The PYA Ballard Innovation Award is East Tennessee's largest, annually awarded, combined cash and in-kind services prize for early-stage companies. Named after entrepreneurship advocate Tom Ballard, the competition provides $50,000 to the top winner, fostering innovation by supporting companies with proven concepts, revenue, and high growth potential.

AI goes to WORK! A t-shirt-friendly summit focused on real-world AI applications and implications inside real businesses. More Signal, Less Noise is a t-shirt-friendly summit focused on real-world AI applications and implications inside real businesses. Let’s get real, folks. We’ve all seen and heard the AI hype. We’ve all scrolled past the “it’s not just ___, it’s...

Pellissippi State Community College will soon host a manufacturing symposium on the impact of a significant emerging technology: digital twinning. Presented by Pellissippi State’s Office of Workforce and Community Development and LaborUp, “Digital Twinining and its Impact on Manufacturing Today” will take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m. in the Ruth and Steve West Workforce...

Join us for Capitol Connections with Tennessee General Assembly Representatives. Learn what’s happening at the Tennessee General Assembly during a discussion with our local State Senators. They will share their priorities for 2026 and current business issues within our community. *Light breakfast and refreshments will be served.

Thinking about starting a business but daunted by the idea of building from scratch? Or perhaps you’re a current business owner looking to diversify your portfolio or stack additional revenue streams? This interactive workshop breaks down the franchise model and helps you determine if investing in a proven system is a better fit for your...

Part of National Apprenticeship Week Join the Chamber for an engaging discussion on how Registered Apprenticeship programs are fueling economic growth and building a highly skilled workforce in our region. This event brings together leaders from CGI, the U.S. Department of Labor, and local experts from TVA, UT Medical Center, Pellissippi State Community College, and Messer Construction to highlight the successes and...

Join us on Tuesday, May 5th for a KEC Mentor Network Mingle at Ricky's Bar!  We're bringing together our KEC Mentors and founders that are actively participating in or interested in getting connected to the KEC Mentor Network. This is the perfect opportunity to connect and network with other founders, ask our KEC Mentors questions, and find...

The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development is hosting the inaugural WorkSource Summit, a new statewide gathering of the leaders shaping Tennessee’s workforce and economy. This no-cost to register, two-day conference brings together employers, educators, workforce professionals, policymakers, and economic development leaders around a shared goal: strengthening a talent ecosystem that meets industry needs. Attendees will...

Wednesday, May 13 | Covenant Health Park | Knoxville, Tennessee Join founders, innovators, investors, and the wider Knoxville community for an afternoon and evening celebrating innovation. 12:00-2:00 PM Investor Pitch: $100K Opportunity Join us for lunch in the Clubhouse and watch top founders pitch their startups. Selected founders will have 3 minutes to pitch to...

Please join us for a statewide event designed to accelerate the transition of artificial intelligence research into real-world deployment, commercialization, and job creation across Tennessee.  Hosted by AI Tennessee’s Industry Innovation Consortium, AI TechX, and supported by Launch TN’s Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC), the convening will bring together industry leaders, startups, faculty researchers, government,...