Name: 2026 Innovation Challenge
Start: 2026-03-20T13:00:00-05:00
End: 2026-03-20T15:00:00-05:00
Location: Carver Innovation Center

Invent. Build. Pitch. Win.
About this Event

Welcome to the 2026 Innovation Challenge!

Part of the 2026 Business & Leadership Conference — The Blessing: Anointed for Business Friday, March 20, 2026 | Carver Innovation Center | Forest Park, IL

The Innovation Challenge is a live, high-energy invention competition where the boldest problem-solvers, builders, and big thinkers in our community go head-to-head to solve one of the most pressing challenges facing Illinois today.

Illinois is losing small manufacturers — and fast. Rising energy costs, crushing tax burdens, and a growing skills gap are pushing small shops out of the state at an accelerating rate. The Innovation Challenge asks a simple but powerful question:

What would you invent to make staying in Illinois the smarter choice?

This is not a panel discussion. This is not a lecture. This is a live competition where teams invent, build, and pitch a real solution — in real time — in front of a live audience and a panel of judges.

Who Should Attend?

This challenge is built for people who see a problem and immediately start thinking about how to fix it. We're looking for:

Inventors — creative visionaries with big ideas and the drive to make them real
Entrepreneurs — strategic thinkers who understand markets, customers, and execution
Communicators — bold presenters who can sell an idea and move a room

You don't need to be an engineer. You don't need a business degree. You need a sharp mind, a competitive spirit, and something to say.

Phase 1 — Pre-Qualifying Round

Before the live event, all interested participants must complete a pre-qualifying submission. You'll be presented with a real marketplace problem and asked to respond with your invention idea across four structured questions — plus a required video pitch.

Submission Deadline: Friday, March 13, 2026
Finalists Announced: Monday, March 16, 2026

Registration

Register to receive the pre-qualifying challenge prompt, submission instructions, and all event details via email. Only 18 participants will advance to the live event. Register now — the clock is already running.