Teknovation.biz

CEO BioPet, J. Retinger speaks to students at VolCourt
2024-02-06 17:30 - 18:30 (America/New_York) | Haslam Business Building, UT Knoxville
Vol Court sessions are held on Tuesday evenings during the fall and spring semesters. UT students, faculty, staff, alumni, and local community members are all welcome to attend. Current UT students who attend two of the three speaker sessions in person will be eligible to pitch in week four. Winners of other competitions are not eligible to pitch the same business idea at Vol Court, but you are encouraged to attend and learn from our speakers. There is no application or cost to attend this series.

New Market Tax Credit Workshop
2024-02-06 09:00 - 10:30 | Knoxville Chamber, 17 Market Square, Knoxville
The NMTC Program attracts private capital into low-income communities by permitting individual and corporate investors to receive a tax credit against their federal income tax in exchange for making equity investments in specialized financial intermediaries called Community Development Entities (CDEs).
Hear from a panel of experts on how both for-profit companies and non-profit organizations can leverage this flexible financing to achieve project completion and create lasting impacts in their communities. Panelists will discuss the qualifications and best practices for attaining NMTC financing and how the program incentivizes community development and economic growth.
Panelists include:

Chris Leutzinger, Truist Community Capital
Monica Blanton, Bright Bridge Inc.
Grady Vanderhoofven, Three Roots Capital
Mike Britton, Custom Foods of America

Registration is required; seats are limited. Breakfast will be provided.

https://www.eventbrite.at/e/new-markets-tax-credit-workshop-tickets-753186971507?aff=ebdssbdestsearch&keep_tld=1

Courtney Piper speaks to students at Vol Court
2024-02-05 08:00 - 17:00

Her Legacy | A Celebration of Women Leaders
2024-02-03 14:00 - 16:00 | Knoxville Museum of Art
Let Her Lead is a leadership development program launched by Let Her Speak in 2023 which guided 6 aspiring leaders and 6 established leaders through 12 weeks of classroom training, workshops, and 1-on-1 support to help each woman achieve her leadership goals.
On February 3rd, 2024 we will be celebrating these women through story, conversation, and connection at a special event open to the public. Each program graduate will be delivering a personal legacy talk about who she is, how she sees herself as a leader, and the impact she wants to leave.
There is no cost to attend. We are asking those who can to donate when registering for the event. The suggested donation amount is $35, but any and all donations are greatly appreciated. All proceeds from this event will be invested into expanding Let Her Speak programming and impact.

2024 Housing Market Forecast Report Presentation
2024-02-01 14:00 - 15:00
Join the East Tennessee REALTORS® for our 2024 Housing Market Forecast event at the historic Tennessee Theatre on Thursday, February 1, 2024, starting at 2:00 PM (EST).
The annual housing market forecast summit is a cornerstone event that brings together elected officials, community leaders, and real estate professionals for the unveiling of East Tennessee REALTORS® forecast report, which provides an in-depth analysis of market trends, projections and factors expected to influence the region’s housing market in 2024.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2024-housing-market-forecast-tickets-794472778467

Lunch and Learn -ACEI
2024-02-01 12:00 - 13:00 | ACEI Accelerator, UT Research Foundation’s (UTRF) Business Incubator behind the College of Veterinary Medicine
The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (ACEI) in the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) has announced three “Accelerator Lunch & Learn” programs for Spring Semester.
During the in-person one-hour program from 12 noon to 1 p.m. Eastern Time, industry experts and seasoned entrepreneurs tell their story and provide valuable insights. Throughout this series, attendees will find a vast variety of topics that are relevant to any entrepreneur, intrapreneur and innovative thinkers. Lunch is always provided, so those who join can enjoy a meal while gaining practical tips and networking with like-minded individuals.
These Lunch & Learns are open to all UTK students, faculty, staff, and the Knoxville community members. They are held in the ACEI Accelerator located in the UT Research Foundation Business Incubator, 2450 E.J. Chapman Drive, off Neyland Drive.
Dates, topics and presenters – each an Entrepreneur-in-Residence for ACEI – are:

February 1 – “Common Legal Pitfalls,” led by Melissa Centers, a longtime corporate attorney;
February 22 – “Building Your Founding Team,” led by Mark Huber, Vice President of Business Development at iSustain Inc.; and
April 9 – “Fundraising Equilibrium: Balancing Investments, Grants, and Everything in Between,” led by Lia Winter, Co-Founder of Winter Innovations.

