Queens Tech + Innovation Challenge is a grant from Queens Economic Development Corporation that funds early-stage tech and innovation entrepreneurs based in Queens, New York. Five awards of up to $20,000 each are available — one per category — for revenue-generating businesses with no strings attached.

The multi-week program offers entrepreneurial classes, one-on-one mentoring with QEDC advisors, networking events, and a live pitch competition culminating in winner announcements. Applications for the 2026 cycle were due March 2, 2026, with finalists announced March 31 and the live pitch day held April 28, 2026.

Eligible applicants are early-stage entrepreneurs aged 18 and older who are U.S. citizens or legal residents with a strong Queens connection; the business leader must be a Queens resident.

Queens Tech & Innovation Challenge – Business Competition Eligibility Requirements & Rules Financial Projections Templates Win Up To $20,000 For Your Business! A Program of the Queens Economic Development Corporation Applications are due on March 2, 2026.

Click Here to Start Your Application The program is designed to help early-stage entrepreneurs grow their businesses with five up-to $20K grants, access to industry experts and founder network.

Presented by the Queens Borough President Donovan Richards and Queens Economic Development Corporation , the multi-week program offers high-level entrepreneurial classes , one-on-one office hours with QEDC mentors & advisors, networking events with startup founders, and cash prizes (five up-to $20K awards).

Important Dates + Judging Timeline 2026 Application are due on Monday, March 2, 2026 23:59:59 EST Initial Screening: March 3 – 5, 2026 First Round Judges Review: March 6 – 27, 2026 Finalists Announcement: March 31, 2026 at Flushing Town Hall.

All qualified applicants are invited Finalists Pitching Preparation: April 6 – 25, 2026 Live Pitch Day and Winners Announcement: April 28, 2026 from 1pm – 8pm at NY Hall of Science What does the program offer? There will be one winner in each category, with five winners in total. Each winner will be awarded up to $20,000 to start or grow their business with no strings attached.

We will be offering different online workshops from October, 2025 to January, 2026, covering a wide range of startup topics from product development, financial management to fundraising, legal issues and many more. The curriculum is not cohort-based. Participants can join any LIVE workshops that’s of interest to them or watch recordings.

We’re hosting in-person networking events once a month from October, 2025 to February, 2026. It will be a great opportunity for you to meet with other local entrepreneurs and learn about the resources in the Queens startup community. Participants in the program can schedule one-on-one meetings with our program director to discuss their needs and progress.

The program director will be able to share more resources or match them with different advisors for further assistance. A startup that builds technology products or services designed for everyday use by consumers. Technology products or services used by businesses or organizations.

A startup that uses innovative solutions to help build a healthy planet or creates a product/service that makes a positive impact on our environment. This can be a tech-based or non-tech based business. A non-tech focused startup business that delivers a need or responds to a demand of the community through providing a service or a product in fields such as lifestyle/wellness, fashion, and e-commerce.

A startup business with its main activity being the creation and/or sale of a food or beverage product as a wholesaler, manufacturer, or retail business. Any retail storefront including restaurant, coffee shop, specialty food store must be located in Queens.

Pre-seed or seed stage tech startups still looking to establish a business model Early stage CPG, community-based businesses, currently generating revenue High-potential, ready to use a 20K grant to reach their next milestone Willing and able to meet the requirements to participate in the Challenge Read the Eligibility Requirements Make sure you attend a minimum of 4 events (workshop + in-person all count) between September 30, 2025 to February 28, 2026.

Our live workshop schedule can be found on our Events page. If you miss them, no worries: recordings of past events can be found in our Video Library . You can submit an online application anytime between September 30, 2025 to March 2nd, 2026 at 11:59 PM.

Roughly 4-5 live events per month from October, 2025 – February, 2026. Make sure you attend a minimum of 4 events or watch the recordings. Our 1st round of judges will begin reviewing applications on March 6, 2026.

