Greater Georgia Gathers Together at Entrepreneurial Event in Tech Square
Focused on connecting student founders and industry experts through a celebration of innovation and creativity, we teamed up with our long-time student partner, Startup Exchange (SX), to host an evening centered around entrepreneurship, education, and enlightening experiences.
Boasting over 450 attendees, SX Summit ATL Spring 2023 provided participants the opportunity to learn from leaders in venture management, gain access to startups, and connect with student founders. Via a booth expo-style setup, people came from Georgia Tech (GT), Georgia State University (GSU), Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), University of Georgia (UGA), Emory University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College to meet one another and learn more about their entrepreneurial experiences.
Formally kicking off the event was Kabir Barday, Founder and CEO of OneTrust. He took the stage to talk about his time at Georgia Tech and share his journey around building and expanding his company, which was the number one fastest-growing company on the Inc. 500 in 2020.
Dylan Cooper, SVP of PrizePicks, took the stage next, discussing his pivotal role in the early growth of the largest fantasy sports platform in North America.
Immediately following was the pitch competition, where five Start Exchange teams, via their incubator program, presented their business idea in front of three investor judges for cash prizes.
The judges included:
Donnie Beaver, Senior Tech Advisor to Mayor Andre Dickens
Scott Lopano, Principal at Tech Square Ventures
Nouf Al Soghyar, Partner at Contrary Capital
The winning teams would receive the following:
1st place = $25,000 investment
2nd place = $15,000 investment
3rd place = $10,000 investment
Metzev, which gives electric vehicle (EV) batteries a second life, in an attempt to make the industry more sustainable, was awarded first place that evening, taking home the grand cash prize of $25,000!
Afterward, attendees mixed and mingled with others and event sponsors, which included Fusen World, CREATE-X, Tech Square Ventures, Georgia Tech High Impact Learning Initiatives, and Celsius.
Have you ever participated in a pitch competition? Let us know in the comments below.