NP Training Works Parent Company, CypherWorx, Inc., Selected as semi-finalist in the 2011 Rochester Regional Business Plan Contest.

Rochester, NY – Eight early stage companies have been selected as semi-finalists in the 2011 Rochester Regional Business Plan Contest, bringing them one step closer to the opportunity to win more than $50,000 in cash and prizes.

The eight semi-finalists were selected from 26 companies in the Greater Rochester Region that applied to the contest and submitted business plan executive summaries. More than a dozen community volunteers with startup expertise participated in the evaluation process. The semi-finalists are: Construction Robotics, CypherWorx , Inc., EET Diesel Systems, Inc., Exiscan LLC, FluoroLogic, Inc., OEM Brands Online, Inc., TopDown Conservation LLC and TouchStream Solutions, LLC.

"This year’s contest has been the most competitive one yet, and the selection committee had a very difficult time picking the eight semi-finalists.” said James Senall, president of High Tech Rochester. “Every one of these companies has huge growth potential, and we’re really looking forward to watching their progress.”

Each semi-finalist will now have to submit a full business plan and give a presentation to a review panel, which will narrow the field down to five finalists. The finalists will present their businesses to a panel of judges the morning of April 15, 2011, and the contest winners will be announced later that same day at the 3rd Annual Celebration of Entrepreneurship Luncheon which will take place at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Rochester.

Last year’s exciting event attracted over 250 business leaders, entrepreneurs and investors. Tickets for the luncheon are $45 per person or $400 per table. Registration is available through High Tech Rochester’s website at www.htr.org.

The contest is a collaborative effort among community organizations including High Tech Rochester, Digital Rochester, Greater Rochester Enterprise, Nazareth College School of Management, Rochester Institute of Technology, and the University of Rochester Simon Graduate School of Business.