March 28: College Students to Compete for Nearly $30,000 in FutureSolvers Cultivation Challenge at Minnesota State Mankato

Friday, March 28, 2025
1:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Ostrander Auditorium

Mankato, Minn. – Undergraduate college students will compete for nearly $30,000 in cash prizes by attempting to develop the most innovative and entrepreneurial solutions to an economic challenge in the region on Thursday, March 28 at Minnesota State University, Mankato.

Student teams from college and universities in southern Minnesota will be competing for the prizes in the FutureSolvers Cultivation Challenge, hosted by Minnesota State Mankato’s College of Business, March 28 from 1:30-3 p.m. in Ostrander Auditorium, located in Centennial Student Union.

The event is free and open to the public, and free parking will be available in University Lot 4 (pay lot; located outside Centennial Student Union).

Register for the event at: https://forms.office.com/r/8XNDhMj3tR

Or watch virtually at: https://youtube.com/live/LDPs6tUO4sk?feature=share

This year’s competition will include two tracks, each targeting different aspects of rural revitalization.

Track #1: Business/Economic Focus, Rural Attraction & Growth, invites students to propose business or community development concepts aimed at diversifying rural economies in southern Minnesota. Teams are tasked with creating solutions that generate new jobs, attract young professionals, enhance quality of life and leverage local resources.

Track #2: STEM Focus, Innovative Agriculture Practices, challenges students to apply cutting-edge technology to modernize agricultural practices and improve farming efficiency in the region. Students will explore ways to introduce smart farming technologies, enhance sustainability and encourage the development of ag-tech startups.

For more information, please contact Ashley Niss, Maverick Innovation Gateway coordinator, by phone at 507-389-1018 or by email at ashley.niss.2@mnsu.edu.

Minnesota State Mankato, a comprehensive university with 15,251 students, is part of the Minnesota State system, which includes 26 colleges and seven universities.