Pitch competition gives East Tennessee startups an opportunity to win $5,000
Knoxville, Tenn.– Applications are now being accepted for the Knoxville Startup Day 2016 pitch competition. Startup Day 2016 will feature six East Tennessee startups pitching their businesses for a chance to win a $5,000 cash prize. This is the second Startup Day pitch competition.
“Knoxville is a great city to start and grow a business, so it is important for our region to invest in the next generation of entrepreneurs to continue this growth,” said Stacey Patterson, Vice President of the University of Tennessee Research Foundation and founding member of the Innov865 Alliance. “The Startup Day pitch competition is an opportunity for East Tennessee entrepreneurs to pitch their innovative ideas and compete for a cash prize that can help make their vision a reality.”
To apply for the pitch competition, eligible startups must be located in the East Tennessee region and fill out an application, available on the Innov865 Week website: https://www.innov865.com/apply. Applications will be accepted through July 25, 2016. The Innov865 Alliance will review applications and select six startups to participate. Applicants will be notified of the committee’s decision no later than August 8, 2016. Startup Day 2016 is scheduled for Thursday, September 22, 2016 at the U.S. Cellular Stage at The Bijou Theater.
Bryan Crosby with FunLPro Technology claimed the winning prize during Startup Day 2015 from sponsor BOBA (Business Owners Benefits Association). Investors from Alchemist Collective, River Cities Capital Funds and Chattanooga Renaissance Fund selected the winner.
This year marks the fourth annual Startup Day, which is now the signature event of the newly launched Innov865 Week– a week-long series of events, September 19-23, 2016, to celebrate and showcase Knoxville as a great place for entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses.
With more than 500 attendees at Startup Day 2015, event organizers saw an opportunity to leverage growing interest and momentum by expanding the one day celebration to a week long series of events for startups, entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, students and the East Tennessee community.
About
Innov865 Week is presented by the Innov865 Alliance. The Innov865 Alliance develops, supports and promotes the Knoxville region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. It’s a collaborative effort to celebrate and showcase Knoxville as a great place for entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses and increase access to capital. Founding members include the University of Tennessee Research Foundation, Oak Ridge National Lab, PYA, UT’s Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Launch Tennessee and Knoxville Entrepreneur Center.
For more information, visit: www.innov865.com
Contact:
Allie Rapkowicz, Piper Communications, Allison@piper-communications.com, 865-329-0553
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