Teknovation.biz

Chattanooga Entrepreneur Week 2025
2025-05-05 - 2025-05-10
Building on the legacy of Startup Week CHA (2014 – 2021), Chattanooga Entrepreneur Week (CEW) continues to empower our community with a dynamic, business-focused event that celebrates innovation, collaboration, and growth. In 2024, we reimagined the event as a community-wide collaboration, and in 2025, we’re taking it to the next level .
The Chattanooga Business Resource Collective (BRC) was born in 2023 from a shared vision: to create a stronger, more connected entrepreneurial community in Chattanooga. As a coalition of organizations, individuals, and advocates, we came together to provide business support, technical assistance, and resources to empower local entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Rocky Top Business Awards in Knoxville
2025-05-02 17:00 - 21:00 (America/New_York)
The Rocky Top Business Awards recognize the fastest-growing businesses owned or led by alumni. The Rocky Top Business Awards are presented by PYA.

https://alumni.utk.edu/awards/rocky-top-business/

Founder Friday 4.0 with Randy Boyd | Knoxville
2025-05-02 09:00 - 10:00 | 121 Tech Hub, 121 E Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37915
Haseeb Qureshi, also known as “HQ,” is a Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and a member of the 121 Tech Hub. He is the founder of the startup Entreheart.Ai. He is also known for connecting UTK entrepreneurship students with Knoxville’s startup ecosystem before graduation.
In the final installment of the Founder Friday series this semester, HQ sits down with Randy Boyd, the founder of Radio Systems Corporation and current President of the University of Tennessee System. Randy is an entrepreneur whose company grew to employ over 1,400 people worldwide and a public servant who has championed education access across Tennessee.
Watch more: https://www.instagram.com/p/DJHmsgDRtbd/

Knoxville Women in Tech Networking Happy Hour - May 2025
2025-05-01 08:00 - 17:00 | Bella, 121 West Broadway Avenue, Maryville, TN, 37801, United States
Make new connections with Knoxville’s women in tech community! We’ll be gathering for a laidback happy hour at Bella, a modern Italian cafe in Maryville.
Enjoy come-and-go networking from 4:30-6:30pm in a relaxed atmosphere with appetizers and drinks generously provided by our sponsor, Patriot Talent Solutions.

Anderson Center - Founder Fridays
2025-04-25 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-03-28 09:00 - 10:00, 2025-02-28 09:00 - 10:00 | 121 Tech Hub, 121 E Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37915
Fridays, February 28th , March 28th , April 25th from 9-10 @ 121 Tech Hub
Join Haslam Professor and Entrepreneur, Haseeb Qureshi, as he interviews startup founders at 121 Tech Hub. Come prepared for interesting discussions and great networking! Register here.

PYA's Ballard Innovation Award Ceremony
2025-04-16 15:00 - 17:00
The Ballard Innovation Award is the largest gift of cash and in-kind services available to East Tennessee entrepreneurs and startups—a reflection of PYA’s commitment to the region.

CO.LAB x gener8tor Sustainable Mobility Accelerator Kickoff
2025-04-08 17:00 - 19:00 | Five Wits Brewing Company | 1501 Long Street, Chattanooga, TN, 37408
Some of the top talent in sustainable mobility is coming to Chattanooga, TN!
Join The Company Lab and gener8tor as they welcome the five founders taking place in the Spring 2025 “Sustainable Mobility Accelerator” program.
Meet the founders by RSVPing here.
🗓 April 8th, 2025
⏰ 5:00 PM EST, presentations begin at 5:30 PM EST
📍 Five Wits Brewing Company | 1501 Long Street, Chattanooga, TN, 37408
hashtag#cleantech hashtag#mobility hashtag#accelerate hashtag#startups

Chamber Briefing Breakfast
2025-03-26 09:30 - 10:30
The Knoxville Chamber and TenHats would like to invite new investors, new team members of investors, community members, and anyone who wants to hear more about our mission to join us for the Chamber Briefing Breakfast.
We will share more about what is going on in economic development, regional enhancement, and talent retention and attraction efforts.
Investors who are already familiar with the Chamber’s work or have attended a briefing in the past year might not need to join this session.

Ballard Innovation Award Applications Close
2025-03-21 20:00 - 23:30
Starting a business is a lot of work, and PYA, the power behind teknovation.biz wants to help local start-ups succeed with more than just funding.
The Ballard Innovation Award is the largest gift of cash and in-kind services available to entrepreneurs and startups in East Tennessee, and applications are now open!
The Ballard Innovation Award competition is open to any early-stage company in the East Tennessee area that has established a proof of concept with accompanying revenue. Applicants must present a business plan to optimize existing business operations by reducing costs, increasing revenues, and/or gaining new efficiencies while demonstrating clear innovations to improve the business and empower the consumer.
“It is our goal to highlight and help East Tennessee entrepreneurs with supportive strategies that further their entrepreneurial efforts. This award allows us to connect with those innovators to help them grow and thrive as an established part of our community,” said Marty Brown, the President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of PYA.
Apply now. Applications close at midnight on Friday, March 21.

