Haslam College of Business - Influencer Marketing Application Wins UT Entrepreneurship Competition

The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Haslam College of Business hosted the Spring 2026 Vol Court Reverse Pitch Competition on February 18.

The Vol Court Reverse Pitch Competition flips the traditional format by having established Knoxville-area entrepreneurs pitch their companies to UT students rather than students pitching to judges.The format gives aspiring student founders firsthand insight into what makes a compelling pitch before they engage in their own competition.

Competition Winner: Partnerly

Students selected Partnerly, an influencer marketing platform founded by current M.S. in Marketing student Blake Hopkins (HCB, ’25), as the winning company. Partnerly helps brands accelerate influencer campaigns and reduce the financial risk of paying for undelivered content.

According to Hopkins, the competition is one of the many ways UT and the ACEI help the entrepreneurial community.

“The Anderson Center is always thinking of new ways to better serve entrepreneurs,” he says. “When I was an undergraduate student at UT, one of my favorite parts of Vol Court was hearing from the businesses, so I’m glad the Anderson Center is keeping that a core part of the event.  I sat exactly where the students did just over two years ago, so it was great to come full circle and participate as a business this time.”

Innovative Competitors

AdditionalReverse Pitch Competitionbusinesses includedout B-Roll Bank, founded by Jonathan Halley (HCB, ’13); Lush Drop Beverage Co, founded by Nick Devore and Chelsea Rusche (HCB, ’10); Modern Working Moms founded by Kimberly O’Neal; and Witching Hour, founded by Lance Adler. Learn more about the businesses below:

• B-Roll Bank, Jonathan Halley

B-Roll Bank helps production companies organize, categorize and monetize their video content libraries. Halley launched B-Roll Bank to the public in November 2025 after using it internally for three years.

• Lush Drop Beverage Co., Chelsea Rusche and Nick Devore

Lush Drop is hydration beverage designed for athletes. It uses coconut water from a highly sought-after variety to deliver electrolytes and hydration without the excessive sodium of most sports drinks.

• Modern Working Moms, Kimberly O’Neal

O’Neal founded Modern Working Moms to stay professionally active while being present for her children, and to help other mothers do the same. The platform connects skilled mothers with remote work opportunities and has an 88 percent success rate in placing members in work-from-home positions.

• Witching Hour, Lance Adler

Witching Hour is a drone-based solution that insulates high fire-risk power lines for utility companies. The technology, which only Witching Hour offers, provides a long-term fix.

Students Take the Stage

The Reverse Pitch Competition is part of a larger experiential learning program. On February 25, students will have the chance to deliver 90-second pitches at the Vol Cour Pitch Night Competition, from 4-6 p.m. in SU 225. Participants will compete for a share of $3,000 in Roe Prize funding, provided by the Scott and Dianna Roe Foundation.

About the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The ACEI is the front door to entrepreneurship at UT. It connects Volunteers with the expertise, resources and collaborators at UT and across the regional ecosystem to advance ideas, tackle bold challenges and turn entrepreneurial ambition into results. At the ACEI, Volunteers are empowered to identify opportunities and take bold action to create value through new ventures. For more information, visit the ACEI webpage.

For more information and upcoming events, visit the ACEI event page.

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Author:

Allison Kelly, ACEI director of marketing, akelly9@utk.edu

Contact:

Leah McAmis, senior editor, leah@utk.edu