MCUL Newsroom

CU Spark Tank Returns for 2027 - Now a Team Competition!

The Michigan Credit Union League is excited to announce the return of CU Spark Tank in 2027, with a new team format designed to bring collaboration, innovation and problem-solving together.

After two years of showcasing the ideas and talents of individual young professionals, CU Spark Tank is evolving. In 2027, credit unions will assemble teams of two to four young professionals to identify a challenge or opportunity and develop an innovative solution that could benefit their credit union, its members, businesses or communities.

Teams can tackle just about anything, from improving the member experience and leveraging new technology to strengthening financial well-being, enhancing internal operations, reaching new markets or addressing a community need. In addition to their seven-minute presentation, teams will think through the problem they are solving, the potential impact of their solution and what implementation could realistically look like, including potential risks, success measures and a roadmap for bringing the idea to life.

The competition will once again begin at the chapter level, with qualifying competitions taking place January through early April 2027. Each credit union may put forward one team to compete within the chapter where its headquarters is located. Credit unions with multiple interested teams are encouraged to hold their own internal Spark Tank competition to determine who will represent them.

Chapter winners will then advance to a new virtual statewide semi-final competition in late April, where teams will pitch their solutions and respond to questions from a panel of judges. From there, the top five teams will advance to the CU Spark Tank Finals on Center Stage at ACE27 in Grand Rapids in June.

While the format is changing this year, the heart of CU Spark Tank remains the same: creating opportunities for Michigan’s young credit union professionals to develop as leaders, think differently, share their ideas and help shape the future of the credit union movement. The new team format adds another important element, giving YPs the opportunity to collaborate, bring different perspectives to the table and turn an idea into a solution together.

Now is the time for credit unions to start thinking about the YPs they could bring together for their 2027 Spark Tank team. Additional competition details, official rules, timelines, tools and resources are coming soon. The CU Spark Tank webpage is currently being updated with 2027 information, so be sure to check back next week for everything you need to start planning.