Business Chatt is please to announce the LinkedIn social networking event for entrepreneurs, professionals and the social media savvy. Wrapped in the event is “Will This Float?”, a live pitch competition where Scenic City emerging entrepreneurs put it all on the line for a chance to win $10,000 in cash and prizes to launch their idea.
Tickets are just $10, but limited in number. <—–Don’t miss out. Get yours now!
Presented by:
How do I submit my idea?
Fill out the application below
What is it?
Will This Float? is a celebration of the creative and entrepreneurial spirit of Chattanooga! We’ll have good food, good beer, good music and innovative start-up ideas. For the innovators who are chosen as the five finalists, they will have the stage for five minutes to tell the world (including start-up investors) why their concept is awesome.
When is it?
Tuesday, November 16th from 6:30 to 9+…also happens to be the first day of Global Entrepreneurship Week!
How much does it cost?
It’s $10 now ($15 at the door) and you can register here. First 50 registrants get free T-shirts! No cost to submit an idea.
Where is it?
The CampHouse on Chattanooga’s Southside.
Who is it for?
Anyone who enjoys hearing new ideas or meeting other creative and tech-minded people…and who also enjoys good food, music and beer.
How does it work?
Online submissions will be accepted until November 10th. A panel of judges will narrow the field to the top five. The five featured innovators will present their start-up concept in five minutes or less at the event. After the crowd hears some critical feedback from our panel of judges, we will “crowdsource” the voting to determine which idea FLOATs best. See below for FLOAT criteria.
What does the winner get?
The winner will receive a package of services from local companies with a total value of well over $10,000!
Services include:
20 hours of financial consultation from Henderson, Hutcherson & McCullough
10 hours of legal consultation from Miller & Martin
10 hours of marketing strategy consultation from ThreePoint Ventures
5 hours of business coaching provided by InnovateHere
Logo creation from TBD
What does it mean to FLOAT?
We are most interested in ideas in line with the flowing FLOAT criteria:
Few or no direct competitors (novel idea)
Low adoption/switching costs for users
On-time (timely entry to market)
Addresses unfilled need or want/solves a real problem (useful)
Target market is identified and large
Thank you to our sponsors
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I find this most interesting.
Yay! Thanks for picking a day and time when I can be there. I’ll bring somebody, too.
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Hope to see you there!
Glad you can make it. It will be epic
We’re supposed to buy/reserve tickets, but where? Am I blind?
Good question. You see just fine, but it is there maybe just a little innocuous. The word “tickets” in the first section is hyper-linked, but here it is again:
http://willthisfloat.eventsbot.com/
Nice. Looking forward to it. Always love such events.
Thanks – we’re looking forward to it too – and seeing you.
I am interested to see if it will float. See you there!
I just found out about the event through the WUTC web site Would it be possible to get in a late submission? My concept fits the criteria and my partner is very sound on the tech / networking side. I would be very grateful if you would allow a late submission.
Thanks, Neal
Sorry, the 5 ideas have already been announced. Recommend you come to the event to meet some key players, and get introduced to The Company Lab people.
LOVED, LOVED the event!! One suggestion
I think the panel of judges should be much more diverisfied. Mix it up with gender, race, age, occupation, etc. The judges were all males of the same race and same general age range. Other than that, well done! 
We really enjoyed out evening. It was quite motivating!
Jennifer – thanks so much for your feedback. We were very excited about the energy level at the venue. Without a doubt, people like you made the event extra special.
[...] of the Will This Float? social networking pitch competition held 11/16/10 in Chattanooga, TN. The event drew over 200 people from diverse business backgrounds, and kick started a number of connections [...]
I just found out about the event through the WUTC web site Would it be possible to get in a late submission? My concept fits the criteria and my partner is very sound on the tech / networking side. I would be very grateful if you would allow a late submission.
Priscilla – sorry you missed the event. Please check back for announcements on the 2011 version coming next year.
[...] to last November, Nopone was more idea than business. But at Will This Float?, Nathan Derrick’s concept of matching contractors and builders to local suppliers received [...]