Building Your Chamber Membership Through Entrepreneurship Support

Building a Startup Ecosystem in Your Community is Tough!

In 2016, Johnson City, Tennessee and the surrounding rural region had 12 startups in it. Small business growth was stagnant.  

Today, Johnson City has over 90 high-growth startups and over 258 small businesses launched or grew in the last two years. The region is booming because of the growth of the population and a focus on the innovation economy for economic development. This didn't happen by accident. Intentional startup community building kickstarted an entirely new opportunity for this Appalachian region. It didn't happen over night, however, the early foundation was put in place to achieve this growth.

Building a startup ecosystem is tough, but you don't have to figure it out on your own!

Learn Ecosystem Building from Those That Have Done It:

In this webinar, you will learn how the local startups, ecosystem builders, and supporters laid the foundation to kickstart a thriving startup ecosystem. You will also hear tips and tricks on how to manage the ecosystem and how to find ways to help it continue to thrive.

We will dive into the strategies, programs, and partnerships behind the rapid growth of Johnson City’s startup ecosystem and provide suggestions on how you can build your own thriving ecosystem.

This session is packed with actionable insights for chambers of commerce, economic developers, ecosystem builders, community leaders, and anyone working to spark entrepreneurship in their own communities.

Topics Covered:

• The History behind a thriving startup ecosystem
• Proven frameworks for launching and scaling local support for founders
• Tips and tools to engage both public and private stakeholders
• The power of early-stage capital and strategic programming
• How the Avante program is helping underdog entrepreneurs succeed

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to take your efforts to the next level, this is your opportunity to learn what’s working, and what’s next.

The event is free but reservations are required.