Startup Week CHA 2021
Sustainability
Tuesday, October 19, 2021
Sustainability Made Simple: Future Proofing Your Business
What does sustainability mean to your startup? In this session you’ll get up to speed about Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG), which is a term that’s becoming commonplace for investors, customers, influencers and employees. You’ll learn why it’s important to be ESG-savvy and how local nonprofit green|spaces can help.
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]
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.
Recycling Your Electronics: Why It's Important and How We Can Help!
We will be leading a discussion about electronics recycling and why it is so important to keep electronics and their components out of the landfill. We will also be accepting small electronics for recycling!
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.
Thursday, October 21, 2021
Reimaging Waste
Come receive education about recycling, composting, and our current plastic pollution problem.