Tell City students qualify for statewide entrepreneurship challenge

Two Tell City Jr.-Sr. High School business teams have moved from classroom work into the 2026 STARTedUP Challenge, giving Hand in Hand and Stone and Flame a shot at a statewide entrepreneurship title and a possible trip to Butler University in Indianapolis.

Tell City-Troy Township School Corp said the qualifying teams came out of its business classes. Hand in Hand includes Leah Hollinden, Chloe Lindauer and Isla Epple. Stone and Flame includes Paige McCoy and Alyssa Patrick. The district said the challenge is Indiana’s largest and longest-running high school entrepreneurship competition.

The teams qualified through the Southwest Indiana regional competition, which was scheduled for April 17 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. CST at Kramer Pavilion at Deaconess in Newburgh. The event was free and open to the public, putting student business pitches in front of a wider audience before the regional field narrowed.

STARTedUP is now in its ninth year and was formerly known as Innovate WithIN. The foundation says thousands of students submit ideas statewide, with 70 teams selected for regional competitions across seven regions. In 2026, one winning team from each region, plus three wildcard teams, will make up a 10-team finals field.

Before live regional judging, teams had already submitted a business plan, a video pitch and a venture summary. Those advancing from the regions enter a six-week bootcamp that includes weekly calls, mentorship opportunities and an in-person experience. The STARTedUP Foundation also says finalists take part in an Innovation Tour designed to help them network and see more of Indiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

The payoff for the teams is concrete. Regional winners receive $1,000 per student, up to three students per team. The 2026 finals are set for June 12 at Butler University, where the top prize is $25,000. Second place pays $5,000, third place pays $2,500, and the People’s Choice Award is worth $1,500.

For Tell City, the qualification keeps business education visible in a district that has been highlighting career and technical learning alongside student achievement. For Hand in Hand and Stone and Flame, the next step is bigger than a school project: it is a statewide stage where planning, presentation and entrepreneurship could turn into real money and a stronger path into college or a career.