The winner in each city will then present to a panel of VIP judges in front of a live audience in Philadelphia. If applicants make it through the first round, they will present their plan to 3-5 judges at the regional qualifiers. The event has grown over the years, with sponsors, candidates and attendees coming from all over the country for the finals held in Philadelphia.Įligible Veterans must submit a business plan as part of the application. The Veteran Shark Tank was created in 2012 as a way to promote and assist Veterans who are starting or growing their own businesses. Sometimes all it takes is a little bit of capital to help a concept flourish, and this committee is searching for one Veteran to give a jump start.”

“As Veterans, we inherently have the drive, determination, and perseverance to put a plan into action and make it successful. I’ve also been a part of every aspect of the Veteran Shark Tank competition, so I know exactly what to look for in a winner,” said Flanagan. “I understand what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur because I lived it by building JDog Brands.

Jerry will sit among other celebrity guest judges from the Veteran business community. He was a Veteran Shark Tank contestant in 2014 and served as a mentor the following three years. Jerry Flanagan, an Army Veteran and the co-founder and CEO of JDog Brands, a Veteran and military family owned franchise organization, has been selected as a VIP judge again this year. The winner will also gain access to a vast Veteran network as they create or expand their business. This competition will ultimately award one winner $50,000 to pursue their dream business. The selected Veterans will then go head-to-head during the finals in Philadelphia in December. will have the opportunity to pitch their business idea during regional qualifiers this summer. Veteran entrepreneurs in Chicago, Atlanta, San Diego, and Washington, D.C. The annual program to find the best Veteran business concept is expanding to four cities before finalists convene in Philadelphia for the ultimate showdown.

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