Annual entrepreneurship festival puts the spotlight – and $60K in prizes – on empowering the next generation of innovators
Nashville, Tenn. – Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN), a public-private partnership that fosters entrepreneurship across the state, today announced a programming track dedicated to students and young startup founders at 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival.
36|86 is the South’s premier gathering of entrepreneurs, investors, and innovation-ecosystem builders. In 2018, the festival attracted more than 1,200 attendees from 33 states, including more than 200 investors. This year’s guests will have opportunities to engage with top speakers and innovators from across the country, along with enhanced options for networking and entertainment.
The marquee student event at 36|86 is the Student Edition Live Pitch, an entrepreneur showcase and pitch competition that gives Tennessee student founders a platform to access funding, resources, and marketing support. Finalists will compete Aug. 28 to win $60,000 in prizes.
Additional 36|86 Student Edition programs include:
- A panel featuring the entrepreneurial journeys of young founders like Sofia Tomov, a 16-year-old student who developed software that detects early signs of heart disease
- A discussion on programs that support students to become entrepreneurs or investors, with representatives from Venture for America, a fellowship program for recent college graduates who want to become startup leaders, and HBCUvc, a nonprofit that trains and prepares black students for careers in venture capital and tech
- A fireside chat with Zack Weiner, co-founder and president of Overtime, and one of his early investors discussing the failure of his first venture and the lessons learned from this experience
“Our festival is designed for everyone to make the connections and find the knowledge they need to succeed — from investors and entrepreneurs to executives and educators,” said Margaret Dolan, President and CEO of LaunchTN.
“We’re excited to offer programming that features some of the brightest minds pioneering the next wave of entrepreneurship. Our Student Edition programming centers on young entrepreneurs, but the lessons and experience are applicable to anyone building a new company or seeking to grow their startup ecosystem.”
Powered by LaunchTN, 36|86 delivers actionable programming to help businesses at all levels scale. The festival runs Aug. 28-29 across five venues in downtown Nashville. For more information and to purchase a ticket, visit attend3686.com.
About Launch Tennessee
Launch Tennessee is a public-private partnership that supports entrepreneurs from ideation to exit, guided by a vision of making Tennessee the most startup-friendly state in the nation. Partnering with Entrepreneur Centers in six regions, Launch Tennessee creates collaboration among entrepreneurs, the private sector, capital sources, institutions, and government to offer entrepreneurs what they need to succeed and stay in Tennessee to build companies and create jobs. Visit LaunchTN.org to discover what makes Tennessee a great state for startups.