Economic Outlook with Dr. Matthew Harris
2024-01-31 09:00 - 10:00 | Knoxville Chamber, 17 Market Square, Knoxville
Hear from Dr. Matthew Harris, Associate Professor of Economics in the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research and the Department of Economics at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. Dr. Harris is well known for his research and publishings in labor, public, and health economics.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/economic-outlook-with-dr-matthew-harris-tickets-769691296387?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Finding your Funding: Financials Simplified
2024-01-25 17:30 - 19:30 | Venue, 114 North Cedar Avenue, Cookeville
This event is designed to simplify the financial process and help you find the funding you need. Kelly Sullivan, Captital Navigator at The Biz Foundry, will share her insights and strategies to make managing your finances easier than ever. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable knowledge and network with fellow entrepreneurs.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/finding-your-funding-financials-simplified-tickets-781441983007?aff=ebdsoporgprofile

Innovation Crossroads Founders' Forum + Networking Happy Hour
2024-01-25 15:30 - 17:30 | Smoky Mountain Brewery, 11308 Parkside Drive, Knoxville
Founders’ Forums are monthly informal events gathering entrepreneurs throughout the ecosystem to hear talks, and lessons learned, and participate in Q&A with program alumni, community members, and experienced startups founders. A networking happy hour will follow.
Feel free to invite friends and/or colleagues who might be interested in networking with the Knoxville hard-tech entrepreneurial ecosystem.

What: Innovation Crossroads Founders’ Forum + Networking Happy Hour
When: Thursday, January 25, 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. (Eastern Time)
Where: Smoky Mountain Brewery (11308 Parkside Drive, Knoxville, TN 37934), Private Room

Guest speaker:
Tom Ballard, Chief Alliance Officer at PYA and author of teknovation.biz
Tom spent more than four decades building business connections between two major entities in East Tennessee and public and private organizations throughout the region, state, and nation before joining PYA in 2012 as Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurial Initiatives. He was the inaugural Director of Partnerships for Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Tom was with the University of Tennessee for 35 years, serving as Vice President for Public and Governmental Relations before joining ORNL.
He serves on the Boards of the East Tennessee Economic Council (Past Chair), LaunchTN (former Vice Chair and now Board Member–Emeritus), Life Science Tennessee (including Chair of its Economic and Entrepreneurial Development Committee), and the TennesSeed Funders. In addition, Ballard is a member of the UT President’s Council; Past Chair of the Board of Trustees of Pellissippi State Community College’s Foundation and Chair of its recently completed Capital Campaign; past member of the Board of Advisors of the Tickle College of Engineering at UT, Knoxville; member of the Steering Committee of the Innov865 Alliance; and a Past President of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council.

In the Room - Let's Make a Deal
2024-01-25 08:00 - 10:00 | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, 17 Market Square
January’s topic is: “Let’s Make A Deal”
Reviewing all of the different kinds of deals, including some horror stories and “gotchas” to be aware of. This can include an overview of angel investors, friends and family investors, larger more sophisticated private equity, and selling (or acquiring) a company. It can also include reviewing an investor agreement and what matters most when you are fortunate enough to have an investor ready to invest.

8am – doors open / breakfast provided by Insperity
8:30 – Program begins with kickoff from KEC team and intro to the day’s topic
8:30 – 9:30 – Guided conversation with q&a from audience throughout (BRING YOUR QUESTIONS!)
9:30-10 – networking

About Gera Grinberg:
Gera founded Grinberg Law Offices in 2007, a full-service practice representing businesses, boards, and individuals. Gera serves as a fractional General Counsel and business consultant, and provides leadership development and practical training for in-house legal departments as well as executive coaching for C-Suite and boards of directors. Grinberg has represented Fortune 100 companies, international media and technology companies, the largest healthcare company in the world, and he has managed mergers & acquisitions totaling over $1,000,000,000,000.
