An innovation-led startup tournament taking Kansas by storm is just built different, said Conor Adler, announcing the nearly three-dozen contenders featured in this spring’s competition.
“One of the most inspiring facets of Gamechangers and Champions is seeing founders from rural Kansas standing alongside entrepreneurs from our largest cities,” said Adler, investment manager for Wichita-based NXTUS, which is organizing the bracket-style competition in Lawrence in its second year. “These startups, from bioscience to agtech to advanced manufacturing, show that innovation is happening in every corner of Kansas.”
ICYMI: Bracket-style startup pitch competition courts innovators, angels for March gameplay
Conor Adler, investor manager for NXTUS, speaks during KC Capital Day in November 2025 at Aspiria NOW on the former Sprint campus; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News
Set for March 10 at KU’s David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium, Gamechangers and Champions 2026 is a “Bracket Bash for Innovators and Angels,” organizers said. The competition is designed to bring together Kansas startups with angel investors and regional venture-capital fund managers — all set amid the excitement of the Men’s Big 12 Basketball Tournament being hosted in Kansas City March 10-14.
Click here for tickets to the day-long event. Registration is capped at 300, with tickets going quickly to investors, entrepreneurs, innovation leaders, and community members.
The 32 innovators selected for the competition came from a pool of 75 total entries. Startup applicants represented 14 counties across Kansas and a broad range of industries, including bioscience and healthcare, software and AI, agtech and advanced manufacturing, consumer products, energy, and professional services. Founders hail from eight rural counties, plus major innovation centers such as Johnson, Sedgwick and Douglas counties, reflecting strong statewide growth in both digital and industrial innovation, Adler said.
Among the just-announced Kansas competitors are a number of Pipeline Entrepreneurs, LaunchKC winners and founders featured among Startland News’ Kansas City Startups to Watch classes.
They’ll now compete for $25,000 in prize money, sponsored by the University of Kansas School of Business; $2,500 Fans’ Choice Award, sponsored by Wichita State University’s Barton School of Business; as well as the attention of investors and corporate audience members.
The Bracket Bash roster includes:
- AcuSera (Zaydan Ahmed), Overland Park
- Agriburbia (Matthew Redmond), Manhattan
- Cirque Renewables (John Michaels), Shawnee
- Enrichly Fun (Romy Carlson), Overland Park
- Euphemystic Ventures (Ted Kihm), Lawrence
- GearHaul (Kenny Finley), Chanute
- Huxedo (Tanuj Gupta), Leawood
- Icorium (Kalin Baca), Lawrence
- ILIOS Aerospace (Pedro Cupertino), Wichita
- KS Hemp Consortium (Sarah Stephens), Wichita
- LAN Party (Ryan Hesse), Prairie Village
- LoftyLoo Raised Litter Station (Amy Leiker), Lenexa
- MedCurate (Ashley McClellan), Prairie Village
- Myndset (Craig Mason), Lawrence
- Natural Solutions (Tim Dawsey), Pittsburg
- Overwatch Technologies (Todd Gentry), Wichita
- Planetary Talent (Jacob Schlittenhardt), Wichita
- PLOT (Chris Callen), Wichita
- Revix AI (Kevin Roy), Overland Park
- Scout (Gonzalo Erdozain), Leawood
- Scoutz (Antonio Depina), Wichita
- SippTech (Tommy McAndrew), Wichita
- SteroCore Therapeutics (Yezan Salamoun), Lawrence
- Techam Solutions (Hessam Vali), Wichita
- The Balm Box (Liz Benditt), Overland Park
- VisiPay (Barry Nelson), Olathe
- VOISS (Paul Epp), Lawrence
- Vytas Bio (Dave Alburty), Louisburg
- Whimsi Beans (Meg Dieter), Olathe
- WRAX (Frankie Elder-Reedy), Pleasanton
- Yes! Athletics (Deborah North), Topeka
- ZenoLeap (Andrew Shultz), Lawrence
The bracket-style pitch competition will have one more elimination round before the event. Entrepreneurs who make it to the Round of 16 are expected to be announced March 4 via NXTUS and Kansas Department of Commerce social-media accounts.
Andrew Márquez, VU Scholarships, left, stands with organizers, sponsors and other officials after winning the grand prize at the 2025 Gamechangers & Champions bracket bash pitch competition in Wichita; photo courtesy of NXTUS
At the start of the March 10 event, the Innovative Eight will be revealed, and those startups will share their elevator pitches with the more than 200 audience members, including investors, other entrepreneurs, and corporate business leaders.
Attendees will vote for their favorite pitch to determine the Fan’s Choice award, worth $2,500. Then, venture capital fund managers will coach the eight remaining competitors and narrow the field to the Final Four.
Those four will deliver their full, five-minute pitches to a panel of distinguished judges, who will crown the $25,000 champion at the event finale.
Click here to read about the 2025 Bracket Bash winner at Gamechangers and Champions.
“This unique competition is powered by great partners like KU Innovation Park and School of Business, the Kansas Department of Commerce, and dozens of other supporters who know that when we connect these disrupters with capital, mentorship, and opportunity, we strengthen our entire state,” Adler said.
The day-long event also is set to feature networking opportunities, industry leader speakers, and educational sessions.
Click here for the full, detailed event schedule.
Gamechangers and Champions is made possible by its presenting sponsors, along with supporters like Network Kansas’ Entrepreneurial Growth Ventures, Hutton, Capitol Federal, IdeaTek, Cargill, AltCap, KU Alumni Association, Kansas State University, Hinkle Law, FlagshipKansas.Tech, OREAD Angel Investors, MidxMidwest, and Plug and Play Topeka.
This story is made possible by Network Kansas.
Network Kansas promotes an entrepreneurial environment by connecting entrepreneurs and small business owners with the expertise, education and economic resources they need to succeed.
