For Immediate Release
Media Contact
Bailee Henry
Manager, Entrepreneurship Programming, eCommunity Partnership
Network Kansas
bhenry@networkkansas.com | 785-844-1706
Manhattan, Kansas – Network Kansas’ Entrepreneurship (eCommunity) Community Partnership announces the conclusion of the 2024-2025 Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge (YEC) Series. Each winning team earned the chance to participate at the 2025 Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge (KEC) State Championship, held on April 17, 2025, at the Kansas State University Student Union. Students win a berth to KEC by winning a sanctioned YEC Series competition or by being selected as a wildcard. An additional sixteen wildcard applicants were also selected to attend KEC in early April. Wildcard entries had their executive summary and pre-recorded elevator pitches judged for a chance to attend.
The YEC Series consists of local-level youth entrepreneurship competitions hosted by volunteers. Local YEC Series events require students to prepare an executive summary and a formal presentation and often feature interactive tradeshows or elevator pitches. Students work in teams or individually to represent a business concept and compete for awards and prizes. Students’ work is judged by local entrepreneurs, public sector partners, teachers, and other community members.
The 2024-2025 academic year marks the twelfth annual YEC Series coordinated by Network Kansas and the eCommunity Partnership. The YEC Series was created in 2013 to expose Kansas middle school and high school students to entrepreneurship and help them to begin thinking entrepreneurially. This year saw the highest participation yet, with over 1,180 students participating across 63 competitions in Kansas. The 75-community eCommunity Partnership is dedicated to increasing entrepreneurial activity and developing self-sustaining ecosystems favorable to long-term entrepreneurial growth.
“Each year, the caliber of students competing in the Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge blows us away. It’s such a high note to end on for the annual Youth Entrepreneurship Challenge Series. I think everyone in attendance would agree how inspiring it is to see these dedicated students pursuing their dreams and forging their own paths. The future of Kansas is bright!” says Amara Kniep, Director, eCommunity Partnership.
The businesses that advanced to the KEC State Championship were judged on their executive summaries, elevator pitch video, and three
mock boardroom presentations. Overall, more than $80,000 in total prizes was awarded to aspiring entrepreneurs. Kansas State University Research and Extension – 4-H is the presenting sponsor of the Kansas Entrepreneurship Challenge, and the event is put on in coordination with the Kansas State University Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship and Network Kansas.
“K-State Research & Extension is grateful to partner with Network Kansas with this hands-on learning experience for the youth of Kansas. No doubt the future for our state is bright with these young entrepreneurs meeting a need in their community and helping lead the way,” says Dr. Sarah Maass, Kansas 4-H Youth Development Program Leader.
Entrepreneurs were awarded in the following categories:
Finalist:
Arbor Art – Phillips County – Wildcard
Aspire 3D – Logan County
Bling & Green – Neosho County
DebateDoc – Saline County – Wildcard
Evie’s Nutrition – Crawford County – Wildcard
Fruta Fiesta Designs – Rice County – Wildcard
J&P Precision Aerial Applications – Cheyenne County
Keller Cotton Candy Company – Ford County
Maxwell Kids Farm to Table – Pawnee County
Seeded by Aranzadi – Hodgeman County
Smoky River Pumpkin Patch, LLC – Lincoln County
Super Yard Bros Creations – Montgomery County
The Kansas Voice – Barton County
Thomas 3D – Elk County
Tymbersmith – Saline County – Wildcard
Vivian’s Slime – Anderson County
Exemplary:
Alayna’s Jewelry – Shawnee County
Bound 2 Brew – Sedgewick County
Chargelet – Phillips County
Don’t Panic AI Tutors – Douglas County
Gotcha Gutters – Ellis County
Ice on Wheels – Barton County – Wildcard
Jayci’s Delightful Goodies – Norton County
Katie’s Car Freshies – Wabaunsee County
LaRosh Layers – Osborne County – Wildcard
M1 Pool Maintenance – Saline County
PAWsitively Perfect Pet Sitting – Osborne County
Raising Regenerative – Smith County
The Curly Collective – Riley County – Wildcard
Wovenique – Seward County – Wildcard
The students also had the opportunity to participate in a tradeshow to showcase their businesses. The public was invited to attend and vote for their favorite businesses.
Tradeshow People’s Choice Award:
1st: Heaven on Ice – Morton County
2nd: Katie’s Car Freshies – Wabaunsee County
3rd: Daily Dough – Bourbon County
4th: CozyCo Candles – Finney County
The following were recognized for their outstanding and ongoing support of the YEC Series.
YEC Champion Award:
Tristen Cope – Extension Agent, Chisholm Trail District
Julie Smith – Extension Agent, Wildcat District
Nora Rhoades – Extension Agent, Post Rock District
Carrie Poe – Business Advisor, KU SBDC
Alexis O’Hair – Economic Development Director – Morton County
Jessica Dinkel – Tourism and Events Director – Sherman County
Marquetta Atkins-Woods – Executive Director, Destination Innovation – Wichita
The Kansas communities that hosted a local YEC series event include: Allen County, Anderson County, Barber County, Barton County, Bourbon County, Butler County, Chase County, Chautauqua County, Cherokee County, Cheyenne County, Clay County, Cloud County, Cowley County, Crawford County, Douglas County, Decatur County, Elk County, Ellis County, Ellsworth County, Finney County, Ford County, Franklin County, Graham County, Greeley County, Harvey County, Hodgeman County, Jewell County, Kiowa County, Labette County, Leavenworth County, Lincoln County, Linn County, Logan County, Marion County, McPherson County, Mitchell County, Montgomery County, Morris County, Morton County, Neosho County, Norton County, Osborne County, Pawnee County, Phillips County, Pottawatomie County, Rawlins County, Reno County, Republic County, Rice County, Riley County, Rooks County, Saline County, Sedgwick County, Seward County, Shawnee County, Sherman County, Smith County, Stafford County, Sumner County, Thomas County, Wabaunsee County, Wichita County, and Wyandotte County. Additional communities were invited to participate.
For more information, contact Bailee Henry at bhenry@www.networkkansas.com or visit: www.youtheshipchallenge.com.
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About Network Kansas
Network Kansas was established as a component of the Kansas Economic Growth Act of 2004 to further entrepreneurship and small business growth as a priority for economic and community development in the State of Kansas. Network Kansas facilitates the development of an entrepreneurial ecosystem within participating communities through the eCommunity Partnership. Contributing factors to successful development include the availability of financial capital, support from local leadership and the development of educational resources. All of these factors combine to increase entrepreneurial activity in participating towns, leading to increased startup activity, business expansion, job creation and more.
For more information about the eCommunity Partnership, visit networkkansas.com/ecommunity-partnership/ or call 877-521-8600.
About K-State Research and Extension
K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county extension offices, experiment fields, area extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus in Manhattan. For more information, visit ksre.ksu.edu. K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
