Startup Day 2024

Innov865 Week’s premier event, Startup Day, is an annual pitch competition and celebration of Knoxville’s thriving entrepreneurial community on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. Doors open at 1:00 p.m. 

At the competition, six Knoxville startups will pitch before a live audience and panel of judges in hopes of winning the Judges’ Choice Award, presented by the  , and the Crowd Favorite Award, presented by and , totaling $15,000 in cash prizes.  

The judges include 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.

This year, three emerging entrepreneurs will participate in a student pitch competition sponsored by the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The emerging entrepreneur winner will receive $2,500.

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.

The Startup Day program also includes the Traction Award, presented by ,  given to a Knoxville entrepreneur who has made significant progress with their business since pitching at Startup Day.

After the formal program, attendees are invited to stay for a networking happy hour presented by Boston Government Services. Drinks and light snacks will be provided.

Innov865 Week is a weeklong celebration of Knoxville's entrepreneurial spirit. It brings together startups, entrepreneurs, makers, investors, business leaders, students, and community leaders across East Tennessee for 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.

Divided into five tracks, Innov865 Week highlights various elements of the Alliance's mission to develop, support and promote the Knoxville region's entrepreneurial ecosystem and its collaborative effort to celebrate and showcase Knoxville as a great place for all entrepreneurs to start and grow businesses and increase access to capital. The five tracks include innovator, emerging entrepreneur, maker, investor, and experience 865.

Learn more about the Innov865 Alliance, the event, and sponsorship opportunities.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Mill & Mine, 227 West Depot Avenue, Knoxville, United States