Andrew Baxter | WannaBet
Andrew Baxter joined the first Avante cohort with a bold idea: make betting fun, social, and accessible. His startup, WannaBet, is a community betting app designed for friends to place small wagers on everyday
Recognizing that traditional sports betting can feel intimidating and requires a lot of outside knowledge, Andrew set out to build a platform that’s easy to use and grounded in friendly competition. After six weeks in the Avante program, Andrew took home first place and a $1,500 prize in the pitch competition.
Cornell Monteith | Terra Nova 8
Cornell saw a pressing issue in his East Tennessee community–homelessness. Cornell is tackling it with his non-profit, Terra Nova 8, which creates tiny house homesteads that provide people with safe, affordable places to live. His project goes beyond housing, including a community garden, job training programs, solar panels, and rain water harvesting systems.
With a background in construction, Cornell brings practical skills and a passionate belief that everyone deserves a place to live. His innovative approach earned him second place and a $1,000 prize in the Avante pitch competition.
Paishence Williams | Johnson City Social Club
Paishence Williams is an LA transplant and the founder of the Johnson City Social Club. Seeing how disconnected millennials were, she decided to ditch dating apps and bring people together in real life. Through curated events like singles mixers, ladies’ nights, and coed networking socials, Paishence is creating authentic spaces for connection. Her hard work paid off when she won third place and a $500 prize.
Sarah O'Leary, Mural Artist
Sarah O’Leary is starting a mural business aimed at bringing more beauty and vibrancy to Johnson City, TN. She believes that art has the power to support small businesses by giving people a reason to step inside and experience their spaces. Sarah has already completed several public murals around town and the community is excited to see more of her colorful, inspiring work brighten up local streets. Her vision is to create not just art, but a stronger connection between businesses and the people they serve.
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