TAG and Local Partners to offer $50,000 Cash Prize for 9th Annual Business Launch Competition
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) January 31, 2014 -- The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), with Venture Atlanta and Metro Atlanta Chamber, announced today that they are accepting applications for the 9th Annual TAG Business Launch Competition. The program aims to support the creation and growth of new companies that will strengthen and expand Georgia's strategic high-tech clusters. Applicants will be invited to attend a February 17th "meet and greet" with judges, mentors, and investors. Last year, more than 65 companies applied to compete in this prestigious competition.
"Venture Atlanta is very pleased to partner with TAG on the Business Launch. The event is truly a fantastic opportunity for young entrepreneurs to propel their business in the right direction," said Allyson Eman, Executive Director of Venture Atlanta. "It is critical for organizations like us to support the community and help Georgia companies grow. "
"We are pleased to participate in the TAG 2014 Business Launch Competition, which is directly in line with our strategic objectives of supporting metro Atlanta's entrepreneurial ecosystem and the startup community," said Katie Kirkpatrick, senior vice president of Business Higher Education at the Metro Atlanta Chamber. "This competition supports the innovation coming out of our universities and the talent of our entrepreneurs. Linking TAG, Venture Atlanta and MAC together to take this business launch competition to a new level is helping fill a great funding need and will help Georgia companies grow."
The 2014 winner, who will be decided at the May finale event, will take home $50,000 in cash and a package of strategic business services. The competition boasts $400,000 in total prize packages and is designed to reward high-tech entrepreneurship and assure a deserving Georgia startup company has everything in place to be successful. "Each year, the Business Launch Competition showcases some of Georgia's brightest startup technology firms," said Tino Mantella, TAG President and CEO. "We enjoy the opportunity to help build these businesses' foundation and help propel them into the technology community."
The TAG Business Launch 2014 will invite entries in the area of Information Technologies. This includes software and hardware companies that are developing products, online services, or back-end technologies that simplify and extend the use of the internet.
Preliminary applications are due on February 11, 2014. This year qualified companies will receive mentors and be selected for the finals by a live pitch competition on March 18th. The finale event, to be held in May, will feature up to 8 companies pitching for $50,000 in cash and $350,000 in services.
For more information or to apply, please visit: http://www.tagonline.org/events/businesslaunch/.
About The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
TAG is the leading technology industry association in the state, serving more than 21,700 members through regional chapters in Metro Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Macon/Middle Georgia and Savannah.
TAG's mission is to educate, promote, and unite Georgia's technology community to foster an innovative and connected marketplace that stimulates and enhances a tech-based economy. The association provides networking and educational programs; celebrates Georgia's technology leaders and companies; and advocates for legislative action that enhances the state's economic climate for technology.
TAG hosts over 200 events each year and serves as an umbrella organization for 34 professional societies. Additionally, the TAG Education Collaborative (TAG's charitable arm) focuses on helping science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education initiatives thrive.
For more information visit the TAG website at http://www.tagonline.org or TAG's community website at http://www.TAGthink.com.
To learn about the TAG-Ed Collaborative visit http://www.tagedonline.org/.
Brandi white, Vayu Media, http://www.vayumedia.com, +1 404-348-7869, [email protected]
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