On Tuesday, April 5, 2022, Dell hosted the 2nd pitch competition as part of a 9-month pitch event tour that will lead up to a finale where more than $500k in cash prizes and Dell rewards will be awarded. While Austin may be Dell’s headquarters (and it’s first pitch event), Nashville is home to 1600+ Dell employees, and the EC is proud to be it’s second stop where the first place winner was awarded with $15k and second place was awarded $10k. The two winners will go on to compete in Dell’s national competition for a chance to win a grand prize of $100k.
Hosted at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center (the EC), CEO Jane Allen, opened the event with a warm welcome to Dell for their ongoing partnership with the EC in a mutual effort to support entrepreneurship in Nashville. Dell has a great story of entrepreneurship, “and Dell is paying it forward (to new entrepreneurs) and that’s what the EC was built on as well,” said Allen, “It’s the perfect partnership.”
Jeremy Raley, associate VP of programs introduced our judges:
- Jason Moore, CEO and founder of Stratasan
- Joy Patterson, program manager at Dell for Startups
- Steven Shipe, partner outreach manager at Dell for Startups
The pitch competition gave opportunities to eight founders, each of which would have a 3-minute presentation, followed by a 2-minute Q&A with the judges. The entrepreneurs included:
- Timothy Burkhead – All Access Advance
- Brandon Littleton – Bag Lady’s
- Antricia Gordon – Blipster VA
- Raven Hernandez – Earth Rides
- Garret Elmore – Haulee
- Luke Benda – Healing Innovations
- Felicia Evans – Reike Me with Fe
- Carlos Partee – The Nashville Black Market
AND THE WINNERS ARE:
Pictured left to right: Marcus Blair (Dell), Steven Shipe (Dell), Joy Patterson (Dell), Luke Benda (Healing Solutions), Brandon Littleton (Bag Lady’s), and Jason Moore (Stratasan)
First place taking home $15K, is Healing Innovations
Second place taking home $10K, Bag Lady’s
At the EC, we gave a $500 prize to the crowd favorite, Blipster VA
Congratulations to all the winners and a big thank you for Dell’s partnership with the EC and their efforts to support entrepreneurs.
