Brentwood Academy Hosts The Patton Foundation’s “Shark Tank”-Style Competition

Announcing Top Young Entrepreneurs

Brentwood, TN, October 30, 2024 – The Patton Foundation, led by founder Spencer Patton, hosted its highly anticipated “Shark Tank”-style Entrepreneurial Grant Challenge at Brentwood Academy, where three winners were awarded grants to fuel their innovative business ideas. The event’s finalists included Mitchell Dunn, Zoe O’Cull, William Matheny, London Bironas, Andrew Gardner, and Mckenna Watkins.

Each finalist had 10 minutes to pitch their business concept to a panel of seasoned entrepreneurs, followed by a five-minute Q&A session. The audience, filled with friends, family, and sponsors, cheered on as the finalists presented their visions to make a lasting impact.

The Winners and Their Innovations:

• First Place – Andrew Gardner secured the $5,000 grand prize for Blindspot, an app designed to help users navigate and limit media bias.

• Second Place – McKenna Watkins was awarded $2,500 for Savor Score, a free recipe-sharing platform tailored for busy food lovers to discover recipes and connect with a like-minded community.

• Third Place – London Bironas earned the $1,000 grant for Demi-Guard, a security alert system specially crafted for the hearing impaired.

The Patton Foundation Entrepreneurial Grant Challenge (PFEC) supports aspiring young entrepreneurs with access to workshops, coaching, and networking opportunities, inspiring Tennessee’s youth to build entrepreneurial skills and innovate within their communities.

For more information on PFEC and upcoming events, visit spencerpatton.com/foundation.