LaunchTN

The past 2 days have been AMAZING and really filled my entrepreneurial cup. Thank you to LaunchTN #3686Fest for letting me share my marketing expertise on stage at the conference aaannnddd curate an event for Black Founders. Let’s do it again next year 😏 Full recap soon come 💙🤞🏾 📸: Sara Kauss 💃🏾: Abercrombie & Fitch Co.

Another #3686 in the books with Sims Venture Capital. This year was packed with catching up with our old friends and forging new connections. I had the great pleasure of meeting industry growth partners, passionate founders, and other investors who will all be instrumental in helping SVC grow in the years ahead. A huge thank you to LaunchTN for putting on another great event and for all the work they do for Tennessee entrepreneurship!

Excited to be at the #3686fest LaunchTN, connecting with some of the most innovative minds in entrepreneurship! Learning new strategies and gaining insights to take our work to the next level...🚀 #SVC #LaunchTN Personality Pool

TL;DR Version: Congrats to Onrise - and everyone who made it to #3686 this week! The longer version with tons of tags (I don't really know if you're supposed to do that anymore, but lets just go with it): WHAT A WEEK. I was honored to return to the 3686 stage to host the annual pitch competition. Thanks to Eller M Kelliher for asking, and for being roped into a great talk while the judges deliberated. Five incredible companies from all across the state. (Now, am I pretty stoked that Kimberly Quigley, MD, FABPN, Derrick Furlow Jr and the Onrise team are from Knoxville? Yes, yes, I am. And was it cool to see our own City of Knoxville mayor Indya Kincannon represent our The Maker City so well? Yes, yes it was). I kicked off the program with the quote often attributed to Mark Twain (he probably didn't say it, but lets just go with it): "I would have written you a shorter letter, but I didn't have the time". This is what a great pitch is all about: Being obsessively intentional with your words and images to be as clear, powerful, and valuable - as possible - in just a few minutes. It's not "just" about flashy slides and investor buzzwords. Do you have a clear value proposition? Do you have a market? Do you have a great product...and maybe most important for a founder - are you willing to grow and learn while the company does the same? This sets everyone up well for "innovation theatre" success, but it also prepares a founder and a company to communicate clearly and move quickly. I love this stuff. Shoutouts to the judges: Brandon Bruce Whitney Williams Marcus Whitney Kelly Ford Buckley and Jai'lyn R. Shoutouts to all the companies: MasRefund TuneHatch, Inc. JoAdel Adeola (Fathom), Perseus Materials And a big thanks to the LaunchTN crew for putting on a truly great event for our state. I got to catch several of the panels, including John E. Derrick holding court on all things AI and legacy companies, and Courtney Jones giving the crowd an update on her current and future adventures. AND it was great to catch up with folks - and meet a ton of new people. If I started down this list, I would be guilty of writing a very long letter. Lots of great people, cool companies, and forward motion all around. LETS GO!!! Lindsey Cox Knoxville Entrepreneur Center Innov865 teknovation.biz

That's a wrap on this year's 3686 entrepreneur conference! Day No. 3 included Partner Popups across Nashville, plus investor-exclusive content at the Frist Art Museum. We can't believe it's over, but we're already looking forward to next year's annual event, happening the week of Sept. 8! We're grateful for everyone who came out this year. Please take a few minutes and take our survey at https://lnkd.in/e4XNQAdV to let us know what you enjoyed and what we can do to improve the experience. Each respondent will receive a special discount code to save on your 2025 conference ticket! And tell us your favorite part of #3686fest in the comments!

Our team is very excited to be part of the #3686Conference this week, connecting with innovators and leaders in Tennessee's entrepreneurial ecosystem! 🚀 It's been an incredible experience learning from brilliant minds and sharing insights that drive innovation forward. Thanks to LaunchTN for organizing such a dynamic event! #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #CTTC #3686Fest #Vanderbilt

LaunchTN did an outstanding job of delivering fresh and diverse content at #3686 this year. The highlight was an inspiring keynote by Stuart Weitzman, the iconic founder of a renowned consumer brand. His talk, "The Entrepreneurial Journey on the Road Less Traveled," emphasized a crucial lesson: taking risks is essential for progress. And for those lucky enough to snag a front-row seat, maybe it's time to dust off those classic 5050 boots! Also, who could forget the memorable image of Taylor Swift rocking Stuart Weitzman shoes and a Hill House Home set? This year, LaunchTN also introduced a panel on the CPG fundraising landscape, featuring insights from Matthew Hertz, Laurel Orley, Derick Duchodni, and myself. It was a pleasure to share our experiences at Beliade and discuss current market trends with the audience. I hope everyone enjoyed the conference as much as I did and I’m already looking forward to next year! #3686fest #launchtn #launchtnconference

What a swingin’ time we had at 3686! 🎉🏌️♂️ From mini-golf showdowns to networking with Tennessee’s most innovative minds, this year’s festival was one for the books. A huge congratulations to Nikki Sanz, CEO & Founder of Giggs, LLC, for winning our giveaway and scoring a free stay at the Ross Bridge Golf Resort and Spa! 🏆 It was great meeting you and all the other brilliant entrepreneurs, investors, and tech enthusiasts who stopped by to take a shot on our mini-golf greens. ⛳️ Plus, the un-fore-gettable conversations about how we can help scale startups with smart IT solutions were just the icing on the cake! 📸 Here’s a peek at some of the highlights – including a few victorious putts and happy faces. 😊 Thank you to LaunchTN for putting on such a fantastic event and to everyone who joined us! We’re proud to support this inspiring community and can’t wait to keep the momentum going. 🚀 Until next time, Tennessee! 👋 #3686fest #ITSupport #Interlaced

And that's a wrap on LaunchTN's 3686 conference! Inkbloom had such a productive experience - tons of great conversations and insightful feedback. We are excited about all the new connections we made and will continue to grow in the coming months!

#Catalyst for #Innovation I’ve learned that the best thinkers, entrepreneurs, and innovators are curious and interested in the world and people around them. They believe you can find inspiration from anything, anyone, and anywhere. They live life with their eyes wide open. I am inspired by these people who intentionally seek out education, exposure, and experience across many different domains, places, and people. I put that inspiration into action by seeking out opportunities to expand my mental models and skills. This week, I participated in #3686. This interactive conference is the place to be for entrepreneurs and investors to get connected. And you will be WOW’d by the startup scene in #Nashville and #Tennessee. What does 3686 mean anyway? 36 and 86 are #Nashville’s geographical coordinates. #3686Fest, LaunchTN