Greetings from Chattanooga,

If you stepped outside this weekend, you felt it: Chattanooga’s "False Spring" has arrived with a vengeance. We’ve traded the 20-degree mornings for 70-degree sunshine in what feels like a blink, and that sudden thaw is perfectly mirroring the energy we’re seeing across the local entrepreneur scene. We are shaking off our winter hibernation and moving into a season defined by strategic shifts and hometown home runs.

Today’s newsletter is a tribute to that transition. We’re looking at grant opportunities– both locally and nationally; startups representing us in Nashville and on the North Shore, and the new quantum opportunities proving that our best ideas are yet to come. Grab a coffee, find a patio, cheer on your peers and let’s dive in.

See you around town,

Drew

Have an event? Reply to this email.

Had coffee with an ex-silicon valley exec on the current state of startups, and the investment opportunities that exist (and don’t exist), both locally and regionally.

I’ve met with more multiple, well-capitalized searchers actively looking to acquire local businesses. If you know if business owners in need of exit planning, holler at me. I’d love to make connections.

I joined the ENRG Chattanooga meeting last week, which is part of a larger EOS ecosystem birthed by Geno Wickman’s Traction. If you are interested in joining the next one, reply to this email and I’ll get you connected.

Seed the South Capital Summit - The Big Pitch at Seed The South showcases the Southeast's most promising venture-scale technology startups. Ten selected companies will pitch to two judging panels—one of investors and one of founders—for a chance to win $50,000 investments from The Charlotte Fund.

TVFCU Idea Leap Loans and Grants - Applications open again in July 2026 - TVFCU's Idea Leap initiative is distributing $225,000 in grants of up to $30,000 each to qualified small businesses. Eligibility requirements include: 2-25 employees (owner included), maximum annual revenue of $2.5 million, at least 12 months of operational history with proven revenue generation, and location within TVFCU's 17-county service area.

InvestTN Regional Seed Fund - This is a $28M Tennessee-focused initiative investing in startups served by 7 Regional Entrepreneur Centers across all 95 counties. Investments range from $25,000 to $250,000.

Small Business Innovation Research Program - Transform your innovations into market-ready solutions with the SBIR Program. This strategic federal funding initiative empowers small businesses to commercialize cutting-edge research and technology. Whether you're developing next-generation solutions or pioneering scientific breakthroughs, SBIR provides the capital and resources to accelerate your journey from concept to commercialization.

📈 Connections + Insights

The Endowment Effect: Why Your $2M Offer Gets Rejected breaks down the behavioral economics behind SMB acquisitions. Data from over 250 owner interactions shows that founders typically overvalue their businesses by 20–35% because it's tied to their identity. The key takeaway for searchers? Stop leading with financial language (which has a 5% positive reply rate) and start leading with "legacy" language—focusing on reputation and team preservation—which sees a massive 30%+ positive response rate.

🔑 Connections + Opportunities

Our friends at Legacybox are looking for a Principal Product Designer to join their team. They’ve been such a steady growth story for Chattanooga; if you know a high-level creative who wants to work at one of the city's most successful consumer-tech brands, send them this way.

The Chattanooga Chamber is hiring a Member Engagement Manager. If you are a natural connector who loves championing local businesses and the Chattanooga community, this is a front-row seat to the city's economic growth.

Playcore is hiring a Digital Marketing Manager. Playcore is one of those under-the-radar Chattanooga companies doing some really great work.

My mission is to cultivate the startup community through connection. I'm a big believer in building this newsletter in public, so if you have ideas on how to further this ecosystem initiative, reply back to this email and let's work on this together.

This community is made up of small business owners, investment bankers, organizers, investors and economic development leaders who all share a belief that a rising tide lifts all boats. Share this email to someone who will provide value to this community.

We are (slowly) building a database for Chattanooga that will be published soon for free. Have you submitted your startup? Help me build this community resource here.

I'm also building a curated database of businesses for sale. I hope to launch Q1, so let me know if you’d like a sneak peek.