Anderson Center | Vol Court - Pitch Night
2025-09-24 16:00 - 18:00 (America/New_York) | University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Vol Court features three entrepreneurial workshops, a business idea pitch competition, $3,000 in cash prizes, and a wealth of learning opportunities. The sessions are open to all UT, Knoxville students and eocystsme partners.
Session 4: On campus, LIB 213

Women in Tech Expo: Grow Better Together
2025-09-26 09:00 - 18:00 | Knoxville Convention Center
The Knoxville Technology Council’s Women in Tech are hosting the third annual Women in Tech Expo: Grow Better Together!
Join a diverse group of talented women and invest in your personal & professional growth with a variety of motivating workshops, networking, keynote presentation, and more!
Your ticket includes:

Professional speakers sharing professional & personal growth advice
Breakfast
Lunch
Happy Hour
Networking with peers and local leaders
Professional Headshot
Women in Tech swag
Prize giveaways from local vendors

Keynote speaker Erika Gerdes will bring energy, motivation, and inspiration with her presentation “Finding the Star Within Yourself.” Erika has helped hundreds of professionals at top companies accelerate their success while feeling great doing it. She started her career at Google, leading and growing a top global partnership by 300% before leaving to start her company as a single mom with two young children. It is her life’s work to help others break free from self-imposed limitations and step fully into the careers, lives, and impact they truly want.

Endeavor Summit for Young Professionals
2025-10-02 08:00 - 15:30 | Bridgewater Place, 205 Bridgewater Road, Knoxville
Presented by Bank of America, this high-energy event hosted by the Knoxville Chamber empowers emerging leaders to grow personally, professionally, and civically. Hear from compelling speakers, connect with like-minded peers, and be inspired to invest in your future—and the future of our region.

2025 Women Connect LIVE Conference in Franklin
2025-10-17 09:00 - 18:00 | The Factory, 230 Franklin Road
Welcome to Women Connect LIVE 2025: CONNECTED
Are You Ready to Elevate Your Business, Mindset, and Network?
Join us for Women Connect LIVE 2025, a transformational women’s business conference happening on Friday, October 17, 2025, at Liberty Hall in The Factory at Franklin, TN. This full-day experience is designed to help female entrepreneurs, professionals, and business leaders take their next step toward success.
Surround yourself with ambitious, growth-minded women who are ready to learn, connect, and expand their businesses and careers. Expect inspiring speakers, high-impact networking opportunities, and actionable insights to help you thrive.
Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in yourself and be part of a powerful community of women making moves. Please watch this video.
What You’ll Experience
Inspiring Speakers & Actionable Strategies
Learn from top business leaders, entrepreneurs, and personal development experts who are redefining success. Our dynamic keynotes, panel discussions, and fireside chats are packed with real-world strategies, leadership insights, and fresh perspectives to help you grow your business, refine your skills, and elevate your impact.
Meaningful Networking & Genuine Connections
Expand your circle with like-minded, growth-focused women who understand your journey. Women Connect LIVE is more than just networking—it’s about building authentic relationships that lead to opportunities, collaborations, and long-term success. Get ready for high-impact networking that goes beyond business cards and handshakes.
A Day Dedicated to Your Growth
This event isn’t just about your business—it’s about you. Step away from the daily grind and take a powerful pause to invest in your personal and professional growth. Gain valuable insights, practical strategies, and the confidence to navigate challenges, embrace opportunities, and thrive in today’s business landscape.

The Studio Nashville for C-Suite Leaders
2025-10-27 - 2025-10-29 | Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, 222 Rep. John Lewis Way, Nashville, Tennessee, 37203, United States
The Studio is where the world’s most influential executives come together to shape the future. With a global network of over 19,000 C-suite leaders—including CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, CDOs, and CMOs—this award-winning series is a global platform for bold ideas, transformative partnerships, and industry-defining leadership.

Why attend?

Across three transformative days, The Studio Nashville delivers the perfect mix of leadership insights and immersive experiences. From thought-provoking discussions and cutting-edge tools to once-in-a-lifetime moments, every detail is designed to spark ideas—and real connections.
The event culminates in the Global C-suite Awards, celebrating the trailblazing leaders shaping the future of business. Whether you’re a CIO, CISO, CDO or CMO, The Studio will challenge your thinking, grow your network, and energise your leadership journey.

