For immediate release
Sept. 26, 2023
5 Tennessee companies pitched top VCs at 3686 pitch competition
Nashville, TN — Five startups from across the state pitched last week at the 10th annual 3686 Entrepreneurship Festival’s Startup Pitch Competition, hosted by InvestTN.
“This year’s lineup of startups demonstrated Tennessee’s growing and highly dynamic startup ecosystem,” said Monique Villa, Chief Investment Officer at LaunchTN managing the new $70M InvestTN fund. “From medical devices to a new social app to vertical software, Tennessee is seeing growth across industries.”
All-star judges from across the U.S. voted for 1st place and runner-up winners of the Startup Pitch Competition, assessing startups based on key components of their presentation. This year’s judges include Ansley Carlisle (Mark Cuban Companies), Christina Sass (Dive In), Hunter Hillenmeyer (Company Ventures) and Michael Li (NEA).
Nashville-based VetVerifi took home 1st-place bragging rights, while Memphis-based SweetBio was named a runner up.
Presenting startups gained visibility and exposure by taking the stage in front of an audience of hundreds of potential investors, customers, and supporters.
In addition to the notoriety and connections that come from participating in a pitch competition, the five startups are eligible to receive a $150,000 investment from InvestTN, pending further review from Launch Tennessee’s capital team. These funds are made possible through LaunchTN’s partnership with theCO, based in Jackson.
This year’s Startup Pitch Competition finalists are:
- ATS Innovations (Shelbyville, TN): Offers customers a glove that combines two therapies for arthritis
- Giggs (Nashville, TN): A centralized hub where touring professionals, production companies, and other music industry professionals can connect, collaborate, and discover opportunities
- Potluck (Nashville, TN): Next-gen party planning app that simplifies the process of figuring out who’s bringing what
- SweetBio (Memphis, TN): Wound care including collagen + Manuka honey products
- VetVerifi (Nashville, TN): VetVerifi enables instant, verified proof of vaccination for pets, better connecting veterinarians with their pet care partners, from pet services to emergency to housing
About LaunchTN
Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN) is a public-private partnership uniquely positioned to cultivate and support collaboration among founders, investors, the private sector, institutions, and government. We support Tennessee’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by coordinating resources, advancing capital access, and empowering our Network Partners and multiple stakeholders throughout the state to activate inclusive and sustainable economic growth in Tennessee.
