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!
Not All Press is Good Press
PR/Communication/media professionals Chloé Morrison and Jim Tanner will teach entrepreneurs how to create positive media coverage. We'll cover how to do an interview, write a press release and work with the media.
Coffee + a Documentary
This session is a coffee tasting and documentary preview. Global growers and communities rarely get to see how much people enjoy their craft. And, with limited success at the bottom of the chain, their livelihoods are often compromised by the global commodity price for coffee. Because we recognize their value and want to share it with others, Goodman Expert Coffee Roasters intentionally sources and roasts to highlight the work of innovative farmers, such as Ventola and Unblended in Colombia, to promote sustainability and build others up. The result is exceptional and innovative coffee you can feel good about.
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
Make Room, She’s Speaking (about all things money and resources)
Join us for a panel discussion with local business women about financials, minimum viable product development, customer retention, team development, and more.
Hear from:
- Lauren Mindermann, founder of Lolo Bar, and journey of entering the CBD industry
- Porsche Torregano, TN&GA realtor, assisting owners maneuver in the brick and mortar decision-making
- Alicia Moore (Business Relations) from First Volunteer Bank
Sustainability and Recycling Pitch & Pilot Competition
The City of Chattanooga and The Company Lab are partnering for a Sustainability and Recycling Pitch & Pilot Competition.
The city and nonprofit are looking for creative ways to drive the waste management structures and infrastructure systems.
This includes changes to technology, infrastructure, and educating residents.
Members of the public are invited to submit ideas covering one or more of the five areas listed below.
- Circular Economy
- Cost Efficiency in Recycling Processes
- Consumer/resident Education
- Labor Reduction
- Composting
Four submissions will be selected to pilot in partnership with CO.LAB and the City of Chattanooga, and those selected will be awarded a small stipend.
Chosen solutions will present during Startup Week CHA 2021 on Tues. Oct. 19 at noon and be evaluated on:
- Understanding of problem/solutions
- Quality of recommendation
- Implementation
- Feasibility (including an estimated budget)
The selected solution(s) will be selected for pilot programs to assess their feasibility in Chattanooga.
As part of the pilot process, these four ideas will be presented as a pitch event on Wed. Oct. 19, 2021 as part of Startup Week CHA.
Applications are due Oct. 3, and selected applicants will be notified Oct. 10.
Anyone with an idea can email a proposal to [email protected]
Tour the Innovation District
Get a guided tour of the first Innovation District established by a mid-sized city. The vibrant and walkable district is home to the city’s main downtown public spaces and a host of coffee shops and restaurants, linked by attractive streets, public art, a bike share program and free downtown electric shuttle. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water for this hour-long walking tour.
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.
Commercial Break with Alexis Willis of Second Story
Nah, we aren't watching TV! You do not want to miss this "commercial break." We talkin' real estate. Join Alexis Willis and a panel of homegrown brokers from Second Story Real Estate Management to learn about the nitty gritty of commercial real estate. Sure, you know a residential agent that can help you find your dream home, but would you go to an eye doctor for a toothache? All broker specialties are not the same and we are here to share some insight on how to find the right fit for you and your business needs!
TVFCU Idea Leap Pitch Competition
Join TVFCU for the Idea Leap Pitch Picnic on the front lawn of the Bessie Smith Cultural Center. Come early at 3:30 p.m. to set up your lawn chair or spread your picnic blanket and grab an early supper from Chatter Box Café for this outdoor, socially-distant event. The Pitch Competition will begin at 4 p.m. as Champion Christian Learning Academy, Chatt Taste Food Tours, LLC, Lil Mama's Chicago Style Hoagy, Salon Posh and Wild Violet Permaculture, LLC compete for the five Idea Leap Grants ($21K, $15K, $10K, $7K and $5K). In the event of rain, the event will be strictly virtual. Furthermore, if there is a COVID-19 case surge, the event may pivot to strictly virtual. Follow TVFCU on social media for event details
Wednesday, October 20, 2021
How Smart Cities Are Built
The Center for Urban Informatics and Progress explore the history and current state of Chattanooga's technology and smart city initiatives and how the two work together. By using the MLK Smart Corridor as our primary example, we will explain its purpose and goals, application, and future efforts. We will take a special look at our lidar-based pedestrian analytics project and how it is shaping local policy.
