Sam Matlick ’17 received a $1000 “People’s Choice” award in the Information Technology/Software category at the fifth annual New York Business Plan Competition on April 25 in Albany. A total of 92 teams from 36 New York colleges and universities vied for $500,000 in awards at the competition that took place at the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering. A team from the College of Nanoscale Science and Engineering won the $100,000 grand prize for a technology that allows for more effective drug screening to prevent glaucoma.
Matlick’s business idea came to him during his postsecondary year at Westminster School when he began buying electronics from other students and selling them through other outlets. Matlick is the founder and CEO of SellYourTech LLC, an online business targeting students and providing a platform to sell their “used and abused” electronics. He won the Mohawk Valley Regional Competition on April 2.
The top teams from each of the state’s 10 regions then advanced to the final round of the statewide competition. Matlick also won Hamilton’s 4th annual Pitch Competition in October.
In the state finals the students pitched their ideas and ventures to an external panel of investor judges.
Other categories were Biotechnology/Healthcare, Energy/Sustainability, Nanotechnology/Advanced Technology, Social Entrepreneurship/Non-Profit and Products/Services. In addition to the competition’s grand prize, a first, second, third, people’s choice award, rookie of the year, and team spirit award was given in each category.
