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Celebrating Local Innovation: Honoring Winners of the Ninth Annual Idea Leap Grant Pitch Competition
For nine years, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union’s (TVFCU) Idea Leap Grant program has connected local entrepreneurs with funding to help turn innovative ideas into thriving businesses. As TVFCU celebrates 90 years of serving the Tennessee Valley, the credit union
How Desserts on the Roll Turned a Sweet Idea Into a Chattanooga Favorite
Desserts on the Roll began with a simple idea: turn dessert into an experience. Founder Leah Davis didn’t just want to serve something sweet—she wanted to create moments people would remember. What started as a curiosity about rolled ice cream
Off Canvas Designs: How Brittany Crutcher Turned Creativity Into a Community‑Centered Design Studio
Some businesses begin with a business plan, a market analysis, or a long‑term strategy. Off Canvas Designs began with something much simpler: a love and a desire to make the moments in people’s lives feel more personal. For founder Brittany
Cassie Sparks: Turning Setback Into a Funding Lifeline for Chattanooga’s Small Businesses
For many entrepreneurs, the journey begins with a spark of inspiration. For Cassie Sparks, it began with a setback—one that reshaped her understanding of financial systems and ultimately inspired her to build something that would change the trajectory for more
Meet the Business Literacy Series Graduates Shaping Chattanooga’s Future
Chattanooga’s business community continues to grow stronger, more diverse, and more resilient thanks to the dedicated entrepreneurs who invest in their own development—and in the future of our city. This year, several outstanding small business owners completed the Chattanooga Chamber’s
BuildINC Business: The Rise of Dr. K’s Cans in the Outdoor Cooking Market
Watch This Episode Here! Dr. K’s Tenn Cans is reinventing convenience in the cooking market. Formulated and created locally, founder Kurt Koontz didn’t over complicate this idea: turn any grill into a smoker in seconds. Koontz originally developed and produced
BuildINC Business: EV Bots Reimagines Electric Vehicle Charging With Mobile Technology
Watch This Episode Here! In this BuildINC Business Episode, Marcherie Savage sits down with the founder of EV Bots, Virind Gujral. He shares how a simple, personal moment sparked a larger business idea. What began with his son building a small robot to help fuel their
BuildINC Business Podcast: Dr. K’s Tenn Cans Scales to 150 Retail Locations
Watch This Episode Here! What does it take to move a product from concept to retail shelves across the region? In this episode of BuildINC Business, host Marcherie Savage talks to Cody Mays, fulfillment and warehouse manager for Dr. K’s Tenn Cans, and discusses the company’s
BuildINC Business: Konstantin Chinkov Grows Watercolor Idea Into Chattanooga Startup
Watch This Episode Here! Konstantin Chinkov, founder of Wondering Watercolor, says the idea for his business emerged three years ago while painting with his nephew. Noticing his struggles with drawing because of his age, Chinkov created a handmade book to
BuildINC Business: STRACT Corporation Bridges the Gap in Product Development
Watch This Episode Here! The first BuildINC Business podcast episode features Chantz Yanagida, founder of STRACT Corporation, who shares how his company began, the challenges of early-stage innovation, and why he chose the Chattanooga INCubator to support his growth. Yanagida launched