It will take approximately 3 weeks to finish the 1st round judging. Three finalists from each category will be announced in an in-person event in April, 2026. The total 15 finalists will be pitching to the 2nd round of judges during an in-person event on early May 2026 at Hyatt Regency JFK Airport at Resorts World New York.

On that same day, the five winners will be announced. Click Here to Start Your Application What Our Former Participants Are Saying: “We have seen a major increase in our sales since winning the competition. We’re extremely grateful for this amazing opportunity.

” “Everybody should do the competition. It’s not about $10,000. It’s about what you learnt and what it prepared you to do.

The steps that you will go through towards the final pitch is worth way more than $10,000. ” Charly Uzcategui and Timothy Chu Co-founders of TERRART NYC 2021 Winner, Sustainability Tara Merdjanoff and Jeremy Bohen “We have seen a major increase in our sales since winning the competition. We’re extremely grateful for this amazing opportunity.

” Charly Uzcategui and Timothy Chu Co-founders of TERRART NYC 2021 Winner, Sustainability “Everybody should do the competition. It’s not about $10,000. It’s about what you learnt and what it prepared you to do.

The steps that you will go through towards the final pitch is worth way more than $10,000. ” Tara Merdjanoff and Jeremy Bohen Learn More About Previous Participants’ Experience Here! Frequently Asked Questions Who is eligible to compete for the cash prizes?

Contestants must be entrepreneurs who run revenue-generating businesses, are 18 years of age or older, and U.S. citizens or legal residents in the United States. The business must demonstrate a strong Queens connection, such as being a Queens resident. For further details, please see our eligibility rules .

Are the online workshops mandatory? All eligible applicants and/or the primary and/or secondary team member will be required to attend a minimum of 4 workshops held from September 2025 to February 2026 (If you can’t make the live sessions, no worries; they will be recorded and available on our Video Library). What happens after I submit the application online?

Our program staff will verify each applicant’s qualification starting March 2, 2026. We will check everyone’s eligibility, class participation and if your application is complete with the financial projections and video all submitted. Incomplete applications will be disqualified immediately.

All qualified applications will be sent to our 1st panel of judges for review. The judges will give scores and feedback for each application. Based on the scores, we will announce three finalists from each category.

The 15 finalists will present to our 2nd panel of judges who will select a winner from each category. 5 winners will each receive a prize up to $20,000. How many people can enter in one team?

Up to five individuals. Everyone involved in the proposed business described in the plan must register via YouNoodle as a team leader or team member and upload their State ID or Driver’s License. The business team leader needs to be a Queens resident and part of the co-founders/management team of the company.

Can a business advisor from QEDC help me with my application? Yes and we recommend you do so by making an appointment to speak to an advisor at QEDC here . They can help go over your application before you submit it and provide feedback from a judge’s perspective.

Are there any requirements for the winners to use the award fund? The funds must be used within one year from the date of the award being announced and can only be used for only the intended business purpose described in the business plan and nothing else. Please note that these awards are taxable and the Queens Economic Development Corporation and each winner must complete an IRS W-9 form before a check can be issued.

All winners must include a written description on how the funds will be used, sign a release form, and agree to be surveyed for up to five years on the status of their business. Please see our disbursement of funds page for more detais. Are applications confidential?

Queens Economic Development Corporation (QEDC) recognizes that entrants may be concerned about the confidentiality of their applications. Applications will not be copied for any purpose other than the competition and internal use by QEDC’s Business Services Department.

Entrants are also permitted to exclude any information they regard as confidential (please note, however, that if by excluding information you make your plan more difficult to understand it may be judged poorly). The short description of your business idea will be considered a “public summary” of your plan and may be used in public documentation related to the competition.

While all responsible measures will be taken to ensure the protection of intellectual property and preserve the confidentiality of each submission, Queens Economic Development Corporation cannot take further responsibility to protect the intellectual property or other rights of each contestant. Protection of such rights is ultimately the responsibility of each applicant. Constant Contact Use.

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