Contact: Hannah Whitson | hannah@piper-communications.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 30, 2023) – The Innov865 Alliance is gearing up for an extraordinary lineup of more than 20 events showcasing Knoxville’s entrepreneurial ecosystem during its annual Innov865 Week, set to run from Sept. 8 to 15. The spotlight event of the week, Startup Day 2023, will be held at The Mill and Mine on Tuesday, Sept. 12, at 2:00 p.m. ET.
“The Alliance has spent a decade fostering collaboration among investors, developers, and entrepreneurs, all aimed at propelling Knoxville’s entrepreneurial scene to new heights,” noted Derren Burrell, Founder and President of Veteran Ventures Capital, a founding member of the Innov865 Alliance. “Innov865 Week, especially Startup Day, is a rallying point for local entrepreneurs to celebrate Knoxville’s incredible individuals, companies, innovations and the driving force behind them.”
Startup Day 2023 is bigger than ever, spotlighting diverse industries from an online farmer’s market to direct air capture technology. Finalists will present their ideas to judges and a live audience, competing for the $3,000 Crowd Favorite, sponsored by Boston Government Services, and the $7,000 Judges’ Choice, presented by the Innov865 Alliance. This year’s judges feature prominent Knoxville business leaders, including Chris Miller from Three Roots Capital, Nadim Jubran at In Lieu and Courtney Jones with MomSource Network and DiversityWorks Group.
Startup Day will also include a fireside chat with local business owners regarding the evolution of Knoxville’s entrepreneurial landscape. Panelists include Bailey Foster, Real Good Kitchen, Damon Rawls, The Innovation Digital Agency, and Mac Bartine, SmartRIA.
The event will include the presentation of the annual Traction Award, sponsored by CGI. This award is given to a Knoxville entrepreneur who has made the most traction since participating in Startup Day.
The remainder of Innov865 Week will feature panel discussions, city tours, investor roundtables, and several social gatherings dedicated to showcasing, developing, promoting, celebrating and supporting the Knoxville region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Programming is divided into five tracks: innovation, education, maker, culture, and investor. Some of these 20+ events include The Maker City Summit 2023, AMA with Travis Howerton, Co-Founder of RegScale, Premier Partner Program: Cohort Showcase, Raising & Rising, Devmoot 2023, Sunsphere Private Tour and a One Knoxville SC vs Greenville soccer match. To view the full lineup, visit the Innov865 Week event calendar.
The signature event, Startup Day, is free and open to the public, with doors opening at 1:30 p.m. Click here to secure your spot. Discover more Innov865 Week 2023 events and explore track programs at innov865.com/innov865-week/.
About Innov865 Week & The Innov865 Alliance
Innov865 Week is a weeklong celebration of Knoxville’s entrepreneurial spirit that brings together startups, entrepreneurs, makers, investors, business leaders, students, and community leaders from across East Tennessee for a week of educational panels, pitch competitions, investor roundtables, and social events. It is presented by the Innov865 Alliance, a coalition that develops, supports, and promotes the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Founding members of the Innov865 Alliance include the University of Tennessee Research Foundation, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, PYA,, University of Tennessee, Knoxville; Three Roots Capital, Tennessee Valley Authority, Launch Tennessee, Knoxville Chamber, Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, Veteran Ventures Capital, UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm, the City of Knoxville and Bunker Labs Knoxville. To learn more, visit innov865.com.