The future of entrepreneurship lies in the heart of rural Tennessee.
That’s the message and mission of a first-of-its-kind Rural Entrepreneurship Summit.
On March 11, CO.LAB is hosting an inaugural Rural Entrepreneurship Summit at Bryan College.
The event is designed specifically for business leaders, startup owners, elected officials and lawmakers, community and ecosystem leaders from Bledsoe, Bradley, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, Meigs, McMinn, Polk, Rhea and Sequatchie counties.
“This groundbreaking event will bring together thought leaders, changemakers, and key stakeholders – including community leaders, legislators, economic developers, and entrepreneurs – to explore innovative strategies for enhancing rural communities through small business support and collaboration,” the nonprofit stated.
The daylong event features keynote addresses by Lynn Chestnut, Tennessee Small Business Development Center, and Bridget Jones, TN’s Dept. of Economic and Community Development who will speak on “Creating Effective Rural Entrepreneurial Ecosystems.”
The event also includes a case study with Michael Aikens from Tennessee Tech University, an interactive session with CO.LAB’s Allie Schrenker and afternoon reception. Lunch, catered by a local small business, will be provided, along with a coffee bar and snacks.
Long known for its vast support for our area entrepreneurial ecosystem, CO.LAB is creating the event for participants to “engage in discussions, keynote presentations, and interactive sessions focused on workforce development, access to capital, infrastructure improvements, and policy initiatives designed to drive sustainable economic growth in rural areas.”
“Small businesses and entrepreneurs in Southeastern Tennessee are often an overlooked resource for economic vitality,” said Allie Schrenker, Director of Community Engagement at CO.LAB. “However, there are two missing factors: consistency and capacity to support entrepreneurs. By bringing together the changemakers and leaders in these communities, we can start the conversation to improve it, leading to a better workforce, ecosystem and quality of living.” To register, visit https://thecompanylab.org/rural-entrepreneurship-summit/ or call 423.281.0811 or email [email protected]
