The Hatch It! Mocs Big Business Idea Pitch Competition, in which six teams of University of Tennessee at Chattanooga students gave short presentations on commercial product ideas, was won by a student who has started his own line of clothing.
Three judges from local businesses awarded Devin Lay, a business management major from Memphis, the $1,500 first prize for his SinceBirth Apparel. The competition, sponsored by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, took place Nov. 2 in the Mapp Building.
The Black-owned company sells T-shirts, hoodies and hats adorned with such messages as “African Since Birth,” “Born Different” and “Passion = Prospect.”
“People live the same brand as us, so what we trying to get is for the person to feel represented through our merchandising, through our branding,” Lay told the judges.
He said he plans to use the $1,500 to help expand the number of outlets for SinceBirth merchandise and find partners in Chattanooga “who create content or want to support our message.”
Judges for the competition were:
- Briana Garza, CEO of Chatt Taste Food Tour
- Geoff Millener, senior program and operations and program officer for the Enterprise Center
- Jay Schaffer, market director of VentureSouth Chattanooga

Libby Santin, left, director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and business management major Devin Lay.
Other Hatch It! competitors
Aqua Bella: Recyclable aluminum water bottles to replace plastic bottles.
- Timothy Hawn (Music)
- Adin Castle (Entrepreneurship)
College Cleaners: App that connects college students who want their housing or apartments cleaned with college students who get paid to do it.
- Brooke McFarlin (Communication)
- Alayna Grover (Civil Engineering)
Instant Hem: Device that makes it simple to sew hems and alter clothing without using a full-sized sewing machine or paying a professional.
- Morgan Powers (Marketing)
- Kelly Jacinto (Finance)
- Tierra Gwin (Marketing)
Last Call: Machine that dispenses mixed drinks.
- Kate Barry (Psychology)
- Andrew Crockett (Marketing)
Mocs Nest: Service paid through student fees to connect students with professional mental health counselors.
- William Baker (Marketing)
- Jacob Cox (Marketing)