Knoxville's State of Housing Forecast 2025
2025-03-12 09:00 - 10:00 | Knoxville Chamber, 17 Market Square, Knoxville
Join the Knoxville Chamber as Maria McHale, Government Affairs Director for East Tennessee REALTORS®, shares the 2025 Housing Market Forecast.
The report explores emerging demographic and housing market trends to help East Tennessee industry leaders better understand the region’s housing challenges and how to address them.
Breakfast will be provided.

Anderson Center - Lunch & Learn Entrepreneurial Mindset
2025-03-06 11:30 - 12:30 | Haslam Business Building 440 (West Wing) 1000 Volunteer Blvd. Knoxville, TN – 37996
Want to learn what it takes to scale a successful business? Join the next Anderson Center Lunch and Learn with Chris Hickey, a seasoned entrepreneur and advisor who has helped grow, then sell or merge, health and wellness brands totaling $900 million. With experience at companies like Onnit, ISOPURE and General Mills, Hickey will share insights from his journey in business growth and leadership. Complimentary lunch will be provided.

Anderson Center: Vol Court Pitch Night
2025-02-25 17:30 - 18:30 | Hodges Library Room 213 1015 Volunteer Blvd Knoxville, TN – 37996
Vol Court is a four-week entrepreneurial speaker series that culminates in a business idea pitch competition. Participants put what they’ve learned into practice by pitching their business ideas to a panel of successful entrepreneurs for a chance to win $1,500.
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.

SPARKS AI & Industry Event – Lightning Talks and Networking
2025-02-19 13:00 - 16:00 | IAMM Room 147 (Institute for Advanced Materials & Manufacturing)
Discover the challenges, solutions, and opportunities that industry, communities, and UTK research faculty are addressing in the rapidly evolving world of AI across a variety of fields, including but not limited to:

· Manufacturing
· Health Sciences
· IT/Cybersecurity/Defense
· Energy & Environment
· Advanced Mobility

What to Expect:
· Lighting talks with industry and UTK AI researchers.
· AI workforce development partnership opportunities with CECS
· Networking with faculty and other industry interested in collaborative research with UT.
· Light refreshments included.

Chancellor's Innovation Fund Awards Ceremony
2025-02-18 16:00 - 17:00 | Jackson Terminal: 213 W JAckson Avenue, Knoxville

Tennessee Workforce Development Academy
2025-02-18 - 2025-02-20 | 600 Henley Street, Knoxville, TN 37902
This two-and-a-half day training is designed for workforce development professionals, business and HR leaders, and community and economic development practitioners. Teams will benefit from panel discussions, networking, and expert instruction to facilitate better alignment among stakeholders.
Whether you are a seasoned expert or new to the field, this training offers valuable insights and networking opportunities to help you succeed.
The TNWFD Academy will cover a wide range of topics including:
•Overview of Workforce System
•Economic and Workforce Trends
•Economic and Workforce Development Linkages
•Strategies for Alignment
•Implementing Workforce Strategies
•Workforce Data Intelligence
•Addressing Barriers
•Communication and Collaboration
(18 credit hours)

Morning Momentum: Marketing & Promoting Your Business
2025-02-05 08:30 - 09:30
Morning Momentum is back! This event series occurs every first Wednesday at 8:30 AM. It is designed to help small business owners overcome growth-related challenges by presenting their issues to seasoned business leaders for immediate feedback.
This month, the Knoxville Chambers’ presenters are seeking input on how they can best make their business known! As an attendee, you will hear two business owners share details about the barriers hindering their business’s growth. You will then have the opportunity to leverage your marketing expertise by sharing actionable insights to help presenters overcome obstacles.

2025 Regional Legislative Agenda Breakfast
2025-01-31 08:00 - 09:00 | 701 Henley Street Knoxville, TN 37902
Annually a group of local chambers (Anderson County Chamber, Blount Partnership, Knoxville Chamber, Farragut West Knox Chamber of Commerce, and Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce) develop a regional legislative agenda of shared priorities to advocate for at the state level. These priorities aim to address job and business growth in the region. Once the agenda is finalized, these chambers invite the region’s business community to an annual legislative agenda breakfast.
This year’s breakfast is sponsored by LDA Engineering, and will be hosted at the Knoxville Convention Center. Attendees will hear directly from elected officials on the presented priorities, and their strategies to execute on them.
Tickets are available:

$40 for Individual Knoxville Chamber investors
$45 for Individual non-investors
$500 for Knoxville Chamber investor tables
$550 for non-investor tables

Table ticket holders will have a reserved table with their company’s logo on it, and open seating will be available for individual ticket holders.