'Yes-Worthy' Loans - Learning to write strong applications
2025-10-28 11:30 - 13:00 | First Bank, 5537 Kingston Pike, 37919
Presented by FirstBank, small business owners will learn exactly what it takes to turn a loan application into a confident “yes.”

In this workshop, we’ll cover:

Understand what lenders look for when evaluating applications

Create a simple checklist of the financial documents, numbers, and details that make or break an application

Discover common red flags that cause loan denials

Practice key sections of a strong application

Leave with a clear next step, whether you’re applying tomorrow or planning ahead for future financing.

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Governor's Conference 2025
2025-11-04 - 2025-11-05 | Embassy Suites, Murfreesboro
The conference is a networking opportunity for business leaders, community members, elected officials, workforce officials, and economic developers to discuss and promote business and community development efforts across the state.

Coffee & Conversations | Meet the new CEO of the Oak Ridge Chamber
2025-11-04 08:00 - 09:00 | 201 Cafe and Wine Bar, 201 Jackson Square, Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Join the Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce as they welcome a new President and Chief Executive Officer, Tamara Fleischhaker.
This special Coffee & Commerce will be a Welcome Breakfast Reception, honoring Tamara as she steps into her leadership role.
Attendees can enjoy coffee, conversation, and connection. Guests will enjoy a full catering spread from our hosts, as well as hear brief remarks from Tamara and local community leaders as we look ahead to the future of the Chamber and our shared commitment to strengthening Oak Ridge’s business community.
Tuesday, November 48:00 – 9:00 a.m.201 Café and Wine Bar | 201 Jackson Square

Morning Momentum: Student Startups from the Anderson Center
2025-11-05 08:30 - 09:30 | Maple Hall, 414 South Gay Street, Knoxville, TN, 37902
Morning Momentum is back, and at a brand new venue! This monthly series takes place every first Wednesday at 8:30 AM at Maple Hall. It’s designed to help small business owners tackle growth-related challenges by presenting real issues to seasoned business leaders for immediate feedback.
This month, we’re featuring two student entrepreneurs from the University of Tennessee’s Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. Each is in the early stages of launching a startup and will share their biggest challenges in building momentum—from defining their business model to finding the right team and resources. Attendees will have the opportunity to offer feedback, share experiences, and help these emerging founders take the next step toward success.
Morning momentum will foster mentor relationships, spur innovation, and propel companies forward.
If you, or someone you know could benefit from presenting at Morning Momentum, apply here!
*Light breakfast and coffee will be served.

Startup Mountain Summit
2025-11-06 - 2025-11-08 | ETSU Brinkley Center
The BIGGEST Startup Conference in Appalachia is back this November 6-8th in Johnson City, TN, at the ETSU Brinkley Center. Join founders from across the nation for a unique, 3-day experience in the mountains designed to help you launch faster, grow stronger, and build the business you’ve been dreaming about.
Learn from industry leaders, find inspiration, and make valuable connections with other founders on the same journey. Your Early-Bird ticket includes the full conference experience below ⬇️
✅ Pitch Competition Event with 10k in Prizes (applications to pitch available soon)
✅ Adventure Networking Opportunities
✅ All Speaker & Workshop Sessions

A Bigger and Better Startup Summit
This year, we are expanding the aspects of the Startup Mountain Summit that has built it into the biggest startup conference in Appalachia. This year you will find new opportunities to connect to each other and multiple types of resources throughout the event. Learn more about the new format and what to expect at this event at: The Startup Mountain Summit Website.

KTech Pulse Summit 2025
2025-11-06 15:00 - 18:30 | 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! Speakers from Knoxville-based organizations will share about projects featuring new and emerging technologies, and the impact they’re making around the world.
Register for the annual Knoxville Technology Council summit here.
Keynote Address
Dr. Travis Humble from Oak Ridge National Laboratory will give us an inside look at quantum computing—what it can do today, where it’s headed, and why it matters. He’ll share about his work with ORNL’s first on-site, commercial quantum computer cluster, which uses diamond-based quantum processor units that can operate at room temperature in a relatively small package. Learn how he and his team are using this hybrid system to integrate quantum computing with classical computing workflows.

