Meet the founders who will pitch at the Innov865 Week Startup Day event!
The annual event will be hosted at the Mill and Mine on Tuesday, October 1st.
The Innov865 Alliance announced the nine entrepreneurs who will take the stage on October 1 to pitch their businesses during the highly anticipated 2024 Startup Day.
It is the flagship event of the annual Innov865 Week, where investors, business leaders, ecosystem partners, and the general community can see, experience, and appreciate the hard work of our region’s entrepreneurs. This year’s pitch event will be hosted at the Mill and Mine in downtown Knoxville.
Six of the founders selected to pitch are established start-ups, and three are emerging start-ups from recent graduates and current students at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK).
Each of the start-ups will pitch its ideas to a live audience and a panel of judges, competing for the “Judges’ Choice Award” from the Innov865 Alliance and the “Crowd Favorite Award” sponsored by Three Roots Capital and Carrasco Trump PLLC, with a total of $15,000 in cash prizes.
Additionally, the three emerging entrepreneurs will compete for $2,500 to support their ventures and kickstart their companies.
“We are excited to unveil this exceptional group of entrepreneurs for Startup Day,” said Knoxville Entrepreneur Center’s Chief Experience Officer, Chris McAdoo. “This week truly embodies Knoxville’s entrepreneurial spirit. We invite everyone to be part of this engaging experience, connect with leading developers, and discover the transformative potential of our local talent.”
Meet the Six Startup Founders
Algaeo – Mayra Roman-Rivera, Chief Learning Officer (CLO)
Algaeo develops hardware that enables farmers to produce sustainable, efficient, and organic fertilizers on-site using microalgae and artificial intelligence. The technology reduces fertilizer costs, enhances crop yield and quality, and improves soil health for future growing seasons.
Algaeo was a participant in the Spark Cleantech Accelerator program at the UT Research Park at Cherokee Farms, and the Founder of Algaeo, Nikolas Sokol was recently selected to participate in the next cohort of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s “Innovation Crossroads” program. Read more about Algaeo here.
Aunthentrics.AI – John Derrick, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Authentrics.AI offers software through both Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and enterprise licenses, providing unique insights and control over artificial intelligence (AI) systems. Its solutions enhance quality, efficiency, and compliance in high-trust markets such as finance, healthcare, insurance, and government.
Authentrics.AI was also a participant in the 2024 PYA Ballard Innovation Award and one of the first investments for Market Square Ventures. Additionally, Derrick is a current participant in the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center (KEC)’s “THE WORKS” accelerator. Read more about Authentrics.AI here.
HumanAI – Preston Garland, Co-Founder and CEO
HumanAI enhances small businesses’ promotional activities using a proprietary system that blends advanced AI technology with human expertise. The company creates and refines high-quality content across blogging, advertising, medical reporting, and storytelling.
HumanAI was also the winner of the 2024 “What’s the Big Idea?” competition, hosted by the KEC, and is a current participant in KEC’s “THE WORKS” accelerator. Read more about HumanAI here.
Loop – Luke Wiseman, Co-Founder and CEO
Loop integrates with organizations’ existing systems to streamline data extraction and ensure that information reaches the appropriate stakeholders reliably and efficiently.
Loop was also a participant in the 2023 cohort of KEC’s “THE WORKS” accelerator. Read more about Loop here.
Perseus Materials – Dan Lee, Co-Founder and CEO
Perseus Materials creates on-site manufacturing technology to make strong, lightweight building materials that can replace steel and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. Perseus constructs large structures like buildings, bridges, and wind turbines.
Perseus Materials was also a part of cohort 7 for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s “Innovation Crossroads” program. Read more about the company here.
Safire Technology Group, Inc. – Andrew Hanna, Chief Product Officer
Safire Technology Group Inc. is advancing battery safety with innovative liquid-to-solid electrolyte additives for Lithium-ion batteries. These additives prevent fires and explosions during crashes or impacts and protect against projectiles.
Safire Technology Group Inc. was also the winner of the 2024 PYA Ballard Innovation Award. Read more about Safire Technology Group Inc. here.
Meet the Three Emerging Startup Founders
For the first time, this year’s event includes an Emerging Entrepreneur pitch competition for students and new graduates, organized by the University of Tennessee Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. The emerging entrepreneur pitchers are:
AluminAiry – Colt Griffith, Co-Founder, and Chief Technology Officer (CTO)
AluminAiry develops aluminum-air batteries for electric vehicles (EVs) using recyclable aluminum and air. These batteries offer significantly higher energy density than Li-ion batteries, enhancing EV range and reducing recharge times, making them scalable for widespread use. The company has also been accepted in the upcoming cohort for the Spark Cleantech Accelerator program at the UT Research Park at Cherokee Farms. Read more about AluminAiry.
Flock Analytics – Cody Blankenship, Founder
Flock Analytics offers a web-based platform that integrates with popular church management software, providing valuable insights into church health and performance. Users can track growth trends, visualize community impact, and make data-driven decisions to advance their church. The company has also won several pitch competitions at the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI), and is a current participant in KEC’s THE WORKS accelerator. Read more about Flock Analytics.
KnoxBots – Wesley Pitts, Co-President and Partner
KnoxBots specializes in Grounds Maintenance Automation (GMA) through specialized service models tailored specifically for commercial properties including golf courses, institutional settings, and government landscapes. The company has also won several pitch competitions at ACEI. Read more about KnoxBots here.
The Startup Day program also includes the Traction Award, presented by CGI, given to a Knoxville entrepreneur who has made significant progress with their business since pitching at Startup Day.
The Innov865 Alliance encourages all interested parties to attend Startup Day on Oct. 1 at The Mill and Mine in downtown Knoxville. The event is free and open to the public. Click here to register.
For more information on Innov865 Week and Startup Day, visit www.innov865.com.
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