Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

Launch Tennessee is now accepting applications for its highly anticipated 3686 pitch competition, presented by Amazon and set to take place this September in Nashville.

Tennessee-based startups at the pre-seed, seed, or Series A stage are encouraged to apply for the opportunity to pitch in front of investors, peers, and the broader entrepreneurial community—and potentially walk away with a $10,000 cash prize.

The competition will take place during the second day of 3686, a three-day entrepreneurship festival powered by LaunchTN.

Now in its landmark 12th year, 3686 will run from September 8–10, with the pitch competition slated for September 9.

The event attracts hundreds of attendees each year—more than 900 from 33 states in 2024—and facilitates over 1,100 one-on-one networking meetings between founders and investors.

“We’re looking for founders who are innovative, credible and enthusiastic to share their technology or business with the broader entrepreneurial community,” LaunchTN venture fellow and pitch competition organizer Jay Teamer said.

Selected founders will compete for the judges’ choice prize—a $10,000 cash award plus in-kind resources valued at up to $5,000 from The Operations Guide.

Additionally, an audience choice winner will also receive up to $5,000 in in-kind resources.

The deadline to apply is August 15, and applications are open now.

Previous winners of the 3686 pitch competition have gone on to make major strides. Onrise, a Knoxville-based tele-mental health startup focused on athlete well-being, took home the top prize in 2024.

The year prior, VetVerifi, a company streamlining digital access to pet vaccination records, won the competition. Both companies later secured funding through LaunchTN’s InvestTN initiative.

Interested start-ups can apply now via LaunchTN’s website to take part in this high-visibility opportunity.

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