Innov865 Week brings together local leaders, investors, entrepreneurs, and the public to celebrate Knoxville’s startup community
KNOXVILLE, Tenn., June 24, 2020 – The Innov865 Alliance announced today Innov865 Week 2020 will be virtual this year, and it will make a special effort to honor startups and inventors making an impact on the fight against COVID-19. Innov865 Week 2020 is Monday, September 28 – Friday, October 2.
During a webinar with Mayor Kincannon, Tom Rogers, president and CEO of the UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm and founding member of the Innov865 Alliance shared why the Innov865 Alliance made the decision to continue Innov865 Week, virtually.
“Entrepreneurship is essential to the success of our community and now, more than ever is the time to rally around our entrepreneurs,” said Rogers. “Innov865 Week will continue to spotlight Knoxville as a great place to start and grow businesses and connect entrepreneurs planting roots here with support systems to succeed.”
Innov865 Week boasts a range of events for everyone in the community to support local economic development, from investors and regional entrepreneurs to community leaders and students.
The week’s premier event is Startup Day, Tuesday, September 29. Startup Day will be presented virtually using Knoxville based technology platform, Lunchpool. Startup Day is an annual “Shark-Tank”-style pitch competition for a chance to win up to $10,000 in cash prizes. Six of Knoxville’s most investable startups will pitch their businesses in front of a panel of expert judges. In addition to the opportunity to spotlight their startup for investors, entrepreneurs will compete for a “crowd favorite” cash prize presented by BB&T and SunTrust Bank, now Truist.
Added to the Startup Day program this year is a special award and recognition of startups and inventors that have made a positive impact on the fight against COVID-19, presented by Verizon.
To learn more about Innov865 Week visit innov865week.com. The event calendar will be updated as events are added.
ABOUT INNOV865 WEEK AND 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, UT’s Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Three Roots Capital, Tennessee Valley Authority, Launch Tennessee, Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm, and Bunker Labs Knoxville. To learn more, visit innov865.com.
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