Four Tennessee startups pitch for the chance at $1M prize | Memphis-based Hera Health advances to finals
At the finale, Tim Draper will invest $1 million in the winning startup. Second place wins $500,000. Third place wins $250,000.
On June 5, 2026, four Tennessee startups took the stage for the ultimate startup competition — a live taping of Meet the Drapers.
Hosted by wellknown Silicon Valley venture capitalist Tim Draper in partnership with LaunchTN, the global competition had founders pitching live to a panel of celebrity guest judges for a chance at a life-changing $1 million investment.
“We’ve long-watched ‘Meet the Drapers’ travel the world showcasing the brightest and most innovative companies. As a thriving innovation ecosystem and center for entrepreneurship, we know there’s no better place for the global tour to wrap than Nashville. As we kick off our countdown to our September 3686 conference, this is another high-impact opportunity to feature Tennessee’s startup community to the world,” reflected LaunchTN CEO Lindsey Cox.
What Tennessee startups competed?
- EVRcool (Knoxville): A recent PYA Ballard Innovation Award winner, EVRcool is a chiller manufacturer that is revolutionizing process cooling with the most reliable, serviceable, efficient and scalable chillers in the market.
- Brook (Nashville): Focused on modern community banking, Brook connects customers with capital, service providers and other custom resources to grow businesses.
- Hera Health (Memphis): Biotech company specializes in a proprietary nanotechnology drug delivery platform to make therapeutics more effective and long-acting.
- Rebel Audio (Nashville): An innovative, agentic, AI-driven platform allowing podcasters to create, host, distribute and monetize their creations.
Which Tennessee startup advanced?
Nashville served as the final stop on the global tour before the finale, and the Tennessee startup community didn’t disappoint. Audience energy ran high, and for good reason: viewers held real power in this competition, casting votes for their favorite venture while the celebrity panel weighed in with expert feedback.
While Hera Health took home the official advancement spot, the top three companies with the most viewer votes throughout the entire tour will also have the opportunity to pitch during the season finale. That means there’s still a chance for EVRcool, Brook and Rebel Audio to head to the finale.
Production is reviewing the viewer votes, but once that information is in, this article will be updated if any Tennessee startups are selected to advance.
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