36|86 entrepreneur conference kicks off today
Great ideas are being hatched every day in Launch Tennessee’s accelerator network, and at similar facilities around the Southeast. Dozens of those ideas, and the emerging companies behind them, will be front and center at 36|86, our signature conference happening Monday through Wednesday.
So far, more than 760 people have gotten a ticket to the event, so now’s the time to secure a spot and find out what makes the Tennessee and the Southeast the best place for entrepreneurs to turn their vision into reality, while celebrating our unique Southern culture.
Over the course of the event, start-ups, innovators, investors and other attendees will connect in panel and salon discussions, where the best of the best will share insights on what works — and what doesn’t — in a rapidly shifting marketplace of ideas. But success isn’t just built on a great concept: a solid, well-founded business must be created to support it and carve out a market niche. To that end, we’ll be looking at best practices for · branding, · tech talent and· company culture.
We’ll also explore how some companies are using technology to level the playing field and solve some of society’s most pressing problems around social justice.
And then there’s the money. Connecting start-ups to capital is a key focus of 36|86, so there’ll be plenty on tap in that regard. Investors are very interested in this event, to the tune of:
•120 people from 85 different firms
•10 angel funds
•$18+ billion in assets under management (not including Blackstone, the world’s largest private equity group)
•15 states represented, plus Washington, D.C.
•35 Tennessee firms
•50 out-of-state firms
Financial savvy also will be demonstrated by the “Village 36” companies, which are some of the top start-ups across the Southeast. A dozen of these early-stage companies pitched to investors and other supporters during the 36|86 Southern Series events in Atlanta, Ga.; Arlington, Va.; and Columbia, S.C., and are combining with more than 20 other start-ups that span 18 industry clusters, have raised over $17 million in capital and are gunning for a $36,000 prize thanks to our grant award from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation.
The speakers and discussions will be intense, as will the networking opportunities throughout 36|86’s run. Some of the nation’s most innovative entrepreneurial thought leaders will be in attendance, including a heavy-hitting roster of fashion-industry icons and reps from dozens of other industries.
And lest we seem all work and no play, there’ll be plenty of time to unwind as well. We’ll have the music going throughout the entire event, including two evening concerts featuring Repeat Repeat and TurboFruits on Monday, and Langhorne Slim and Marc Broussard on Tuesday. There also will be lunches from Edley’s BBQ and Hattie B’s Hot Chicken, whiskey tastings from some of the state’s finest distillers, as well as pop-up shops featuring local artisans and retailers.
All the innovators, and the people who want to fund them, are going to be here. Take a look at the full schedule, get your ticket at 3686south.eventbrite.com and don’t miss out on this one-of-a-kind Southern celebration.
Charlie Brock is CEO of Launch Tennessee (www.launchtn.org), a public-private partnership focused on supporting the development of high-growth companies in Tennessee with the ultimate goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 state in the Southeast for entrepreneurs to start and grow a company.