Innovation Night at the Park
Wednesday, May 13 | Covenant Health Park | Knoxville, Tennessee
Join founders, innovators, investors, and the entire Knoxville community for an afternoon and evening celebrating innovation.
12:00–2:00 PM
Investor Pitch: $100K Opportunity
Join us for lunch in the Clubhouse and watch top founders pitch their startups. Selected founders will have 3 minutes to pitch for a chance to receive a $100,000 investment from Market Square Ventures.
2:00–4:00 PM
LEEP Demo Day
Experience breakthrough technologies from startups in the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program (LEEP).
Featuring startups from:
Chain Reaction Innovations at Argonne National Laboratory (Illinois)
Cyclotron Road at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (California)
Innovation Crossroads at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Tennessee)
West Gate at National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Colorado)
Meet the founders building the next generation of energy and advanced technology companies.
4:00–5:30 PM
Coworking + Networking at 121 Tech Hub
Founders, investors, and operators are invited to continue conversations and collaboration at 121 Tech Hub, located block from the stadium at 121 E. Jackson. Drop in, connect, and work alongside fellow innovators. Coworking at 121 Tech Hub will also be available all day for founders and investors attending the event.
5:30–7:00 PM
Startup Showcase on the Concourse
Gates open at 5:30pm! Explore the latest technologies from startups and innovative companies.
Live startup demonstrations
Founder meet-and-greets
Emerging technology displays
Meet the people building the future of energy, AI, mobility, advanced manufacturing, and more.
7:00 PM
One Knox Kickoff ⚽️
Special discount: Get your $10 ticket to see national champion One Knoxville SC professional soccer team take on Union Omaha.
Before the game, celebrate Knoxville’s culture of innovation on the Jumbotron.
At halftime, recognize founders and innovators from the day’s event on the field.
Why This Event Matters
Knoxville sits at the intersection of entrepreneurial ambition, national laboratory research, and university talent.
Innovation Night brings together:
Local and regional founders
Venture investors
Corporate innovators
National lab startups
Students
The entire community!
All in one place to celebrate the future being built here.