Tell City Students Qualify for 2026 STARTedUP Entrepreneurship Regional Competition

Tell City Jr.-Sr. High School's Business program placed two student teams into the 2026 STARTedUP Challenge, qualifying alongside nine other Southwest Indiana squads set to pitch live before judges April 17 at Kramer Pavilion at Deaconess in Newburgh.

The regional event runs 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST and is free and open to the public, giving Tell City parents, alumni, and community members a direct way to watch the Marksmen compete in person.

STARTedUP, now in its 9th year after rebranding from Innovate WithIN, is Indiana's largest high school entrepreneurship competition. Across seven competition regions statewide, 70 teams advanced to the regional level. Each qualifying team already submitted a business plan, video pitch, and venture summary to reach this stage; at Newburgh, judges will evaluate the live presentation, the underlying market research, financial fundamentals, and the overall viability of the business concept.

For Tell City's Career and Technical Education pathway, placing two teams in a statewide field of 70 signals more than classroom engagement. STARTedUP's curriculum builds skills that translate directly into scholarship applications and early-career credibility: presenting a structured argument under pressure, fielding questions from judges with professional experience, and defending a financial model to a room of business leaders.

The competition's stakes are concrete. The Southwest Indiana regional winner earns $1,000 per student, up to three team members, and locks in a spot at the STARTedUP Challenge Finals at Butler University on June 12, 2026. Three additional wildcard teams from across Indiana will also advance, bringing the total finals field to 10 teams competing for a $25,000 grand prize, $5,000 for second, $2,500 for third, and a $1,500 People's Choice Award. All 10 advancing teams enter a six-week bootcamp pairing them with Indiana entrepreneurs and mentors before the Butler finals.

The district posted the qualification announcement March 26, leaving both Marksmen squads roughly three weeks to finalize pitch decks, sharpen any prototype materials, and coordinate travel to Newburgh before the April 17 competition.