Barrier Breakers 2027

Barrier Breakers is FinMango’s one-day innovation challenge for high schoolers across the Akron, Canton, and Cleveland areas of Ohio. Student teams pick a cost that holds families back, like rent, groceries, medical bills, or debt, build a real solution, and pitch it to a panel of judges. Five finalists present on stage at Demo Day, and the winning teams take home cash.

In March 2026, 250 students from 25+ high schools competed and more than $20,000 went out in awards. For most of them, it was the first time they’d pitched an idea to a room of professionals.

We’re raising money to bring Barrier Breakers back in 2027 and open it to more schools. Your gift funds the prize pool for student teams, breakfast and lunch for 250 students and their teachers, and the materials that make the day run. Roughly seven of every ten dollars go directly to students as prizes.

• $100 covers one student’s seat for the day
• $500 funds an honorable mention prize
• $2,500 funds a Demo Day finalist prize, announced in your name

FinMango is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and donations are tax-deductible. To sponsor, judge, or fund a named prize, email competition@finmango.org.

finmango.org/barrier-breakers