2023 marks the 20th anniversary of Brooklyn Public Library's PowerUP! Business Plan Competition.
Since 2003, PowerUP! has nurtured 10,575 individuals with over 1,350 business plans and awarded more than $600,000 in cash and in-kind gifts to Brooklyn entrepreneurs. Our success stories include more than 100 companies with passion for food and drink, health and wellness, arts and crafts, media and fashion, education, social justice, and cultural diversity—everything that makes Brooklyn great.
20th Anniversary Video: The Prize is in the Process
PowerUP! Success Stories
Green in BKLYN, 2009 PowerUP! Winner
Meet Elissa Olin, owner of Green in BKLYN, a retail shop located in the Clinton Hill/Fort Greene area. It offers a one-stop shop where people who’d like to live an eco-friendly lifestyle—and those who already do—can find information and products to easily green their home and lives. greeninbklyn.com
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Terrart NYC, 2021 PowerUP! Winner
Meet Timothy Chu, Charly Uzcategui and Henger Ydrogo, the owners of Terrart NYC. Integrating ecological and artistic concepts, Terrart NYC products are an affordable and easily sustainable alternative for people seeking to stay connected to mother nature. terrartnyc.com
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DMC Original Art, 2021 PowerUP! Winner
Meet Danielle M. Chery, founder of DMC Original Art, whose mission is to spread the energy of peace and freedom through unique, handcrafted decor pieces and abstract creations. dmcoriginalart.com
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Brooklyn Tea, 2018 PowerUP! Winner
Meet husband and wife team Jamila Wright and official Tea Sommelier Alfonso Wright, the founders of Brooklyn Tea. Headquartered in Bed-Stuy, the company is dedicated to sourcing and curating the highest quality teas from around the globe. brooklyntea.com
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Island Pops, 2015 PowerUP! Winner
Meet married couple Khalid Hamid and Shelly Marshall, the owners of Island Pops, a Crown Heights shop that uses tropical ingredients in traditional and innovative ways to deliver a taste of the Caribbean in a cup, cone or on a stick! islandpops.com
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The Word Is Change, 2020 PowerUP! Winner
Meet Alexander Dwinell, owner of The Word Is Change, a Bed-Stuy bookstore that sells used and new books, hosts readings and meetings, buys books for resale, and supports visual artists. thewordischange.com
Upcoming Events
📝 1-on-1 Resume Help
Do you need help updating or even starting your resume? The Eastern Parkway Literacy Zone and BPL's Business & Career Center have teamed up to bring you a 1-on-1 Resume Help Event! We are offering one-on-one assistance to anyone looking to create or enhance their resume.
…
Women and Money: How to Make Sense of Today's Financial Markets
Learn all about today's financial markets from two women who watch it closely.
Join Financial Advisors Julia Strayer and Liz Maccarone as they host The Women and Money Roundtable. This series is a virtual, monthly financial literacy program designed to educate women in all walks of…
2024 PowerUP Awards Ceremony
Please join us for the 21st annual PowerUP Business Plan Competition Awards Ceremony. More than $40,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to the competition’s top entrepreneurs to start their business in Brooklyn. Find out who will be this year’s winners of the top prizes of $20,000, $10,000,…
Pace SBDC Business Counseling @ BPL
The Pace University Small Business Development Center (SBDC) is offering weekly, free, in-person one-to-one business advisement at the Brooklyn Public Library’s Business & Career Center!
These Business Advisement sessions are available to existing small businesses and…
Update Your Skills with Metrix Learning
Learning online is an effective and convenient way to enhance your skills. With Metrix Learning, you will have access to self-paced, expert approved training for 180 days at NO COST to you! Please join this webinar to learn more about the 7,000+ courses Metrix Learning has available and how you…
Business Credit, It Is Personal | WE Master Money
Learn to understand and improve your business credit and see how it personally impacts both your business and financial health.
Access to credit is essential for a growing business. Lenders, investors and suppliers all use your business credit score to assess the viability and…
New Lots Literacy Zone Career Fair
Join us for our Career Fair! It will occur on the second floor of the New Lots branch (665 New Lots Ave) and will feature employers, college, and trade programs, also a number of local organizations that are providing workforce readiness-related resources.
Stop by with your…
Grow your business with AI-powered tools by Google
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a powerful technology that can help simplify business tasks and create new opportunities for small businesses and entrepreneurs – but knowing how to use it may seem out of reach.
Developed with input from experts at Google, this workshop will explain…
Eastern Parkway Literacy Zone Career Fair
Looking to take the next step in your career? Join us at the Eastern Parkway Literacy Zone for our Fall Career Fair! We are showcasing employers, workforce training programs, college and a number of local organizations who provide various wrap-around services.
Stop by with your resume and…
The Flower Hour: Walk-in Cannabis Business Counseling from the Brooklyn Business Solutions Center
The Brooklyn Business Solutions Center is pleased to offer walk-in business advisement for entrepreneurs looking to navigate New York City's adult-use cannabis industry, cannabinoid hemp, or medical cannabis fields.
Meet us onsite at the Brooklyn Public Library Central Branch, Civic…
PowerUP! By the Numbers
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- Total number of winners: 183
- Prize money awarded: more than $600,000
- PowerUP! companies by industry:
- Hospitality: 34%
- Retail: 13%
- Media: 11.7%
- Fashion & Beauty: 11.7%
- Arts & Crafts: 8.4%
- Education: 7.8%
- Wellness: 7.3%
- Service: 2.8%
- Pet Care: 1.7%
- Social Justice/Cultural Diversity: 1.1%
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