AI Tech Panel
A group of business leaders and AI experts will discuss practical use cases of Artificial Intelligence, including:

How AI is impacting Knoxville-area businesses and tech professionals, especially in the areas of cybersecurity and workforce development
Lessons learned to improve implementation and integrate AI capabilities into daily operations
What’s ahead for the future of AI, and what businesses should be doing now to stay ahead of the curve

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.

Knoxville Technology State of the Union Report
Travis Howerton, CEO & Co-Founder at RegScale, will deliver the KTech State of the Union Report

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.

Everybody is invited to attend – you just might be surprised at all that’s going on in the tech industry right here in Knoxville!

The Pitch - FoundersForge
2025-11-06 18:00 - 20:00 | ETSU Brinkley Center
The Pitch is Northeast Tennessee’s premier startup competition, kicking off the Startup Mountain Summit with a high-stakes battle for $10,000 and bragging rights.
The Pitch is open to the general community. Attending the event will inspire you while providing a showcase of new businesses coming to our region. Every year we have at least one person think the event is entirely focused on baseball, but they always love the unique experience The Pitch provides.
Come see the future of our region and the innovation happening right here in Northeast Tennessee!

SXSW Pitch Applications Due!
2025-11-07
Apply to showcase at SXSW Pitch 2026, a premier startup competition judged by investors and media. Review eligibility, categories, and fees. Applications close November 7.
The 18th annual SXSW Pitch, where innovation takes center stage. Over two exciting days, a live audience and a panel of expert judges will explore the forefront of emerging technology sectors. SXSW Pitch will take place March 13th and 14th, 2026.

Final Day to Apply for Innovation Crossroads at ORNL
2025-11-07
Applications for the 2026 cohort will close at midnight on Friday, November 7.
Apply at this link.
Innovation Crossroads is a two-year fellowship program that focuses on energy and advanced manufacturing technologies. Through an annual national call and competitive stage-gate process, top entrepreneurial-minded fellows are selected to join the program. Selected innovators receive a fellowship that includes a personal living stipend, a health insurance stipend, a travel allowance, a substantial grant to use on collaborative R&D at ORNL, and comprehensive mentoring assistance to build a sustainable business model.
By embedding the next generation of top technical talent within ORNL, Innovation Crossroads positions entrepreneurial researcher fellows to address fundamental energy and manufacturing challenges identified by industry.

Pricing & Customer Experience: Lunch & Learn
2025-11-10 11:30 - 13:00 | Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, 17 Market Square
In this session led by the founder of All Y’all Skincare, you’ll explore how pricing choices shape customer perception and experience. Learn real-world tactics for setting prices that feel right for you and your customers, plus simple ways to elevate the experience without overspending. Walk away with fresh perspective, doable strategies, and confidence to charge what your work is truly worth.

Lunch will be provided.

POSTPONED | How Businesses Can Partner with ORNL to Drive Economic Development
2025-11-12 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.

NOVA EC "Rural Frontier" Start-Up Pitch Competition in Pulaski
2025-11-13 17:00 - 19:00 | Makeshift, 110 N. 2nd Street, Pulaski, Tennessee, 38478
NOVA EC is hosting our inaugural Start-Up Pitch Competition. Come Pitch, Network, & Win Prize Money. For more information on how to apply to pitch, see below.

InvestTN Road Tour - Capital Conversations
2025-11-14 15:00 - 17:00 | 121 Tech Hub, 121 E Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37915
With support from the Nasdaq Foundation, Launch Tennessee and Pinnacle Financial Partners are bringing the InvestTN Road Tour to 10 cities statewide to share key info on funding, investment opportunities, and how to tap into resources right in your community.
Next stop: Knoxville! Join us on Friday, Nov. 14 at 3 p.m. E.T. for Capital Conversations Knoxville, the fourth stop of the insightful tour.
This free event is designed to help founders connect with capital, meet fellow entrepreneurs, learn about InvestTN (LaunchTN’s $70 million equity investment fund), and discover how to access resources and get involved.
In attendance will be members of LaunchTN’s Capital team, financial sector experts from Pinnacle Financial Partners and Pathway Lending, and representatives from the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center.

