launch your idea into reality
Business Startup Competition
Congratulations to the 2019 Winners!
Congratulations to our PitchDIA 2019 winner, CritterBox!
Elite Lineman Training took second place and third place went to Musikbuk. All of the pitches were fantastic, and the crowd turnout was amazing. Thank you to everyone who participated and to everyone who attended!





Judges
DIA is pleased to announce the judges for this year’s Pitch DIA competition: Dr. Marilyn Helms of the Wright School of Business, Piet Dossche of US Floors, Jamie Hamilton of Atlanta Seed Co, and Santosh Sankar of Dynamo Ventures.
The selection committee for the Dalton Innovation Accelerator is pleased to announce the 2019 PitchDIA competition judges. The panel is composed of community leaders and organizers who will choose a pitch winner based on uniqueness of idea, financial viability, economic benefit to the larger regional area and opportunity for success.
Piet Dossche, President of USFloors & EVP, Hard Surface at Shaw Industries, started his career in the Flooring Industry in 1981 with the Beaulieu Group in Belgium and moved one year later to the UK where he became Managing Director of their UK manufacturing plant. In 1990, Dossche and his family moved to the United States where he would preside over several companies owned by Beaulieu of America, based in Dalton, GA. In 2001, Piet left Beaulieu of America and started USFloors Inc. During the past 14 years, USFloors has grown to become the floor covering industry leader in cork, bamboo, oiled finished hardwood floors and engineered LVT floors.
Jamie Hamilton, Managing Director of Atlanta Seed Co, is responsible for the formulation and implementation of the investment strategy. He has an extensive background in alternative investments, with a focus in early stage technology. Hamilton began his career with Capital Investments, Inc. (Member FINRA / SIPC) where he focused exclusively on private placements of equity for high net worth individuals. He has been a prolific early stage investor in Atlanta and while at Hamilton Ventures he invested in companies such as BrightWhistle, Pindrop Security and PlayON! Sports.
Santosh Sankar, Founding Partner of Dynamo Ventures, a Chattanooga-based early stage fund that invests in extraordinary founding teams building startups in supply chain and mobility. Prior to Dynamo, Santosh worked in investment banking and built two bootstrapped businesses prior to turning 21. Santosh is a proud graduate of Penn State University. He now lives in Chattanooga, TN with his wife, son, and two golden retrievers. He was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 List in 2017.
Dr. Marilyn Helms, Dean of the Wright School of Business, Holds a Doctorate of Business Administration Degree (as well as an M.B.A. and B.B.A.) from the University of Memphis (TN). She is a Certified Fellow in Production and Inventory Management (CFPIM), a Certified Integrated Resources Manager (CIRM), Certified in Logistics, Transportation, and Distribution (CLTD) and a Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) of the American Production and Inventory Control Society (APICS). She also holds the Certified Quality Management/Organizational Excellence from the American Society for Quality (ASQ).
We Believe in You.
Our region has a rich history of innovative entrepreneurship and we believe in paying it forward.
We believe in the innovation and entrepreneurship that thrives in our region.
We believe we can accelerate business growth by pairing new innovators with the community's seasoned entrepreneurs
We believe our mentorship process will create a strong foundation on which your business will thrive.
We believe that our investments will be the fuel your launch needs.
Awarded Prizes
Winners of PitchDIA 2019 will receive prizes valued at over $30,000!
- A cash award of $5,000
- Office space in Downtown Dalton – rent free for the first six months (provided by Barrett Properties)
- A quick start website package, including one year of free web hosting and up to 5 email accounts (provided by InventureIT)
- Up to 20 hours in technology consulting services (provided by InventureIT)
- Legal services, including LLC formation, operating agreement, lease agreement, and up to 10 hours of attorney services (provided by The Minor Firm)
- Accounting services (provided by the Morehouse Group)
- Free membership with the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce
- Checking Account and Business checks, as well as Financial and SBA Loan guidance (provided by BB&T)
- Logo design (provided by Luna Design)
- Marketing, Social Media, Accounting, and Strategic Planning guidance (provided by Dalton State College Wright School of Business)
- Guidance from and exposure to some of the community’s top entrepreneurs and professionals
- Free payroll services for up to 20 employees for 1 year (provided by Direct Paychecks, Inc)
- 2 years of free licensing for QuickBooks Online plus help with setup (provided by Marcelli Bookkeeping Services)
- A cash award of $500
- Office space in Downtown Dalton – rent free for the first six months (provided by Barrett Properties)
- A quick start website package, including one year of free web hosting (provided by InventureIT)
- Up to 8 hours in technology consulting services (provided by InventureIT)
- Legal services, including LLC formation, operating agreement, and lease agreement (provided by The Minor Firm)
- Guidance from and exposure to some of the community’s top entrepreneurs and professionals
- Free payroll services for up to 20 employees for 6 months (provided by Direct Paychecks, Inc)
- A cash award of $500
- A quick start website package, including one year of free web hosting (provided by InventureIT)
- Legal services, including LLC formation, operating agreement, and lease agreement (provided by The Minor Firm)
- Guidance from and exposure to some of the community’s top entrepreneurs and professionals
- Free payroll services for up to 20 employees for 3 months (provided by Direct Paychecks, Inc)
A message from our 2018 Pitch Winner
About Le-Glue
12-year-old Tripp Phillips won first place in the Innagural PitchDIA contest on May 15, 2018 by presenting Le-Glue—a non-permanent glue that binds LEGOs and other building blocks together without damaging them. Tripp proceeded to compete on the TV show Shark Tank, winning a deal with Kevin O’Leary for $80,000 in exchange for 25% of Le-Glue’s shares. Following the Shark Tank deal, Le-Glue was invited to exhibit at the 2019 New York Toy Fair. To learn more about Tripp’s great idea, please visit Le-Glue’s website.
Questions?
What is this PitchDIA competition?
PitchDIA is a competition for startup entrepreneurs in the Dalton area. The 2019 competition was held on October 8, 2019!
What is the Dalton Innovation Accelerator?
Is this competition right for my company or my idea?
How do I apply to the Pitch?
The application deadline for the 2019 competition has passed. Keep working on your idea and check back for instructions on applying for the 2020-2021 competition!
How will my pitch be evaluated?
Can you help me with my pitch or application?
Yes! Members of the DIA team will be available to meet with Semifinalists to discuss your pitch and presentation before the 2019 PitchDIA event.
What prizes will be awarded to the winners of the 2019 PitchDIA competition?
Winners of PitchDIA 2019 will receive prizes valued at over $30,000 and prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place teams. Details on each prize package are listed above in the Awarded Prizes section.