CCBC business center awards $80K to Baltimore entrepreneurs

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After hosting the 13th Annual Business Plan Competition Awards, the Community College of Baltimore County‘s Center for Business Innovation & Trades awarded a combined $80,000 to a dozen local aspiring entrepreneurs, the school announced. 

During the competition event, entrepreneurs shared pitches for their respective business, and the winners shared the award proceeds in “seed money” designated as start-up capital for their new or emerging businesses, according to CCBC.

Prize money was made possible by the support of the Philip E. and Carole R. Ratcliffe Foundation, a charitable organization aiming to help boost entrepreneurial education and programs, according to a release.

“It has been incredibly rewarding to support this year’s finalists as they turned bold ideas into strong business plans and shared their ventures with confidence,” said Dennis Sullivan, executive director of CCBC’s Center for Business Innovation & Trades. 

“This year also marked one of the biggest turnouts we’ve ever had, which speaks volumes about the growing entrepreneurial spirit across CCBC and our community. Although only a few entrepreneurs receive seed funding, every finalist has shown remarkable creativity, resilience, and potential. We are excited to continue cheering them on as they grow, launch, and make an impact in the years ahead.”

This year’s winners have businesses based in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. The first-place prize of $25,000 went to Krystal Bailey of Creative Chaos Studio LLC in Baltimore City. 

Bailey’s mobile creative wellness company delivers art and karaoke experiences through interactive events and workshops, according to CCBC. 

Other winners recognized in the Business Plan Competition Awards included:

• Second place ($20,000) – Tatiana Joseph, Liquidspades LLC: An immersive art company in Owings Mills.
• Third place ($15,000) – Giselle Chavez-Hernandez and Reif Hoey, Real Growth Marketing: A digital marketing agency in Parkville.
• Fourth place ($10,000) – Kaoutar Cheji, Zahara Blends: A women-owned beauty company in Baltimore.
• Runners-up ($5,000 apiece): Kellie Miller, Bmore Bomb in Dundalk and Hannah Jeremiah, BraidCare Studios in Baltimore.

Since 2013, CCBC’s Annual Business Plan Competition has enabled 71 new businesses to launch, distributing nearly $500,000, school officials said.