Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

"My favorite part of Rosarita's is how you can break bread with your friends, your family, your loved ones, eat some great food, and enjoy a spirited beverage," said one of the business owners, Kimberly Black.

Now in its second year, the collaborative initiative pairs senior marketing students with deep-tech founders to deliver the real-world campaign assets and business best practices needed to help these young companies scale.

Knoxville serial entrepreneur Nick DeVore pivots from burgers and breweries to a refrigerated, luxury coconut water brand targeting the wellness market that launches this summer.

The participating companies included Fuel Daddy, ThermoVerse, Electrovia, PRSVR Systems, and PF DesignLab.

Chroma Energy Group, an East Tennessee solar engineering and construction firm, has completed a 1.8-megawatt solar installation in Maryville in partnership with Silicon Ranch, one of the nation's largest independent solar power producers.

After 10 years of development, Trillium Chemicals has a 60-foot plant in Texas and customers lined up for 2026. The raw material it makes is already in your sweater, your Legos, and your doctor's gloves.

"Relocating our headquarters to Knoxville positions us for better support to this national footprint, while also aligning with the long-term interests of East Tennessee," said Lee Schreiber, director of field services.

Founders have one month to apply for the 2026 Spark Accelerator — a 12-week program at the University of Tennessee Research Park offering tech startups $15,000 stipends, prototyping services, and direct access to TVA and Oak Ridge National Laboratory expertise.