UT Tailgate with Launch Tennessee
2025-11-15 13:30 - 16:00 | Circle Park on the University of Tennessee, Knoxville campus.
Join LaunchTN and The University of Tennessee on Nov. 15 for a festive pre-game tailgate experience at UT Knoxville, designed to foster connections within the startup ecosystem.
Enjoy great food, drinks, and tons of Tennessee team spirit while connecting with fellow entrepreneurs, innovators, and supporters of the Knoxville startup community, all in preparation for cheering on the Vols as they face off against New Mexico State.
RSVP by Thursday, Nov. 7 to confirm your spot, space is limited!

Life Science Tennessee Convention (LSTCON)
2025-11-18 08:00 - 19:00 | Westin Hotel, Nashville, 807 Clark Place, Nashville, Tennessee, 37203
LSTCON is a powerful gathering for life science industry leaders to share the latest innovations moving the industry forward

Life Science Tennessee presents LSTCON, an annual conference that brings together Tennessee‘s life science ecosystem to collaborate, learn, and build meaningful connections across the state.
Join us on November 18 to hear from state and national industry leaders and researchers about topics that affect life science companies daily. The day will conclude with the crowd favorite Venture Forum where life science startups will pitch their prospective companies to the full conference audience for a chance to win $10,000!
Check out the website to stay up to date on speakers, panels, and announcements for the conference.

Opportunities in Energy - Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council
2025-11-19 09:00 - 17:00 | Crowne Plaza Knoxville Downtown University, an IHG Hotel, 401 West Summit Hill Drive Southwest, Knoxville, TN, 37902
The Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council will hold its annual Opportunities in Energy event on Wednesday, November 19, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. ET at the Crowne Plaza in downtown Knoxville.
This all-day event invites members and stakeholders to hear about new and innovative “opportunities” in the advanced energy sector, including trends, businesses, technologies, partnerships and initiatives.
At the event, TAEBC will present a state or local leader with the annual Thomas B. Ballard Advanced Energy Leadership Award. The award honors exemplary leadership and success in championing, connecting, and strengthening Tennessee’s advanced energy economy.
Attendees will receive breakfast, lunch and refreshments throughout the event. A networking happy hour will follow the event programming.
If you are a presenting supporter, event supporter, student, startup, government official, speaker, or Gold or Platinum TAEBC Member, please email mallory@tnadvancedenergy.com or sjohnson@piper-communications.com to receive your free promo code.

Startup Jumpstart 🚀 | UTC Entrepreneur Panel
2025-11-19 15:30 - 16:30 | Max Fuller CIE, MAPP Building, 2nd Floor UT at Chattanooga
Exciting upcoming panel at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at 3:30 PM – for every student (or future founder!) who’s ever said, “I want to start a business, but I don’t know where to begin.”

Join us for Startup Jumpstart: Turning Ideas Into Action, featuring an incredible lineup of Tennessee founders and resource partners who are sharing real stories about how they took the first step:
🎙️ Panelists:
Jennifer Skjellum – LaunchTN
Lynn Chesnutt – Tennessee Small Business Development Centers (TSBDC)
Krue Brock – Chattanooga Football Club
Hudson Brock – AlloHire
Builder Brock – WAYPOINT
Megan Cales – Sensory Bridges, LLC
💡 In-person: Max Fuller CIE, MAPP Building, 2nd Floor
💻 Virtual: Join via Zoom https://lnkd.in/gPsszgED

Start Here Pitch Competition - Cookeville
2025-11-19 17:30 - 19:30 | 37 Cedar, Cookeville, TN
The Biz Foundry is thrilled to announce the Top 6 Finalists for this year’s Start Here Pitch Competition, happening Wednesday, November 19 at 37 Cedar in Cookeville, TN!
These incredible startups stood out for their bold ideas, scalable business models, and connection to the Upper Cumberland region. Each one is ready to make big waves — and they’ll compete live for cash prizes of $10,000, $5,000, and $2,500, plus the chance to pitch to the Upper Cumberland Angel Investors Fund.
Congratulations to our 2025 Finalists:

