CONTACT: Hannah Whitson | hannah@piper-communications.com | (423) 408-4203
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 10, 2024) — Knoxville’s entrepreneurs will take center stage during the Innov865 Alliance’s annual Innov865 Week, running from Sept. 27 to Oct. 4. The highlight of the week, Startup Day 2024, is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 1, 1:30 p.m. ET at The Mill and Mine.
“The Alliance is focused on uniting investors, developers, and entrepreneurs to drive Knoxville’s entrepreneurial community forward,” noted Maha Krishnamurthy, president of the University of Tennessee Research Foundation, a founding member of the Innov865 Alliance. “Innov865 Week, especially Startup Day, is our opportunity to highlight the exceptional talent and innovation in East Tennessee and to celebrate the dedication and energy fueling this progress.”
This year’s Startup Day programming will highlight numerous industries, from cutting-edge battery technology to customized classroom communication solutions. Six startups will pitch their ideas to judges and a live audience, competing for the $10,000 Judges’ Choice Award, presented by the Innov865 Alliance and the $5,000 Crowd Favorite, presented by Three Roots Capital and Carrasco Trump PLLC. This year’s startup judges feature prominent Knoxville business leaders, including Harry Boston, founder of Boston Government Services and general partner at Market Square Ventures; Travis Howerton, co-founder and CEO of RegScale; and Ashleigh Walters, former president and current board of directors chairwoman at Onex.
For the first time, Startup Day will incorporate an emerging entrepreneur pitch competition for students and new graduates, organized by the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Three emerging entrepreneurs will vie for $2,500 to support their ventures and help bring their ideas to life. Judges include Pierce Lamacchia, owner and CEO of K Brew; Rosa Mar, general partner at Market Square Ventures; and Catherine Porth, founder and executive director of Let Her Speak and the Women’s Business Collective of East Tennessee.
Guests will also listen to a fireside chat, presented by Three Roots Capital, with local experts discussing financing innovation-based small businesses in the region. Panelists include Brandon Bruce, General Partner of Market Square Ventures; Don DeRosa, CEO of Eonix; and Bill Malkes, CEO of NellOne Therapeutics. Grady Vanderhoofven, president and CEO of Three Roots Capital, will moderate the discussion.
The event will include the presentation of the annual Traction Award, supported by CGI. This award is given to a Knoxville entrepreneur who has made significant traction since participating in Startup Day.
The remainder of Innov865 Week 2024 will feature panel discussions, 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: innovator, emerging entrepreneur, maker, investor, and experience 865. These events include The Maker City Summit 2024, Premier Partner Program: Cohort Showcase, Raising Capital in Knoxville: A Look Behind the Curtain, 121 Tech Hub Grand Opening, Raising & Rising 2024, ETEC’s Weekly Meeting, Devmoot 2024 and the 2024 Endeavour Summit. To view the full lineup, visit the Innov865 Week event calendar.
Startup Day is free and open to the public. Doors open at 1:00 p.m. Click here to secure your spot. Discover more Innov865 Week 2024 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.