PYA Announces the 2nd Annual Ballard Innovation Award Competition

KNOXVILLE, Tenn., Jan. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PYA, a leading certified public accounting and professional services firm, is pleased to announce that applications will open January 12, 2022, for the Ballard Innovation Award. The annual award allows emerging companies to compete for a $50,000 investment of capital and in-kind services to support their emerging, innovative ideas. The award is the largest combination of cash and in-kind services available to East Tennessee start-ups.

"As we once again open the floor for entries for the Ballard Innovation Award, it is our goal to highlight and help East Tennessee entrepreneurs with supportive strategies that further their entrepreneurial efforts," said Marty Brown, President and CEO of PYA. "This award allows us to connect with those innovators to help them grow and thrive as an established part of our community."

One of PYA's core values is embraced in the word HELP, something that the 38-year old firm has demonstrated through its work with high-potential and innovative firms like those in the "Innovation Crossroads" program operated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory and the "Spark Innovation Center" at the University of Tennessee Research Park.

Interested entrepreneurs should complete the form found on the application page. Applicants are encouraged to submit videos, articles, multimedia presentations, or other supporting documentation.

The application deadline is February 9, 2022. Winners will be announced March 9, 2022.  

In its inaugural year, the Ballard Innovation Award first prize was presented to 490 BioTech. The company has developed bioluminescent technologies that enable new drugs to move more quickly through the pharmaceutical testing process. Eonix, LLC, a battery company, and Ascend Manufacturing, which works in 3D printing technology, placed second and third, respectively.

The award is named in honor of PYA's Chief Alliance Officer, Tom Ballard, who has spent decades working on creating relationships and supporting the East Tennessee region's entrepreneurial community. He is also the publisher of Teknovation.biz, which focuses on innovation, technology, and entrepreneurship. The publication recently launched Teknovation Weekend, which focuses on more traditional business news.

About PYA

For more than 35 years, PYA, a national professional services firm providing management consulting and accounting, has helped its clients navigate and derive value amid complex challenges related to regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, governance, business valuations and fair market value assessments, multi-unit business and clinical integrations, best practices, tax and assurance, business analysis, and operations optimization. 

PYA was named one of America's Best Tax and Accounting Firms of 2022 in the Forbes annual list. PYA consistently is ranked among the Top 20 healthcare consulting firms in the U.S. by Modern Healthcare. PYA is also ranked by INSIDE Public Accounting as one of the Top 100 largest accounting firms in the U.S. Additionally, PYA has been consistently voted a "Top Workplace." PYA's affiliated companies offer clients professional real estate development and advisory resources for healthcare providers and wealth management and retirement plan administration.

PYA assists clients in all 50 states from offices in Atlanta, Helena, Kansas City, Knoxville, Nashville, and Tampa.

SOURCE PYA