One of ChaTech’s strategic priorities is to shine a spotlight on the innovative and potentially disruptive technologies that are being developed right in our backyard. These technologies, however, don’t pop up overnight. They require intense, long hours; investment of one’s own time and resources when success is not certain; excitement, vision, and loneliness in the face of taking risks. The Early Innovator Award (EIA) recognizes these innovators in their early stages (companies generating up to $50,000 in revenue). The EIA acknowledges the effort it takes to sustain focus in the face of these challenges. It honors an emerging technology-based company with a prototype product, a new process, or early-stage software application with the potential for a significant competitive advantage or groundbreaking disruption in its field. In partnership with the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, ChaTech and the Early Innovate Award committee celebrates local innovation.
How to apply:
- Nominate your or someone else’s innovation using the nomination form
- If you are nominating yourself, continue and complete the application form
- If you are nominating someone else, we will send an email invitation to complete the application
If the company generates more than $50,000 in revenue, please apply for the Spirit of Innovation award here.
The winner of the EIA award finalists receive:
- Free tickets to the Chattanooga Chamber’s Spirit of Innovation award ceremony.
- A downloaded copy of the video made about all the finalists. A company’s raw footage can be provided upon request.
- Media exposure. Previous EIA award winners have been featured in local and regional media.
The EIA has been awarded to some of Chattanooga’s most innovative businesses. They include Branch Technology, Feetz, Tricycle Inc., Variable, and Collider.
2018 Finalists:
Security Centres International: nominated for their collapsible, 26-foot-tall mobile tower for security in many settings. This was used at Riverbend this year; however, the tower made its debut in the Cayman Islands. Chattanooga is the US base where the tower made its debut.
LIT Devices, LLC: nominated for the Lung Isolation Tube (LIT), a device that will treat pneumothorax and tensions-pneumothorax in the field of emergency medicine by isolating the effected lung. The inventor, Caleb Sutherland, is a student entrepreneur at Southern Adventist University.
Culture Audio: nominated for their Culture V1 noise cancelling headphones. Lab tests show the V1 (priced at $150) cancels ambient noise as effectively as the leading Bose product ($350). In addition, they incorporate innovative features including auto pause and swipe technology that will raise the bar for user expectations