Experience the Night

NEXT Awards and Entrepreneurs’ Hall of Fame is entrepreneurship’s biggest night to honor the up and comers, the game-changers and those that have left a legacy in their wake.

Hosted by Nashville Entrepreneur Center as a signature fundraising event, the night celebrates exceptional businesses across Middle Tennessee.

Watch the Night Unfold

And the Winners are…

The 2025 NEXT Awards honored companies across six industry categories, with each category having two awards—one for the Startup stage and one for the Growth stage. Additionally, two individual awards were presented, one in each stage.

Watch the Winners’ Backstage Interviews

Startup Entrepreneur: Dr. Edmund Jackson, UnityAI
Growth Entrepreneur: Penny Austermiller, Austermiller Roofing and Construction
Darrell Freeman Award: Mignon Francois, The Cupcake Collection
David H. Furse Mentor Award: Chris Sloan, Baker Donelson
Music, Sports, Gaming and Entertainment – Startup: Brandwood Global, Inc.
Music, Sports, Gaming and Entertainment – Growth: mtheory
Products and Services – Startup: Daily Crunch
Products and Services – Growth: FortyAU
Financial Services – Startup: Upside Guaranty
Financial Services – Growth: Continuum Planning Partners
Hospitality and Retail – Startup: virsitour
Hospitality and Retail – Growth: Rolled 4 Ever Ice Cream
Real Estate and Construction – Startup: Your Pros
Real Estate and Construction – Growth: Holladay Ventures
Healthcare – Startup: Agentis Longevity
Healthcare – Growth: DYNTL

Three Legends Join the Hall of Fame

Nashville honors the builders who created the foundation for everyone else.

Watch their Acceptance Speeches

Manuel Cuevas: The Man Who Dressed Nashville’s Music Legends
Mark Deutschmann | The Real Estate Visionary Who Saw Nashville’s Future and Made it Better
At 90, Rosetta Miller-Perry Is Still Improving Nashville