Got a 'Green' Concept? Woodbridge Invites Companies to Compete for Cash

Not only does going green benefit the environment, but if you’re a business in Woodbridge, it could also benefit your coffers as well.

The township announced a Green Business Plan Competition yesterday, with prize money and green business-related services being awarded to up to three area businesses.  The prizes include $7,500 cash and $7,500 in business consulting services for first place, $3,000 in cash and $3,000 in services for second place, and a $500 cash prize for young entrepreneurs. 

The contest is designed for companies developing green activities – including renewable energy, energy efficiency, green building, smart power, recycling, or any other aspect of green building or operations.  The competition is open to companies in all stages of development, “from planning to startups to companies that may be further along,” said Mayor John McCormac at the announcement of the competition Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 12.

All prizes are being provided by the competition's corporate sponsors, including PBC Bank, ConocoPhillips, Birdsall Services Group, and Cisco Systems, who hosted the competition announcement at their regional sales office and conference center at MetroPark.  Business plans are due to the township by December 31st, with several finalists then being chosen to present their in-person pitches to a panel of judges sometime in January, 2012.

Caroline Ehrlich, executive director of the township’s Redevelopment Agency, said that the competition is “the first step of a major economic development project” that will include a green development park on Pennval Road in Sewaren.

“Two years ago we got a grant from the federal government for a quarter million dollars to advance the concept of the green technology park,” said McCormac.  “The economy is bad, people are just not investing right now, just not building, but if we lay the groundwork now, things will be ready when the economy does turn around.”

“We’re very excited to put Woodbridge on the map as the place to go for green technology,” McCormac added.

“We are creating jobs, many manufacturing, blue collar, white collar, green collar jobs,” Ehrlich added.  “By putting your plan on paper, and having these very experienced judges look at it, you then have the opportunity to start your business.”

The judges for the competition will include leaders in green business, including Pat Wilson of Wilson Renewable Energy Consulting Services; Jim Groelinger, Executive Director of Clean Energy Alliance; Jim Hughes, Ph.D, Dean, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy; and Mario Casabona Jumpstart NJ Angel Network.