This Is Where Bold Youth Ideas Win Big: Introducing the Mott Million Dollar Challenge
VentureLab |
January 19, 2026
What happens when young people are given a real audience for their ideas?
They develop confidence, creativity, and courage.
That is the heart of the Mott Million Dollar Challenge, a once in a lifetime national pitch competition for kids and teens in grades K–12, and VentureLab is thrilled to help spread the word. But don’t wait—submissions are due February 27, 2026. March 8, 2026
A National Stage for the Next Generation of Innovation
The Mott Million Dollar Challenge: A Pitch Competition for Kids & Teens invites young people across the United States to share their boldest ideas—whether that’s a new business concept or a creative solution to a real-world problem.
Supported by funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, this challenge celebrates youth creativity and problem-solving at scale. Across the competition, $1,000,000 in prizes will be awarded to young people, and finalists will be invited to an epic celebration and live pitch event in Flint, Michigan, in June 2026.
But at its core, this challenge is about much more than prizes.
It’s about showing young people that their brilliance knows no bounds—and that adults are ready to listen.
How the Challenge Works (It’s Simpler Than You Think)
The Mott Million Dollar Challenge is intentionally designed to be accessible, flexible, and youth-centered, making it a great fit for classrooms, afterschool programs, clubs, and community organizations.
Here’s how students participate:
Who can enter:
Any student in grades K–12 living in the U.S. Students can participate no matter where or how they learn—public school, private school, homeschool, or out-of-school-time programs.
Solo or team:
Students can enter on their own or in teams of up to three, within the same grade band (K–4, 5–8, or 9–12).
The pitch:
Students record a 30–90 second video explaining:
- The problem they’ve noticed
- Their idea or solution
- Why it matters
No fancy editing, graphics, or equipment required. The focus is on their thinking and their voice.
Categories:
Business Challenge: a new product, service, or business idea
Social Challenge: a solution to a community or social issue
Deadline:
Submissions are open now through February 27, 2026. March 8, 2026.
Why This Matters for Educators and Youth Programs
At VentureLab, we believe entrepreneurship education isn’t about turning every young person into a business owner—it’s about helping them develop an innovative mindset they can use for life.
The Mott Million Dollar Challenge directly supports that goal by helping young people:
- Practice creativity and innovation
- Build communication and presentation skills
- Strengthen problem-solving rooted in real experiences
- Gain confidence by sharing ideas with a real audience
For educators and program leaders, participation can be as simple as:
- Setting aside time to brainstorm ideas
- Supporting students as they record short pitches
- Encouraging youth to notice problems they care about and imagine solutions
To make this easy, the challenge includes free educator and student toolkits, with brainstorming activities, pitch tips, and guidance to support young people at every step.
You don’t need a background in entrepreneurship to prepare students for this competition!
How much time do you have to prepare students for the competition?
0 minutes
If students are already solving problems and creating value in existing STEAM, Service Learning, Science Fair, or other programming, they can enter with their idea!
15-30 minutes
- Use a single session to play Wacky Inventions, where students create a business idea using two objects.
- Or, utilize our extension activities:
Find more entrepreneurial learning activities to help students generate ideas:
https://mottmillion.org/resources/
Learn More about the Mott Million Dollar Challenge and Get Involved
Whether you’re an educator, an afterschool professional, a parent, or someone who simply believes in the power of youth ideas, we encourage you to explore this opportunity and share it with the young people in your life.
👉 Learn more, access resources, and find full details at:
https://mottmillion.org
This is where bold ideas win big—and where the next generation of genius gets the mic 🎤.
