Several Kansas State University partners are continuing an important collaboration with NetWork Kansas to build the Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge as one of the leading youth entrepreneurship competitions in the state of Kansas.
The Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge, or KEC, is a program of the NetWork Kansas Entrepreneurship E-Community Partnership and involves several K-State partners, including the Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship in the College of Business Administration.
Through the K-State 105 initiative, K-State Research and Extension and Kansas 4-H are involved for the second year in a row. K-State Research and Extension and Kansas 4-H are providing nearly $100,000 in support for KEC per year for three consecutive years.
“Youth are the future of Kansas,” said Gregg Hadley, K-State assistant vice president and director for extension. “The Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge enables youth to develop and implement innovative business ideas. K-State is excited to work with NetWork Kansas and our 4-H youth development program to provide the education our youth need to be confident business leaders in the future.”
The Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge represents the culmination of the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, or YEC, Series, a sequence of community-based entrepreneurship competitions for students in grades 6-12.
NetWork Kansas, a statewide entrepreneurial organization, coordinates the YEC series and KEC in partnership with the K-State Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship. The 2024-2025 competition year marks the 12th annual YEC Series
During the most recent 2023-2024 competition year, the YEC Series held 58 local-level competitions featuring 1,159 high school and middle school students from across Kansas. More than $90,000 in prize money was awarded to winners across the state. First-place winners of local YEC events, plus 15 wild-card entries, advanced to KEC, which occurred at K-State in spring 2024.
At KEC, young entrepreneurs competed in three rounds of live mock board rooms and a separate, optional tradeshow as well as a networking game. Overall, more than $80,000 in total prizes were awarded at the 2024 KEC.
“We at NetWork Kansas are so excited to announce our partnership with K-State Research and Extension,” said Amara Kniep, director of E-Community Partnership. “Their dedication to serving Kansans and offering resources across the state aligns closely with our mission. We are very much looking forward to working together to provide hands-on learning opportunities for youth across all 105 Kansas counties.”
For K-State Research and Extension, the continued collaboration with NetWork Kansas is extending another proven program to build vital communities across the state.
“Through 4-H, K-State has a long history of providing high-quality positive youth development programming in all 105 Kansas counties,” said Sarah Maass, state 4-H youth development program leader. “Through this partnership with NetWork Kansas, we can enhance some of our programming efforts to help the youth of today be beyond ready to tackle the challenges of tomorrow. The Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge provides a unique educational opportunity to empower young people.”
New materials, including updated competition guidelines, have been released to support series coordinators. These are available to competition organizers. Watch a short video to learn more about the YEC series.
Key dates for the 2024-2025 competition year include:
- Nov. 15, 2024: Deadline to sanction YEC event
- March 24, 2025: Cutoff date for sanctioned community entrepreneurship competitions
- March 24, 2025: Wild-card entries for KEC State Championship due
- March 24, 2025: Deadline for YEC winners to sign up for KEC State Championship
- April 17, 2025: KEC State Championship at K-State
For more information or to learn more about the YEC Series, visit https://goventuredash.com/
