Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad Teams Shine in New York Business Plan Competition

Two Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad student start-up teams have achieved remarkable success in the New York Business Plan Competition (NYBPC), which was held in Albany on April 25. Powered by Upstate Capital, the competition attracted some of the best student entrepreneurs from across New York state.

The two teams that made it to the finals were Tá Beautie, founded by Motolani Oladitan ’24, and Shooka Sauce, founded by Natasha Brao ’22 G’23 G’24. In the food and agriculture track, Natasha Brao won the 3rd place prize of $1,000 with Shooka Sauce, a Mediterranean-spiced tomato sauce inspired by cultural flavors. Meanwhile, Motolani Oladitan won the Concept Stage Award of $500 in the software and services track with Tá Beautie, a virtual marketplace connecting African beauty and wellness brands with the diaspora.

Apart from these two teams, three other LaunchPad student start-up teams also participated in the competition. Frank Marin ’24 with Marhold Space Systems, Adya Parida ’25 with Scale Sense, and Dylan Bardsley ’26 and Mark Leaf ’27 with Clarity also reached the finals. The NYBPC is renowned for providing students with an opportunity to pitch their business plans to seasoned investors and engage with mentors and judges from the business community.

The finals event of the NYBPC not only connects students with business professionals but also provides experiential learning opportunities through competitions and connects entrepreneurs with resources at the Entrepreneurship Expo. Up to $100,000 in cash prizes are awarded to help seed new ventures emerging from the competition.

In summary, Syracuse University Libraries’ Blackstone LaunchPad student start-up teams have demonstrated exceptional skills in making it to