Innovation Night at the Park
Wednesday, May 13 | Covenant Health Park | Knoxville, Tennessee
Join founders, innovators, investors, and the wider 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 to local and regional investors and a chance to receive a $100,000 investment from Market Square Ventures.
2:00-4:00 PM
LEEP Demo Day 2026
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 Laboratory of the Rockies (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
Innovation 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.
7:00-9:00 PM
One Knoxville SC game ⚽️
Watch the national champion One Knoxville SC soccer team take on Union Omaha at Covenant Health Park, which was named the best ballpark in the country. Get your special discount group rate tickets.
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 brings together entrepreneurial ambition, national laboratory research, and university talent.
Innovation Night welcomes:
Local and regional founders
Venture investors
Corporate innovators
National lab startups
Students
The wider community!
All in one place to celebrate the future being built here.