DALTON, Ga. — After receiving more than 60 applications from entrepreneurs, business and community leaders in Dalton have announced the three finalists for the inaugural PitchDIA competition.

• Expedition Outside (Ex Out): Ex Out proposes an electronic marketplace to match rural and suburban landowners with recreational land users seeking to engage with nature. The founders’ goal is to address the increasing disconnect between our population and their environment.

• K12 Logistics: K12 Logistics is a platform that intends to transform the way educational attainment and standards are designed, implemented and measured. The specific focus of this venture is the acquisition of essential skills and progress along the pyramid of intervention.

• Le-Glue: Le-Glue is a revolutionary product; a patented, non-permanent glue for building blocks, allowing for reusability when immersed in water. Le-Glue has been well publicized recently and is already well on its way to success, but the founders see the benefit in progressing through the pitch, mentoring and accelerator process.

The winning team takes home $5,000 cash and more than $15,000 worth of services. Prizes will also be awarded for the second and third place teams. All of the finalists will be offered space in northwest Georgia’s first accelerator program, the Dalton Innovation Accelerator (DIA). Investors will also be in attendance at PitchDIA.

DIA was founded in 2017 by an association of entrepreneurs, professionals and community leaders, aimed at furthering entrepreneurial growth in the Dalton-Whitfield County area.

“Greater Dalton has always had a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and both the number of applications we received and the strength of the ideas bear that out,” said Barry Slaymaker, director of strategy for Dalton-based Barrett Properties and a co-founder of the DIA. “We were all very impressed. PitchDIA is going to be a very exciting event.”

Stacey Roach, chief operating officer of Dalton-based IT firm Inventure IT and a co-founder of the DIA, added, “It was really difficult to narrow the competition down to three finalists. We had so many great business ideas that the debate got a little intense at times. The quality and passion over these businesses just highlights that our community is an entrepreneurial hotbed.”

Allyson Coker, Believe Greater Dalton project manager, said, “Reigniting our entrepreneurial spirit is one of the six pillars of Believe Greater Dalton. PitchDIA has already proven that spirit is alive and well, and we’re excited about continuing to emphasize its importance in making Greater Dalton a great place to live, work and play.”

Believe Greater Dalton is a public-private partnership of the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce and local governments aimed at implementing a five-year strategic plan for Dalton and Whitfield County.

PitchDIA is Tuesday, May 15, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Stage 123 in downtown Dalton. The event will be preceded by a block party at 5 p.m. in the 100 block of Gordon Street. PitchDIA is a free event and the public is encouraged to attend.

Dalton Innovation Accelerator and PitchDIA partners include:

Advanced Insurance Strategies

Barrett Properties

Believe Greater Dalton

Dalton State College

Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce

Inventure IT

Luna

The Minor Firm

Morehouse Group