Startup Week CHA 2021
Monday, October 18, 2021
Badge Pickup + Co-working @ Basecamp powered by EPB
Come grab your badge to access all Startup Week CHA has to offer! Badge pickup is available starting at 8 AM and co-working held throughout the day.
Complimentary Peet's Coffee will be available each morning while supplies last night!
Startup Week CHA Kickoff + Fireside Chat w/ James Chapman
Startup Week kicks off with veteran, serial entrepreneur James Chapman, who spent years contributing to the Chattanooga entrepreneurial ecosystem before taking his talents to Detroit.
He’s the Founder & CEO of Plain Sight — a social app that allows users to make the right business connections at events and workspaces. Plain Sight was recently featured as Apple’s App of the Day.
Download the Plain Sight app and use it to connect with people throughout the week at Startup Week CHA.
The kickoff also has a special guest — Stephanie Hays, who has organized Startup Weeks in the past, and now is on a great worldwide adventure, all on Airbnb’s dime.
Hear from Stephanie, who is living it up while traveling, but wishing she had EPB’s high-speed internet, and then CO.LAB CEO Lindsey Cox and Chapman will talk fireside-chat-style. Don't miss hearing about how two Chattanooga-lovers are sharing their talents with the world.
Attract Business from Residents and Visitors
At this session, we’ll share data about Chattanooga’s tourism economy to help you understand the size of the market and make decisions for your businesses. We’ll also discuss marketing to diverse tourists and best practices for engaging visitors. You’ll leave this event with ideas on how to promote your business to our visitors and residents, and with a list of free ways to engage with Chattanooga Tourism Co.
Rapid Growth: All About People & Culture
Successful small businesses or startups aren't built by having a single "genius" or great leader at the top from day one. They are built by creating a sustainable structure and purposeful culture, of which the ability to get, keep, and grow great people should be priority number one. By obsessing over finding the best people (who fit our culture and growth goals), we have had rapid success since 2019. Tune in to hear more from Chris Hurst, CEO of StratusGrid
Calling All Founders of Color | OFFICE HOURS
Held as a follow-up to our morning session, this is an opportunity for founders to meet 1:1 with the Twende team to learn more and see if this program is right for you.
Starting Your Business During a Pandemic
As COVID-19 continues to challenge our community and small business owners, the LAUNCH Chattanooga team is working to support entrepreneurs. This workshop will discuss the challenges and advantages of starting a business during this time, as well as the necessary steps to do so.
Consumer Goods 101: Launching a Consumer Packaged Product
In this seminar, join the PROOF team as they discuss what it’s like to explore the creation, development, and market execution of launching a consumer product.
Mike Robinson - Founder
Mia Littlejohn - Founder
Kaleena Goldsworthy - Director of Programs
Tim Moore - Director of Communications
Will This FLOAT?
This might be the start of a dream come true. Nine people with fresh, creative, fun visions will swallow their fears and doubts and take the stage to present business ideas in this pitch competition. Come see if their ideas FLOAT and connect with budding entrepreneurs.
The full list of companies selected to pitch can be viewed here.
Judges for the event include:
- Adrienne Cooper, founder and CEO of Moonlight Roller
- Erin Felton Lopez, Etsy Inc. Strategy & Analytics, MBA, Ex-Goldman Sachs
- Meilani Santillán, Program Director at Code for America
- Jay Shaffer, Angel Investor and Board Member of Atlanta Tech Angels
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
Identifying Your Core Values
In this session, you’ll hear from a new entrepreneur who has overcome challenges by staying focused on core values. Hear how staying true to your mission can positively impact your business.
ArtsBuild presents Get Money
Join ArtsBuild as they share tips on applying for their grant funding and share information about applying for arts based grant funding more generally.
Building Social Impact Into Your Business
Social impact investing and conscious capital have become widespread themes in business over the last several years. This session will include a panel of entrepreneurs who have embraced social impact as part of their business model. You'll hear how they embedded in their corporate culture and get their advice to founders who want use their business to drive more than profits.
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
UTC Entrepreneurship Breakfast feat. Branch Technology
THIS EVENT REQUIRES A SEPARATE REGISTRATION.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will host the 2021 Entrepreneurship Breakfast, which will feature Branch Technology founder Platt Boyd.
Members of the Chattanooga community are invited to join us for the UTC Entrepreneurship Breakfast featuring Branch Technology Founder and CEO Platt Boyd on Wednesday, October 20 from 8 to 9:30 a.m. in the UTC University Center Tennessee Room. Enjoy a FREE breakfast, chat with students and faculty, and learn more about Boyd's entrepreneurial journey.
Using story to share your mission
People can’t resist a good story, and when you’re sharing your business or organization's mission, story can be one of your most powerful tools. But, there’s an art to crafting a narrative that is both compelling and informative. Join us for this panel on the power of story, hosted by The Enterprise Center, featuring three local businesses and nonprofits (Lodge Cast Iron, The Chattanooga Tourism Company, and Chattanooga Whiskey), who have used a smart approach to storytelling to share their mission. We will discuss how to think about who your audience is, what your message is, and what platform (video, blog, podcast, social media) you should use.
Networking with Intention
Are you maximizing each opportunity you have to create great business relationships? If you often find yourself leaving networking events without making meaningful connections, or if you don't know where to start networking, then this is the workshop for you. Hosted by TSBDC + BNI of Southeast TN.
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