Entrepreneur Center names finalists for NEXT Awards

Ceremony will be held Oct. 21 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center

The Nashville Entrepreneur Center has announced the finalists for the 2024 NEXT Awards, which will be held Oct. 21 at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.

The NEXT Awards recognizes entrepreneurs who are transforming industries and strengthening the Middle Tennessee community and beyond.

"We're excited to bring the entrepreneurial community together for a night of recognition and celebration," Sam Davidson, Nashville Entrepreneur Center CEO, said in a release. "This event honors the past and current innovators, risk-takers, and visionaries who shape our city and industry's future."

Businesses from several industry categories will be represented, including health care, financial services, music, sports, gaming and entertainment, products and services, real estate and construction, and hospitality and retail.

Finalists in this year's industry awards are as follows:

Health care

● Startup: Life Coordinated, Local Infusion, VantageHealth

● Growth: Blessed Beginnings, Psych Hub, Thalamus

Financial Services

● Startup: Hilum Capital, inRev, Raise Financial

● Growth: Celero Commerce, Wealth Access, Wilmoth Financial

Music, Sports, Gaming and Entertainment

● Startup: Absolutely Ridiculous, Affinity Entertainment, Tennessee Voice Over Studios

● Growth: Orange Thread Live, Single, Soundstripe

Products and Services

● Startup: Flora, HeroWear, Tiny Mighty Communications

● Growth: Covert Results, Pivot Technology School, Redwood Literacy

Real Estate and Construction

● Startup: Ojas Partners, Populace Community Strategy, Urban Campus and Core

● Growth: Eshelman Construction, Grade A Construction, Sagemont Real Estate

Hospitality and Retail

● Startup: Creative Soulz Printing, Killjoy, The Modern Dog Company

● Growth: D'Andrews Bakery & Café, The Cordelle, The Nashville Black Market

Two innovative founders across all industries also will receive NEXT Awards: the Startup Entrepreneur of 2024 Award (given to entities fewer than five years in business) and Growth Entrepreneur of 2024 Award (more than five years in business).

Startup Entrepreneur of 2024

● Woody Baum, Local Infusion

● Jennifer Horne, Urban Campus and Core

● Paul Oakley, Tiny Mighty Communications

Growth Entrepreneur of 2024

● Kate Feriante, Redwood Literacy

● Angela Lee, Blessed Beginnings

● Rachelle Reigard, Grade A Construction