What the Kansas Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge State Event Is
The statewide Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge finals in Manhattan are where Kansas middle and high school students pitch real or planned businesses to judges and compete for cash prizes. The state event is the culmination of the Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC) series, a set of community competitions run across the state by NetWork Kansas through its E-Community Partnership, with Kansas State University's Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship and K-State Research and Extension and Kansas 4-H as partners. Students run a business or have a concept they want to pursue, and the state event is the top of the ladder.
The most recent state event was held April 28-29, 2026 in Manhattan, with participation from about 70 communities across Kansas. The 2027 date has not been announced. Earlier state championships were held at the K-State Student Union on April 16, 2024 and April 17, 2025.
Who Can Enter
- The YEC series is for students in grades 6 through 12.
- Students may compete individually or in teams at the local level.
- To reach the state event, a student wins a local YEC competition or is chosen as a wildcard entry. In 2025 there were 15 wildcard entries, picked on the strength of an executive summary and a pre-recorded elevator pitch.
How It Works: The Timeline
- Local competition. Communities host their own YEC events during the school year. A local event has to be sanctioned in advance; for the 2024-25 year the sanction deadline was November 15, 2024. In 2023-24 the series held 58 local competitions with 1,159 students.
- Prepare materials. Students write an executive summary, a business summary that is similar to a business plan but usually shorter, and record a short elevator pitch video. In 2025 these were due April 1.
- Sign up for the state event. In 2025 the cutoff for local competitions, wildcard entries and winners' sign-ups was March 24.
- State championship. Students set up a trade show booth showing the business and give an in-person mock boardroom presentation to judges. The 2024 event included three live mock boardroom rounds, an optional separate tradeshow and a networking game.
Divisions and Recognition
At the 2024 state event, competitors were recognized as Finalists (14 businesses) or Exemplary (14 businesses), and a Tradeshow People's Choice Award was decided by public vote. The 2024 state event drew 72 businesses and 81 students.
Prizes
The 2024 state event awarded more than $75,000 in total prizes to 31 entrepreneurs, and the local YEC events that year awarded more than $90,000 in prize money statewide. Cash prizes were also awarded in 2025.
Where
Manhattan, Kansas. Past state championships were held in the K-State Student Union on the Kansas State University campus.
Questions
Do I have to be in 4-H?
The YEC series is open to students in grades 6-12. Kansas 4-H and K-State Research and Extension are partners in the program.
Can I enter a business that is only an idea?
Yes. Students may run a business or have a business concept they want to pursue.
Do I need to win locally first?
Winning a sanctioned local YEC event or earning a wildcard entry is the route to the state event.
Who do I call?
Program details are posted by NetWork Kansas and the K-State Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship; follow the links below to find a local competition.
Official Links
- Kansas 4-H tip sheet: April 28-29, 2026 Youth Entrepreneurship Contest, Manhattan
- NetWork Kansas newsletter, April 21, 2026
- 2025 state event report
- 2024 state event results
- YEC series format and dates
- NetWork Kansas 2024 series results
Kansas 4-H Events and Contests: The Essentials
Kansas 4-H serves more than 15,000 members in all 105 counties through K-State Research and Extension. Youth ages 7 to 19 join local clubs, choose projects in eight areas and show their work at county, district and state events.
How to enroll
Find a club near you and enroll through the online 4-H Online portal, which is open at any time. The 4-H year runs October 1 to September 30, and county fair and re-enrollment deadlines vary, so ask your county Extension office.
Events
County fairs and County Club Days come first, then district events such as 4-H Day and district horse shows. A purple ribbon at the county fair is generally the ticket to the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, the top level of 4-H competition. Discovery Days at K-State is a mini college experience for ages 13-18. The state office is at 785-532-5800.
Read the full guide: Kansas 4-H Events and Contests: Enrollment, County, District and State
Other Upcoming Events Nearby
- K-State Ag Ed Speech Event
Public speaking event for Kansas FFA students on January 30, 2027 at the K-State Student Union in Manhattan, hosted with K-State Agricultural Education.
- K-State Career Development Events (Kansas FFA State CDEs)
Kansas FFA state Career Development Events are scheduled for May 2-4, 2027 in Manhattan. Chapters compete in judging, evaluation and skills contests; the 2026 round was held May 3-5.
- Kansas FFA State Convention
The 99th Kansas FFA Convention is set for June 1-4, 2027 in Manhattan. The 2026 convention ran May 26-29 at McCain Auditorium with a theme of Cultivate. Grow Leaders. Lead Change.
- Kansas Livestock Association Convention and Trade Show
Held each year; the most recent dates were November 19-21, 2025. Cattlemen gather for the banquet and live auction, Beef Industry University, committee meetings and the membership breakfast with policy votes.
- Kansas Farm Bureau Annual Meeting
Held each year; the most recent dates were December 6-8, 2025 for the 107th meeting. Workshops, a tradeshow, awards banquet and a delegate vote on 2026 policy, with a keynote from the American Farm Bureau president.
Listing checked Nov. 11, 2026 against this source. Details can change; confirm with the organizer.