‘Keep living your dream’: Big Idea Kearney competition celebrates innovation, entrepreneurial spirit

KEARNEY – Alexis Bernthal’s reaction spoke for itself.

She jumped up and down, waving an oversized check in the air before embracing her friends.

The only words she could get out were “Oh my God.”

“This shows me that this is something I can do and something I will do,” Bernthal said Tuesday evening after winning the 12th annual Big Idea Kearney event. “To have other people show enthusiasm for what I’m doing makes me want to do it more. And it makes me want to get even more involved with the Kearney entrepreneurship community.”

That’s the goal of Big Idea, a business pitch competition that gives University of Nebraska at Kearney students and local residents a chance to turn their dreams into reality. Modeled after the popular TV series “Shark Tank,” the event serves as a platform to promote innovation, celebrate the entrepreneurial spirit and inspire future business owners.

“We want our students to realize that entrepreneurship could be in their future, whether it’s something they’re thinking about now or after graduation,” said Sara Bennett, director of UNK’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Rural Development, which organizes the competition along with the Cultivate student organization.

A total of 31 entries were submitted for this year’s contest, with 10 finalists presenting Tuesday night during the live event at Legacy on the Bricks in downtown Kearney.

Bernthal’s pitch was the most popular among the judges and a crowd of nearly 80 people. She took first place, earning $2,000 in seed money, and added $250 more by winning the people’s choice award.

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