​The Mott Million Dollar Challenge: Where Big Ideas Win Big

The Mott Million Dollar Challenge is a national pitch competition for K-12 students across the country. Kids and teens are invited to dream up businesses, tackle real-world problems, and pitch their best ideas in a simple 30-90 second video. No fancy editing required. Students can enter solo or with a team of up to three. Across the competition, $1 million in cash prizes will be awarded, and finalists will be invited to an epic celebration in Flint, Michigan, in June 2026! Submissions are due February 27, 2026.

Supported by funding from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Mott Million Dollar Challenge is powered by the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) in collaboration with VentureLab, Young Entrepreneur Institute (YEI), the Afterschool Alliance and Collaborative Communications.

More Information and Support

Check out our webinar where you learn: 

• How youth can enter and navigate the Pitch Challenge
• Steps in the challenge timeline and what youth need to prepare
• Practical ways to guide youth as they create and refine their ideas
• Tips for increasing engagement and encouraging youth voice

View ppt slides

For more information visit: mottmillion.org

Resources

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 from VentureLab, where students create a business idea using two objects. Or utilize Extensions with multiple activities grades k-4, or these Extensions with multiple activities for grades 5-8 & 9-12. 
• 30-120 minutes – Use two to 5 session with The Pitch Toolkit from YEI, where students complete multiple activities to create and pitch a business idea. 
• Have time for more?! Visit Mizzen.org to find their entrepreneurship playlists with 25+ activities to deepen students’ creativity, communication, and problem-solving.

​Need help preparing your students for their pitch? 
Use this session outline to get ready for your submission. 

Check out the Afterschool Alliance's webinar to learn how it works, how to get your students involved, and to grab ready-to-use resources to spark their next great idea. 

READY. SET. GROW!

submit your pitch!