On Friday, November 21st, a packed crowd of nearly 300 people gathered at Service Brewing Company to watch the next generation of Savannah’s innovators live on stage at the LIFTOFF Pitch Event.

The evening was the first day of Startup Savannah’s two-day showcase event for the graduates of their entrepreneurial accelerator programs, SPARK Savannah and LAUNCH Savannah. 17 entrepreneurs took the stage at Service Brewing, pitching their business in under 3 minutes to a crowd of enthusiastic community members.

Maebelle Alolong, founder of The Narra Tree and Silk Route Restaurant & Lounge, stood out to judges Roger Moss, President of the SCCPSS, Madison Jarvis of the Georgia Center of Innovation, and successful entrepreneur Meredith Stone, and took home the top pitch competition prize: services from J&S Accounting, a month of membership to The Malin Savannah, and $500 in cash, courtesy of the Savannah Economic Development Authority.

“We are beaming with pride for these amazing entrepreneurs,” said Startup Savannah Executive Director Nick Palumbo. “This is what happens when Savannah invests in its innovators. These graduates aren't just starting businesses; they're building our city's economic future.”

LIFTOFF 2025 is presented by Service Brewing Company, and also made possible by the sponsorship of WSAV, the Georgia Center of Innovation, Georgia Power, The Malin Savannah, Sterling Seacrest Partners, and Thomas & Hutton. The SPARK Savannah program was facilitated and taught by Startup Savannah and hosted at the Savannah College of Art and Design’s Deloitte Foundry. LAUNCH Savannah was facilitated by the City of Savannah’s Economic Development Department and taught by Startup Savannah, with scholarship support provided by the Small Business Assistance Corporation.

The second day of LIFTOFF will be a Vendor Market on Saturday, November 21st. The accelerator graduates will be vending from 12-4PM, back at Service Brewing, and the community is encouraged to come out and directly support these local small businesses.