Amarillo EnterPrize Challenge Announces Launch with $100,000 in Awards for Businesses

Contact: Brian Enevoldsen, 806-651-8500, brian@wtenterprisecenter.com
Copy by Adam Jiwa, 806-651-8503, adam@wtenterprisecenter.com 

AMARILLO, Texas—A total prize pool of $500,000 is up for grabs in the 2025 Amarillo EnterPrize Challenge, presented by the WT Enterprise Center and the Amarillo Economic Development Corp.

Business owners in Potter and Randall counties will have the opportunity to win up to $100,000 in awards to help expand their operations.

The competition, a cornerstone of regional economic growth, is open to businesses seeking to scale and grow outside the Amarillo Metropolitan Statistical Area, which covers Armstrong, Carson, Oldham, Potter, and Randall counties.

Business owners can now apply at AmarilloEnterPrizeChallenge.com. To apply, business owners must attend at least one of the seven mandatory orientation sessions beginning Feb. 3, where they will learn about eligibility requirements and program schedule.

“We’re excited to kick off the 2025 Amarillo EnterPrize Challenge,” said Brian Enevoldsen, managing director for the WT Enterprise Center. “This program continues to succeed thanks to the support from Amarillo’s mayor, city council, the Amarillo Economic Development Corp., and our incredible community. Our community’s collective dedication to driving economic development ensures scalable companies have access to the resources they need to grow and succeed.”

The Amarillo EnterPrize Challenge is administered by the WT Enterprise Center, a department of the Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business, and funded by the AEDC. The challenge provides entrepreneurs with the guidance, tools and capital needed to scale their businesses. Participants receive coaching and assistance developing a five-year business plan focused on growth outside the Amarillo MSA.

“The Amarillo EnterPrize Challenge is essential to the Texas Panhandle when it comes to fostering job creation and promoting sustainable economic development,” said Kevin Carter, president and CEO of the AEDC. “The success of past winners demonstrates the lasting impact of this program, and we’re eager to see more businesses benefit in the years ahead.”

Participants in the program can also receive assistance from America’s Small Business Development Center at WTAMU, which offers help with business plans, financial projections and market research. There is no charge for these services.

Last year, the EnterPrize Challenge awarded $225,000 to three businesses, including Amarillo Legacy Monument Co., Hi-Plains Civil Engineering and Slicks Fabworks. These winners expanded their operations outside the Amarillo MSA.

“The Amarillo EnterPrize Challenge is a crucial catalyst for regional economic growth, enabling businesses beyond the Amarillo area to prosper,” said Dr. Amjad Abdulat, dean of the Engler College of Business. “This competition provides an excellent opportunity for entrepreneurs to elevate their businesses to the next level.”

For more details and to apply, visit AmarilloEnterPrizeChallenge.com or contact the WT Enterprise Center at 806-651-8500 or email at aec@AmarilloEnterPrizeChallenge.com.

Partnering with and retaining community businesses to improve the quality of life in the Panhandle and beyond is a key component of the University’s long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

That plan is fueled by the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $160 million.

About WT Enterprise Center

WTEC is a department of WT’s Paul and Virginia Engler College of Business and works side-by-side with America’s SBDC at WTAMU to support economic development throughout the Texas Panhandle. WTEC provides Panhandle entrepreneurs business coaching, access to facilities, access to capital, and various other trainings and programs to assist them in growing companies with strong leadership. WTEC also aims to provide opportunities for College of Business students to intern in local businesses, showing them the hard work and dedication entrepreneurs must have to be successful. To learn more about the WT Enterprise Center, visit wtenterprisecenter.com or contact info@wtenterprisecenter.com or 806-651-8500.

About West Texas A&M University

WT, a Regional Research University, is redefining excellence in Canyon, Texas, on a 342-acre residential campus, as well as the Harrington Academic Hall WTAMU Amarillo Center in downtown Amarillo. Established in 1910, the University has been part of The Texas A&M University System since 1990. WT, a Hispanic Serving Institution since 2016, boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 66 undergraduate degree programs, including eight associate degrees; and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees. The University is also home to the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the largest history museum in the state and the home of one of the Southwest’s finest art collections. The Buffaloes are a member of the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference and offers 14 men’s and women’s athletics programs.

Photo: The WT Enterprise Center and the Amarillo Economic Development Corp. are seeking applications for the 2025 EnterPrize Challenge. Pictured are winners from the 2024 challenge. 

—WTEC—