Grow Hays
Grow Hays this week announced the establishment of a partnership between Grow Hays and Fort Hays State University in conducting the Faulkner Challenge.
The Faulkner Challenge is a free entrepreneurship contest sponsored by FHSU alumnist Kevin Faulkner. The event includes a written business plan as well as a 10 minute oral presentation in front of 5 judges who then conduct a Q&A and provide feedback. Mr. Faulkner contributes $10,000 in prize money for the event.
"Grow Hays is thrilled to be a part of the Faulkner Challenge. Entrepreneurship is a high priority for us so the opportunity to be involved with an event like this fits perfectly with what we are already doing in the area of entrepreneurship. We also feel expanding the territory of the event to cover participants from 56 counties in Western Kansas gives us the opportunity to truly make a regional impact" said Doug Williams, Executive Director of Grow Hays.
Dr. Melissa Hunsicker Walburn, Interim Dean, Robbins College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Fort Hays State University said "We're pleased to bring our entrepreneurship activities into the community and region through our partnership with Grow Hays and BriefSpace. We hope that events like the Faulkner Challenge can continue to bring together entrepreneurs of various backgrounds, with differing levels of experience, with wideranging ideas to move ideas to ventures."
The written business plans must be submitted by March 20. Submitted plans will be judged and six finalists will be notified no later than March 23. The finals of the competition will be April 4 at BriefSpace in downtown Hays at 219 West 10th Street. The event is open to the public.
Dr. Hunsicker Walburn invites the public "to attend, network and listen to the final presentations. We look forward to this event being not only a competition, but also an opportunity to develop your network and connections."
A complete list of guidelines and rules can be found at https://www.fhsu.edu/cob/faulkner-challenge/
