Brad Rogers, a fiber-optics technician with Adesta LLC, opens an optical network terminal at a Signal Mountain residence before connecting EPB television, internet and phone service.Chattanooga officials continued their push to rebrand Chattanooga as “Gig City” with a nationwide talent search for entrepreneurs and students who can create something that takes advantage of the fastest Internet speeds in the United States.
Up to 25 techies will compete for as much as $300,000 in cash and seed capital by building the best application for the city’s gigabit Internet speeds, currently available throughout the city.
Called the Gig Tank, the start-up accelerator is similar to the local 48-hour launch program, where entrepreneurs are pushed to flesh out an idea in a short length of time.
Participants in the contest will have access to Chattanooga’s gigabit network to test their ideas with real-world users, as well as access to a growing pool of developers, designers and investors.
The nation’s fastest Internet has been available in Chattanooga for more than a year to 150,000 homes covering 600 square miles, but few efforts to directly capitalize on the technology have emerged.