Big Idea 2026
Big Idea UNK is poised to award $7,000 in total cash prizes to student entrepreneurs for their Big Idea!
Spearheaded by the Center for Entrepreneurship & Rural Development at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, the competition is designed to foster and showcase innovative business and product ideas emerging from our talented pool of UNK students.
Live Pitch Event Finalists
Thank you to everyone who submitted a Big Idea!
The Growth Track finalists for the 2026 Big Idea UNK are (in alphabetical order):
Ryan Arbuthnot – Arbuthnot Ranch
Brooke Fricke – Kearney Dog Bar & Training Academy
AJ Raszler – AJ Raszler's Lawn Service
Ali Strobel – Elevated Creative
*The Growth Track is for students who are already operating a business, selling a product or service, or actively working with customers who are ready to refine, strengthen, or grow their venture.
The Idea Track finalists for the 2026 Big Idea UNK are (in alphabetical order):
Ethan DeHaven – Bow Barn
Lynnae Green – FieldShield
Taylor Lundien – Buns N' Roses
Kokona Uetake – Happiness & Hope Project
Tom van den Dungen – FoodPod
Ezra Wasswa – Taste of Home
Lenden Worm – AeroShield Aviation Services
*The Idea Track is for students with a new business concept, early-stage idea, or problem they want to solve, but who have not yet launched or generated sales.
Live Pitch Event
Join us on Wednesday, November 4th in UNK’s Discovery Hall Atrium to watch our talented student entrepreneurs pitch their unique business ideas LIVE! The audience will participate in choosing the winners.
The social starts at 5:30 PM, and pitches start at 6:00 PM. Refreshments will be served. All are welcome to attend and support these amazing student entrepreneurs!
Prizes
The top finalists from the Idea Track and Growth Track, as determined by our panel of judges, will have the opportunity to present their ideas during a live pitch event on November 4 at UNK’s Discovery Hall Atrium. Cash prizes totaling $7,000 will be awarded to the first, second, and third place live pitch finalists for both tracks.
Event Sponsors
Event sponsors support Big Idea UNK and make pitch night possible. Thank you to these sponsors for elevating the event! Email Sara at bennettsa2@unk.edu to become an Event Sponsor.
Interested in supporting student entrepreneurs as a Big Idea UNK sponsor? View the 2026 Sponsorship Packet or email Sara at bennettsa2@unk.edu to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
Congratulations to the 2025 Big Idea winners!
Fallon Wells – First Place
Fallon Wells – 1st Place
Business Idea
Birthday Blooms: Preserved Floral Gifts is a new product line highlighting the flowers associated with each person’s birth month. Her business focuses on transforming real, preserved flowers into custom gifts – including charm necklaces, calendars and cards – that add heartfelt meaning to special occasions.
Hometown
Central City
Major
Interior & Product Design
Kade Schrock – Second Place
Kade Schrock – 2nd Place
Business Idea
YourVision takes traditional architectural drawings or 3D models and transforms them into fully immersive digital environments. Using Unreal Engine, the same advanced rendering technology used in blockbuster video games, clients can walk through a building in real time, helping them visualize how design decisions – from layout to lighting to landscaping – will impact the final space.
Hometown
Kearney
Major
Computer Science
Jessica Bertrand – Third Place
Jessica Bertrand – 3rd Place
Business Idea
Robust Pivot Tracks is a system that replaces irrigation pivot tires with track-based components to improve stability and prevent tipping in the field.
Hometown
Funk
Major
Industrial Distribution
History of Big Idea
Since launching in 2011, Big Idea Kearney served as a platform for students and community members to pitch new ideas and win funding to bring them to life. Big Idea Kearney was open to UNK students, Kearney-area residents, and even high school students for a period. Starting in 2025, Big Idea Kearney has evolved into Big Idea UNK (just for UNK students) and Big Idea Buffalo County (community residents within Buffalo County). The creation of Big Idea Buffalo County creates new possibilities, connections, and resources that meet the needs of innovators throughout the region. At the same time, UNK students benefit from a version of the program that’s built around their schedules, goals, and campus life. Learn more about Big Idea Buffalo County.
Contact
Sara Bennett
Director, Center for Entrepreneurship & Rural Development
bennettsa2@unk.edu
308-865-8199
