Judges, date announced for 2023 Ballard Innovation Award pitch contest
Five judges will pick a $50,000 grand prize winner among East Tennessee start-up finalists March 21.
Are you free March 21? Want to watch someone win $50,000, or maybe win it yourself? Then apply now and mark your calendar for the 2023 Ballard Innovation Award pitch event.
The annual award from PYA, established in 2021, allows emerging companies to compete for a $50,000 investment of capital and in-kind services to support their innovative ideas. The award is the largest combination of cash and in-kind services available to start-ups in Eastern Tennessee’s 33 counties.
For the first time this year, finalists will participate in a live pitch competition in front of a panel of five judges. This event will be at 3 p.m. at the UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm, 2641 Osprey Vista Way. It’s free and open to the public, with a reception to follow.
The five accomplished judges from around our region are:
- Joan Bienvenue, Executive Director and Vice Provost of the University of Tennessee-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute;
- Gabe Bolus, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of KUB;
- Kathryn Eggleston, Vice President of H.T. Hackney;
- Tanika Harper, Founder and CEO of The Shora Foundation; and
- Raj Patel, Director of Atlas Physical Therapy.
Applications are live now and will be accepted through February 24, 2023. For more details about the award, click here.
