Fort Hays State University is proud to bring you the inaugural Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Western Kansas Wildcard Competition! This competition brings together the next generation of innovators, builders, and problem-solvers from across Central and Western Kansas for another shot at making the state YEC competition.
The competition is designed to serve students from communities within the Western Kansas Rural Economic Development Alliance (WKREDA) service area giving young entrepreneurs a chance to showcase their ideas, sharpen their pitch, and compete on a regional stage. In addition to the competition, students will hear about the FHSU Entrepreneurship program, have a free lunch, and take a tour of selected buildings on campus! See the image below for counties eligible to compete. WKREDA Service Area Map
The competition is open to public, private, and homeschool high school students.
As this is our inaugural year, we will only accept the first 60 businesses to register for the event, so it will be a first-come, first-served competition.
This is a wildcard competition aimed at finding five (5) incredible young entrepreneurs who are itching to get another shot to reach the state competition. We have five (5)wildcard spots for the top five winners to head to the Kansas YEC State Competition. Students will compete against peers from across Western Kansas for one of these highly competitive spots. We will also be aligning the competition to the same general factors students will face at the YEC State Competition to better prepare the event winners.
But wait…there’s more! In addition to wildcard advancement, participants will also be eligible to compete for cash prizes and scholarships to attend Fort Hays State University!
Awards - $13,000 total in prize money and scholarships!
Five (5) wildcard winners will secure a spot to the 2026 State Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge, and each wildcard winner will be awarded $1,000cash and a $1,000 scholarship* offer to attend Fort Hays State University when they graduate high school.
Additional Awards
Best Trade Show: $1,000 People's Choice: $1,000 Ready to Launch: $1,000
The event will be open to the public for voting on the best trade show. If competitors have products or merchandise to sell, they are welcome to sell to the public. Local media will be invited.
*The $1,000 FHSU scholarship can only be redeemed by attending FHSU, is non-transferrable to any other institutions or organizations, and will be applied over the two semesters of the students first academic year of attendance.
Important Eligibility Note:
Students who have already won their local YEC competition and earned a spot in the state competition are not eligible to compete in this event.
Important Note on Event Location:
The event will take place at the Gross Memorial Coliseum. Do NOT use the official address of the university. If you put Gross Memorial Coliseum in your maps app (Apple, Google, or Waze) it will take you right to the building!
Whether you’re launching a first idea or refining a bold solution to a real-world problem, this competition offers students a unique opportunity to gain experience, receive feedback from judges, and take the next step on their entrepreneurial journey. Right here in Western Kansas.
