Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

The Knoxville Entrepreneur Center has opened applications for the 2026 edition of the WORKS, an accelerator for high-potential start-ups focused on customer insights, industry connections, and investment readiness.

Over nine weeks, a handful of founders will engage with industry leaders, seasoned mentors, and investors, gaining the tools and confidence they need to refine their business models, strengthen go-to-market strategies, and craft an investable pitch deck.

This year, the works will have a new facilitator, Dylan Jones, the managing partner and founder of Boldsquare.

“Great companies aren’t built in one lane. The WORKS is designed to help founders advance across all of the key points in their journey, whether they’re raising capital, sharpening sales, tightening operations, or telling a better story. I’ve been lucky to work with lots of different types of businesses through my career, from large public companies to small, fast-growth startups, and I’m excited to partner with the amazing team at Knoxville Entrepreneur Center to work alongside some outstanding founders this summer,” Jones said.

The accelerator will kick off on July 13 and run through September 9, requiring in-person attendance each Wednesday from 1-4 p.m. It will conclude with a Demo Day, where the startups get to show the community all that they’ve built during the program.

The schedule of events

July 13: WORKS 2026 Kickoff Happy Hour
July 15: Welcome, Program Overview, and Brandcamp
July 22: Customer Discovery & Experience
July 29: Sales & Marketing
August 5: Operations & Tech Stack
August 12: Investable Slide Deck/Pitching with Clarity
August 19: Capital Intelligence Part 1
August 26: Capital Intelligence Part 2
September 2: Pitch Practice
September 9: Demo Day

To apply, click here.

 

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