You may have heard of the  TAG/GRA Business Launch Competition.  That little thing where the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) join forces (along with the help of ATDC) to support the creation and growth of new startups in Georgia via a competition.  Where the contest winner receives a $100,000 cash award courtesy of the GRA and a diverse array of services valued at an additional $200,000.

It’s back.

Tell ya another secret.

That little snippet on where the judging process is explained that says “preliminary judges led by ATDC and supplemented with industry, investment and entrepreneurial representatives will complete the first step in the judging and select a group of semi-finalists.”  I coordinate all that.  Makes me feel real powerful.  A master of the universe.

Not.

But what it does do is put me the center of things during the early stages of the contest and that is pretty fun and exciting.  Last year I got a peek into about 80 startups.  This year I expect to see an exciting new crop of companies.  I also get to recruit those “industry, investment and entrepreneurial representatives” so if you have an interest in lending a hand I am all ears.

Things kick off this year on January 8 at 7:30 am at the TAG/ATDC Entrepreneurs Society monthly gathering.  Past winners REACH Call, IVOX, and Acculynk will give brief presentations.  Then we are going to do a little Q&A and explain the details of the 2009 competition.  I get to moderate which should be fun as well.

If you are an entrepreneur looking to enter the competition for a shot at the $100k in cash I would show up.  $100k in cash is going to be very dear to an early stage startup in 2009.