Your Business Matters - Public Speaking
2025-01-29 11:30 - 13:00 | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, 17 Market Square
Join the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center for this interactive, engaging workshop designed to help you share effectively about your business, your passion, with your peers, friends, and investors. You will develop a compelling 60-second elevator speech communicating why, how, and what you do. You’ll also learn how to share about your business in a way that invites others to join your mission.
Bonus: You will connect with like-minded folks as you help one another pursue your passions.

KEC: Public Speaking Lunch and Learn
2025-01-27 12:00 - 13:00 | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, 17 Market Square

100Knoxville: Hustle to Structure Workshop
2025-01-27 | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, 17 Market Square

Three Roots Capital Ribbon Cutting
2025-01-24 09:00 - 10:00 | 2450 E.J. Chapman Drive Knoxville, TN 37966
Three Roots Capital will open a new satellite office in the UTRF Business Incubator.

Economic Outlook with Dr. Matthew Harris
2025-01-16 09:00 - 10:00
Join the Knoxville Chamber for an economic forecast from Dr. Matt Harris, Associate Professor of Economics at the Boyd Center for Business and Economic Research, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Known for his expertise in labor, public, and health economics, Dr. Harris will provide a national perspective on current economic trends.

Knoxville Entrepreneur Center Open House
2025-01-15 17:30 - 19:30 | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, 17 Market Square

Maker City: Mastering Soft Skills, Confidence, and Communication
2025-01-15 11:30 - 13:00 | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, 17 Market Square
Join Maker City for the first Make. Learn. Grow. session of 2025! Martha Weeks will teach us the art of mastering soft skills to grow your confidence, improve your communication, and build stronger connections.
In this interactive workshop, you’ll learn:

How to develop presence through body language, decisive speech, and confidence-boosting techniques.

Ways to reframe networking as an opportunity to create authentic, lasting relationships.

Strategies for telling your story with credibility and connecting meaningfully with others.

This session offers valuable insights you can apply immediately to your maker business.
Enjoy lunch while learning practical tools to thrive in any environment. Space is limited—register today to secure your spot!

KTech Pulse Summit 2024
2024-11-07 15:00 - 18:00 | JTV, 9600 Parkside Drive, Knoxville
Find out what’s happening in the Knoxville tech industry and celebrate the innovative work of entrepreneurs & organizations in East Tennessee!
Innovation Spotlights
Speakers from Knoxville-based organizations will share about projects featuring new and emerging technologies, and the impact they’re making around the world.
Contextual Security Solutions
Slade Griffin, President
Discover how AI is enhancing penetration testing and risk assessments, helping businesses navigate complex cyber threats.
Covenant Health
Chris Skinner, Vice President Informatics
Learn how near real-time data collection and AI-driven processing are transforming patient care and enterprise operations through automation and timely interventions.
Knoxville Utilities Board
Steven Watson, Engineer
See how AI-powered coding and 3D visualization streamline sewer infrastructure inspections, from faster data access to improved workflow.
RegScale
Travis Howerton, CEO and Co-Founder
Explore how AI-driven automation in compliance management is saving time and resources, making risk management faster and more precise.
AI Tech Panel
A group of business leaders will discuss practical use cases of Artificial Intelligence, including:

How AI is being used by Knoxville area businesses
Steps that businesses can take to develop AI policies
Lessons learned to improve AI implementation

Panelists
Amir Sadovnik, PhD | Research Lead, Center for AI Security Research, ORNL
John Derrick | Chief Executive Officer, Authentrics.ai
Andrew Gunter | Chief Strategy Officer & General Counsel, Cential AI
Leslie McGuirk | VP of Financial Compliance, Warner Bros. Discovery
Keynote Address
Commanding the Next Era: Dealing with AI
Mik Bertolli, PhD | Chief Science Officer at Avrio Analytics
AI isn’t the new player on the field—it’s been running the game behind the scenes for years. From crunching data to optimizing logistics, it’s been the silent engine powering industries while most people were oblivious. The difference now? GPT models slapped a face on it, made it talk, and suddenly everyone thinks AI just showed up to the party.
But let’s be clear: AI isn’t a silver bullet, and the hype can outpace reality. Skepticism is healthy—it’s not going to fix every problem, and mishandled, it can create new ones. Yet, for those ready to cut through the noise, AI offers tools too potent to ignore.
Networking Happy Hour
Following the presentations, head to the JTV rooftop to reconnect with familiar faces and make new connections at the networking happy hour. We’ll watch the sunset while enjoying drinks and hors d’oeuvres.

TNECD Governor's Conference
2024-10-17 - 2024-10-18 | Knoxville Convention Center
More information to come.

Endeavor Summit
2024-10-03 08:00 - 16:30 | Bridgewater Place, 205 Bridgewater Road, Knoxville

121 Tech Hub Grand Opening
2024-10-02 17:00 - 19:00
