On May 14, 2026, the Piney Regional Chamber of Commerce will host our second Youth Entrepreneur Challenge, a dynamic “Dragon’s Den”-style event that invites students from across the region to pitch their innovative business ideas for a chance to win cash prizes and gain valuable entrepreneurial experience.
Each student entrepreneur will have four minutes to pitch their business idea/product/service to a panel of Chamber-member judges. The judges will then have an opportunity to ask questions, maximum five minutes. Judges will use the rubric provided to score each presentation. After all the presentations are complete, the scores will be tallied and the prizes awarded. In the days following, the results will be celebrated and shared with the community online.
Great Prizes
First Prize = $500
Second Prize =$250
Third Prize = $100
Important Dates
April 7-10, 2026 – business coach Mark Bernard will present the program to schools in the region
April 13, 2026 – deadline for student entrepreneurs to submit their applications
April 15-30, 2026 – business development and presentation coaching sessions will be offered to registered students
May 14, 2026 – Pitch Day (tentatively 7-9 pm, location to be determined)
Resources
2026 PRCC YEC Application Form (download fillable PDF)
2026 PRCC YEC Program Guide (download PDF)
Learn more about 2025 Youth Entrepreneur Challenge Winners