition hosted by the Brooklyn Public Library (BPL), a community-focused institution serving the borough of Brooklyn, New York. Since 2003, the program has supported over 10,900 individuals and generated more than 1,800 business plans, awarding more than $650,000 in cash and in-kind contributions. The competition aims to foster local entrepreneurship by encouraging Brooklyn residents to launch or grow community-focused businesses. The competition offers Brooklyn residents a structured path to starting their own businesses. Participants must attend a required orientation session, obtain a Brooklyn Public Library card, consult with a business advisor, and attend at least three PowerUP webinar classes. These classes include topics such as crafting business plans, marketing, financial projections, and conducting business research. Both the financial projections and business research sessions are mandatory. Applicants must revise any previously written business plans to comply with the competition’s formatting guidelines. The judging panel evaluates each submission based on demonstrated financial need, the community benefit of the proposed product or service, and the business’s potential for long-term viability. Business plans that meet these criteria and follow the formatting rules will be considered for awards. Cash prizes total $36,000 and include $20,000 for first place, $10,000 for second place, $5,000 for third place, and $1,000 each for five merit winners. Additionally, one merit winner will be selected by the audience at the awards ceremony to receive an extra $1,000. These funds are intended to be used as seed capital for launching businesses within Brooklyn. The application deadline for PowerUP 2025 has been extended to June 8, 2025. While the open date for application submission is not specifically mentioned, applicants must view the orientation session prior to applying. The application is not rolling, but the program is expected to recur annually. Questions can be directed to powerup@bklynlibrary.org for more information. Past recipients include successful local businesses such as Bogota Latin Bistro, Greenlight Bookstore, Brooklyn Tea, and Island Pops. These businesses exemplify the competition’s focus on community engagement and diverse entrepreneurship in Brooklyn.