Tech & Startups & Jobs: Job Fair 2021
New this year! Join us for the inaugural Startup Week CHA Job Fair. Come meet area employers from tech-enabled startups to major and mid-sized businesses who are hiring right now.
Explore work opportunities from:
Austin Sizemore • FT - Sales/Real Estate Professionals
Bellhop • FT - Sales/Human Resources/Software/Operations/Management
Carbon Five • FT - Software
Chattanooga Selfie Museum • FT/PT - Management/Marketing
Chattanooga Tourism Co. • FT - Marketing
The City of Chattanooga • FT - Human Resources/Software/
Operations/Management
The Enterprise Center • FT - Marketing/Communications
EPB • FT - Customer Service/Technical Support/Network Engineering/Electrical Engineering/Resource Planning/Dispatch/Marketing/IT
Girls Inc. of Chattanooga • FT - Operation/Programs Coordinator
Iron Workers Local 704 • FT/PT - Skilled Labor/Operations
Komatsu • FT - Finance/Accounting/operations/skilled labor
Legacy Box • FT - Marketing/Human Resources/Customer Service/Software/Operations/Management
Marius Group • FT/PT/Intern - Sales/Marketing/Human Resources
M&M Industries • FT/PT - Maintenance Operators/Packers/Printers/Injection Molding
Novo Health Services •
Reliance Partners • FT - Sales/Marketing/Customer Service/Finance/Accounting/Software/Operations/Management
Robert Half • FT/PT - Marketing/Human Resources/Customer Service/Finance/Accounting
Shelly Cove • FT/PT - Operations
Skuid • FT
Steam Logistics • FT - Sales/Operations/Administration
Text Request • FT - Software
The Professional Cleaning Solution • FT/PT - Operations
Trident Transport • FT - Sales
Economic Development in the Hospitality Industry
In this session, you’ll learn ways the community, local businesses, municipalities, and government can work to help engage with and support the hospitality industry. With the pandemic leaving bars and restaurants in a critical state, leaning on one another and communicating needs and general understanding is crucial to rebuild our industry locally and beyond. Join a discussion between business owners and those in economic development. Learn how we we can enact meaningful and powerful change to help everyone succeed.
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.
Thursday, October 21, 2021
Leveraging Your Local Ecosystem for Growth
Text Request has grown nationally, in part, because of the resources and relationships we have access to right here in Chattanooga. Join Kenneth Burke, VP of Marketing at Text Request and Briana Garza-Wilson, co-founder of Chatt Taste, to learn how to leverage the local business ecosystem to build your reputation and revenue. David Martin, cofounder of Heed PR, will moderate. You'll walk away with a game plan to grow your brand, recruit top talent, increase sales, and move your business forward — all while giving back to our community.
What does TikTok do again?
Learn the basics of TikTok and get tips on using it from a millenial who found surprise success on this social media platform.
Friday, October 22, 2021
Tour the MLK Testbed for Smart City Technology
You've likely driven or walked on the UTC testbed for Smart Cities located downtown on MLK Boulevard, but do you know about the innovation taking place? Join UTC for a walk-and-talk tour of the space and learn how innovative technology is being developed and deployed in a real-world setting - right here in Chattanooga!
You can find the meeting point here.
Enneagram Happy Hour @ CO.LAB
The Enneagram is a system that helps you uncover your core personality, deeper motivations, and unconscious patterns. But more than that, it is a map that helps you grow beyond your personality and shows the way to your true self. It is a tool for transformational personal growth, and it all starts with knowing your Type. This is the beginning point to unlocking all the magic that the Enneagram holds. This workshop will introduce you to the Nine personality types in a fun, interactive way + booze.
Download these images to your phone and post using the Instagram app.