Oak Ridge Chamber's Annual Awards Gala: Celebrating the Future
2026-01-09 18:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Oak Ridge Conference Center
The Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce invites you to step into the future at our Annual Awards Gala, taking place in January 2026. This year’s theme embraces futuristic innovation and artificial intelligence, reflecting the Chamber’s vision for a forward-thinking Oak Ridge — a community and business network poised to thrive in the years ahead.
Experience an evening where technology meets elegance, with chrome and silver décor, neon blue accents, and high-tech touches inspired by the cutting-edge world of AI and robotics. Guests will enjoy immersive visuals, curated music, and interactive elements that highlight the possibilities of the future while celebrating today’s achievements.

Economic Outlook with Dr. Don Bruce
2026-01-14 09:00 - 10:00 | Knoxville Chamber, 17 Market Square, Knoxville
Join the Knoxville Chamber for an economic forecast from Dr. Donald Bruce, Boyd Distinguished Professor at the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Known for his objective, non-partisan policy research and evaluation under contracts with an array of government agencies at the federal and state levels, Dr. Bruce will provide a national perspective on current economic trends.

Knoxville Chamber | How businesses can partner with ORNL to drive economic development
2026-01-16 09:00 - 10:00 | Oak Ridge National Laboratory Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, 2350 Cherahala Boulevard, Knoxville, TN, 37932
Discover how your business can collaborate with Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) to accelerate innovation and economic growth in our region. Join us for an informative session exploring partnership opportunities, research collaborations, and technology transfer programs that help businesses of all sizes leverage ORNL’s world-class resources.
Attendees will learn how to connect with experts, access cutting-edge technologies, and take advantage of programs designed to support entrepreneurship, commercialization, and workforce development.
Whether you’re a startup, small business, or established company, this event will show you how partnering with ORNL can fuel your next stage of growth.

Protecting Innovation: Insurance Solutions for Life Sciences
2026-01-20 17:00 | Epstein Becker Green – Nashville Offices, 1222 Demonbreun St., 9th Floor, Nashville, TN
This session will focus on insurance considerations that life science startups should understand early—from risk management to coverage strategies as companies scale. We’re excited to kick off the 2026 Edu Series with this important and often under-discussed topic.

The event will be immediately followed by networking as part of the Beer & Biotech – please also register for that.

AI Tennessee Summit in Nashville
2026-01-28 - 2026-01-29 | Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way, Nashville, Tennessee, 37203, United States
Mark your calendars for the inaugural AI Tennessee Summit, hosted by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in collaboration with the Tennessee AI Advisory Council, SCORE, Vanderbilt University, the University of Memphis, the Oak Ridge National Lab, and the Tennessee Board of Regents. The summit will bring together leaders from government, industry, and academia to explore how Tennessee can position itself at the forefront of the nation’s AI race.

Angel Investing 101 - Chattanooga
2026-01-29 12:00 - 13:00 | Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, 811 Broad St #200, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 37402
Curious about how angel investing works? Want to invest in local companies? Join VentureSouth Chattanooga for Angel Investing 101!

VentureSouth has been angel investing in Chattanooga for four years — and across the southeast for two decades.
You do not need to be a finance expert, multi-millionaire, or sports franchise owner to be an angel investor.
This session provides an overview of what angel investors do and why you might want to consider investing in southeastern startups.
Please join Venture South at the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, 3rd floor, at noon for an introduction to Angel Investing

Maker City Summit
2026-01-30 - 2026-02-01 | Maker Exchange in World’s Fair Park at the Marriott Knoxville & Tennessean Hotels
For a whole decade, makers, dreamers, and doers have been coming together at The Maker City Summit to build businesses, spark ideas, and cheer each other on. And this year, we’re celebrating 10 years of Making Space: space for creativity, for community, and for the next big thing.
Through speakers, workshops, panel discussions, and networking opportunities, you’ll learn how to scale your business, attract customers, and build a sustainable brand.

No matter if you’ve been at this for years or you’re just dipping your toes in, there’s a seat saved for you. Our lineup’s as diverse as the makers themselves — from painters to potters, brewers to bakers, performers to fabricators. Whether you’re a part-time hobbyist or a full-time entrepreneur, this is where you’ll learn, be inspired, and connect with folks who get what it means to build something from scratch and pour your heart into it.

2026 Regional Legislative Agenda Breakfast
2026-01-30 07:30 - 09:00 | Hilton Knoxville Airport
Each year, local chambers collaborate to create a regional legislative agenda that reflects shared priorities for state-level advocacy. Join the chambers on January 30th to learn about the finalized agenda during a special program.

Morning Momentum: Developing and Promoting Your Business
2026-02-04 08:30 - 09:30 | Maple Hall, 414 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN, 37902
Morning Momentum is the Knoxville Chamber’s monthly series designed to connect seasoned business leaders & entrepreneurs experiencing growth challenges. It returns for 2026!

Capitol Connections - Knoxville
2026-02-27 08:00 - 09:00 | Knoxville Chamber, 17 Market Square
Join the Knoxville Chamber for Capitol Connections with Tennessee General Assembly Representatives. Learn what’s happening on the Hill during a discussion with representatives from Congress. They will share their priorities for 2026 and current business issues within our community.

'What's the Big Idea' Pitch Competition
2026-03-22 16:00 - 18:00 | The Square Room, 4 Market Square, Knoxville
The ‘What’s the Big Idea?’ pitch contest is an annual 48-hour idea-to-reality pitch competition, organized by the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center.

CodeStock Conference
2026-04-09 - 2026-04-10 | Knoxville Convention Center
CodeStock is a two-day event for technology and information exchange. CodeStock was created to Educate, Inspire, and Connect the technology community. Created by the community, for the community – this is not an industry trade show pushing the latest in marketing as technology, but a gathering of working professionals sharing knowledge and experience.
Adhithi Ravichandran, Software Consultant, Pluralsight Author, and tech educator, will headline CodeStock 2026, returning April 9 and 10 to Knoxville, Tennessee!
Adhithi has built a remarkable career at the intersection of software architecture, teaching, and community leadership. As the founder of Surya Consulting, Inc., she’s guided development teams across industries through modern frontend transformations, helping organizations embrace technologies like React, Next.js, GraphQL, and AI-assisted development with confidence and clarity.
Learn more here.
