Company Lab gets ready for 48 Hour Tech launch

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – Get ready for the Company Lab’s annual 48 Hour Tech Launch business hackathon.

48Hour Launch: The internet of things happens this weekend.

It’s an annual event that challenges teams of entrepreneurs and specialists to spend 48 hours transforming a startup concept into a viable business model or prototype.

Organizers say representatives from Mozilla and National Science Foundation are flying in from all over the country to mentor this year’s teams.

It all kicks off Friday at 6 p.m. on the fifth floor of the Edney Innovation Center in Chattanooga.

The top scoring teams win a combined $2,000 in cash prizes.

About 48Hour Launch:

Established in 2009, 48Hour Launch is the area’s leading event for new startup development. Over the last six years, the program has engaged approximately 150 annual participants, activated a total of 56 projects that raised a combined $3.7 million in capital, and connected teams with free local business services valued at more than $50,000. A number of major local entrepreneurial successes have grown out of 48Hour Launch, including Quickcue – a guest management platform that sold for $11.5 million in 2013 – as well as Chatype, The Society of Work and The UNFoundation.

About The Company Lab:

The Company Lab exists to support the startup community in Chattanooga and the surrounding region through programs, events and services. Operating under the believe that entrepreneurial thinking is the foundation of our community’s future, CO.LAB has devised a system to foster the startup spirit, which can be used as a model for entrepreneurial communities across the nation.