UT, Knoxville freshman emerges as an “entrepreneur to watch
Max Gallinek has started a number of companies dating back to high school. His latest idea "ResQTalk" secured first place in the bi-annual Vol Court pitch competition.
Two ideas, three-pitch competitions, and $3,500 later, University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) Freshman, Max Gallinek is quickly emerging as an “entrepreneur to watch” on campus.
At just 19 years old, Gallinek is already heavily involved with the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI) and is leveraging the resources to further connect with the Knoxville entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Most recently, he won $1,500 for his ResQTalk business idea in the Spring 2025 ACEI Vol Court. The concept proposed a solution to a problem in the emergency response sector. It would embed a translation service (voice-to-voice) to streamline 911 calls, helping both the caller and operator to understand one another regardless of the language.
Prior to that, he won $1,000 in the fall 2024 Vol Court and $1,000 in the Graves Business competition for a different idea called Alert X. His vision for Alert X was to create a platform that would increase access to Narcan on college campuses.
When someone overdoses, every minute counts. And, sometimes it can take first responders anywhere from five to 30 minutes to arrive. In that critical gap – Gallinek founded Alert X to help solve the problem.
He imagined an app that would be pre-downloaded on the phones of all university students.
So, if a student stumbled upon someone overdosing on camps, or at an off-campus gathering they could call 911 and then click a button on the Alert X app.
“You go on the app, you press, ‘I need Narcan,’ and it’ll ping everyone in a close range, asking them, ‘Do you have access to Narcan on you?’” Gallinek explained. “It’s not a substitution for calling 911. It’s about getting help in those 10 to 12 minutes while waiting for emergency services.”
Despite its potential, Gallinek eventually decided to pull the plug on the project due to adaptation barriers. He had surveyed 30,000 college students, finding that only three percent carried Narcan—a small percentage. For him, it was proof that the idea was likely not feasible, at least in the short term.
Gallinek’s interest in emergency medicine isn’t new. In his high school in Charlotte, he participated in a program called “Explorers.” And, he pursued a track with Mecklenburg County EMS. The program allowed him to volunteer and shadow professionals in the field.
“I loved it. It made me want to become a paramedic,” he shared. “But, I’ve also always had this urge to go into business and build companies.”
In high school, he also launched several small ventures, from scuba diving in golf course ponds to retrieve and resell lost golf balls, to running a landscaping business, and even offering trash bin cleaning services.
Combining the two – Gallinek said his ideal outcome in the next five years would be to start his own business that has something to do with emergency healthcare and medicine. His main avenue to being chasing that dream is through involvement at the Anderson Center.
“Other than my dorm, it’s where I spend the most time,” he said. “The thing about the Anderson Center is that these students are here for more than just a business degree. They have passion, and being around that energy is exciting to me.”
With his passion for business and healthcare, Max Gallinek’s entrepreneurial journey is just beginning. In Knoxville, he is one to watch as he continues to build a future focused on making helping others.
Like what you've read?
Forward to a friend!