Tee Williams of Better Butter Cookie Company

Kent Simpkins of AETIVA Sweetener, Inc

Thomas Robertson of Digithreads

Cindy Malawey of Rebabit Health

Mike Taylor of Volunteer Bulk Transfer

Jay Lefkovitz of ElevateTrak

📅 Event DetailsDate: Wednesday, November 19, 2025Time: Doors open 5:30 p.m. | Competition begins 6 p.m.Location: 37 Cedar, Cookeville, TNMore Info & Tickets: Register Here

Hackathon for Non-profits in East Tennessee
2025-12-02 09:00 - 21:00 | 121 Tech Hub, 121 E Jackson Ave, Knoxville, TN 37915
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Welcome to the Hackathon!

Coffee, bagels, and orientation. Event overview, ground rules, prize criteria, and Definition of Done (demo, Readme, owners, next steps).

10:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Team formation and roles

Assign roles: Problem Owner, Team Lead, Builders, Data/Process, Storyteller.

10:30 AM – 11:30 AM
Discovery sprint

Map current process, users, data; define success metrics. Output: Problem Framing Canvas.

11:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Solution sketch & scope

Brainstorm and select a Minimum Lovable Prototype (MLP); define one-page build plan.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch

Catered lunch in the 121 Tech Hub kitchen

1:00 PM – 3:00 PM
Build Sprint #1

Develop the core workflow; use sample/sanitized data; ident

3:00 PM – 3:15 PM
Break

Reset and refresh

3:15 PM – 4:30 PM
Build Sprint #2

Develop features tied to success metrics; stabilize basics.

4:30 PM – 5:00 PM
User Checkpoint

Nonprofit lead tests prototype; capture top 3 changes.

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Build Sprint #3

Polish. Apply feedback, finalize workflow, and prepare Readme.

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM
Dinner

Catered dinner in the 121 Tech Hub kitchen

7:00 AM – 7:30 AM
Demo Prep

Refine presentation: problem, approach, demo, impact, next steps (1–2 slides).

7:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Handoff & Setup

Finalize Handoff Packet with links, instructions, and owners.

8:00 PM – 9:00 PM
Presentations & Prizes

5-min demo + 2-min Q&A per team. Judged on usability, impact, feasibility, clarity. Celebrate!

Access to Capital for Small Businesses — Helping Small Business Navigate Funding with Confidence
2025-12-10 08:00 - 09:00 | Oak Ridge Chamber of Commerce, 1400 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, 37830, United States
Access to capital is one of the most crucial and often misunderstood aspects of running or growing a small business. Many Tennessee entrepreneurs walk in with strong ideas and real determination, but they often feel lost when it comes to funding: Which lenders should they approach? What does the SBA actually guarantee? How much cash flow do they need? What documents are required? This workshop is designed to help TSBDC clients and prospective clients cut through the confusion and understand how the capital process truly works.
Speaker(s): Stephen W. Williams, MBA, Director of TSBDC at Roane State Community College

Nashville Investors and Innovators
2025-12-11 18:00 - 20:00 | Nashville Entrepreneur Center, 41 Peabody St, Nashville, TN 37210
​Black Dog Venture Partners VC Fast Pitch and The Emerging Managers Podcast invite you to Investors and Innovators in Nashville!
​​Connecting and networking with private equity firms, family offices, VCs, angel investors and top innovators.
​​Date: Thursday, December 11, 2025 6pm-9pm.
​Location: Nashville Entrepreneur Center, 41 Peabody St, Nashville, TN 37210 RSVP at https://lu.ma/y7sttzmj
​​Enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres in a relaxed environment with top emerging investors and innovators.
​Questions? Send email scott@blackdogvp.com

Oak Ridge Chamber's Annual Awards Gala: Celebrating the Future
2026-01-09 18:00 - 22:00 | 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

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.
