Haslam College of Business - Vol Court Speaker Series and Pitch Competition Kicks Off January 31

UT students, faculty, and staff, as well as members of the local community, are encouraged to pitch their business ideas at Vol Court, a semiannual pitch competition and speaker series run by the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in UT’s Haslam College of Business.

The series begins January 31. Winners may receive up to $1,500 in prize money and space in the UT Research Foundation Business Incubator as well as legal and accounting services.

The series and competition are open to the public. There is no charge to participate in the event, and anyone interested in entrepreneurship is invited to attend.

Designed to introduce participants to entrepreneurship, the series provides a starting point to help advance business ideas into reality. The spring 2018 series includes five interactive entrepreneurial speaker sessions with local entrepreneurs and UT faculty.

“We’re excited to introduce fresh topics and new speakers this semester,” Shawn Carson, Vol Court director, said. “The spring lineup is packed with opportunities to learn from experienced entrepreneurs.”

New sessions include “Funding Continuum for Startups” and “The Art of Entrepreneurial Storytelling.” Participants will learn how funding sources change during the different stages of a growing business and how to effectively share information about a new business.

The program culminates on March 7 in a pitch competition where attendees put what they’ve learned into practice. All pitch competition participants are eligible for cash prizes awarded to first-, second-, and third-place winners.

Vol Court meets from 5:15 to 6:15 p.m. every Wednesday from January 31 through March 7 in the Haslam Business Building, 1000 Volunteer Blvd. All meetings will be held in Room 104.

Anyone who plans to participate in the March 7 pitch competition must attend four of the five speaker sessions listed below:

• January 31: Opportunity Identification and Validation
• February 7: Getting to Your Market
• February 14: The Funding Continuum
• February 21: The Art of Entrepreneurial Storytelling
• February 28: Preparing Your Pitch

Vol Court is made possible by donated funds and services from sponsors including PYA, Morehous Legal Group, 3 Roots Capital, the UT Research Foundation, and other local businesses.

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CONTACT:

Carrie McCamey (865-974-5126, cbaker14@utk.edu)

Tyra Haag (865-974-5460, tyra.haag@tennessee.edu)