The Queens Economic Development Corporation — with funding from the Citi Foundation — announced the winners of the tenth annual StartUP! Business Plan Competition, a five-month challenge-and-instruction course, during Queens Taste 2016 on May 3. The winners were awarded $10,000 each to jumpstart their businesses.
Daphne Yeh, who operates Yeh’s Snacks & Trading Company Inc. (yehschips.com), took top honors in the “Food-Based” category. She makes and distributes Daphne’s Jerky Chips, a pork-based crisp inspired by Taiwanese cuisine.
In the “Community” category, Richard Mumith and Queens Food Tours (foodsofqueensny.com) were the winners. Mumith leads off-the-beaten-path walking tours of Long Island City, focusing on the area’s architecture, culture, food, history, and local attractions.
Four computer engineers — Michael Piggott, Zachary Boyd, Orel Walker, and Gabriel Velez —and their GameChat (getgamechat.com) app prevailed in the “Innovation” category. This service connects gaming consoles for instant cross-platform messaging. It gives users access to all their accounts and their friends’ accounts in one app.
Over the course of this year’s StartUP!, about 350 participants received technical assistance and training on such business topics as pricing, marketing, and tax filing, while also enjoying access to entrepreneurial resources at Queens Flushing Library. Then, 46 teams submitted business plans to selected judges, who determined the winners.