Anne Driscoll, President and COO of Launch Pad, a network of coworking spaces, sat down with us at last year's 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival to discuss the importance of investing in entrepreneurial ecosystems on the rise. After years working for a tech giant in Silicon Valley, Driscoll now lends her energy and expertise to inspire entrepreneurs all over the country. She also shared the power of connecting ecosystems and the difference a collaborative community can make for entrepreneurs.

Founder and managing partner of Backstage Capital, Arlan Hamilton, sat with us at last year’s 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival to discuss the work she’s doing to shine a light on the underestimated entrepreneurs of the world - founders who identify as women, people of color, and/or part of the LGBTQ community. Hamilton also shared why she believes venture capitalists often miss untapped potential by not investing in underrepresented talent and gave us a look at what she hopes is the future for diversifying the entrepreneur ecosystem as a whole.

36|86 Director Lindsey Cox takes us behind the scenes of LaunchTN’s upcoming festival to highlight what makes 36|86 vital for entrepreneurs of all stages and backgrounds.

We caught up with Matt Rogers, co-founder and product developer of Pure Sodaworks, at last year’s 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival to learn how Pure Sodaworks landed its first high-volume distribution deal with Cracker Barrel. Rogers shared the ups and downs of growing his business from a mobile soda fountain in Chattanooga to the award-winning craft soda establishment it is today, and urged fellow entrepreneurs to take their time to build their brands rather than scaling their businesses before they’re ready.

Rei Wang, former CEO of First Round Capital’s Dorm Room Fund, sat down with us backstage at last year’s 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival. We chatted about the VC landscape and spent some time unpacking opportunities Dorm Room Fund is creating for student entrepreneurs. Also on the agenda: the potential for creative collaboration in a university setting, and why a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem is key for innovation.

Mollie Lacher, CEO and founder of Sunny Care Services, shared her entrepreneurial journey with us – from personal loss to professional gain. Backstage at last year’s 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival, Lacher opened up about the growing need for advocacy and authenticity throughout the entrepreneurial communities, and the support she received from network partners to help direct her to the right resources she needed to start her own business.

Former CEO of the Nashville Fashion Alliance Van Tucker joined us backstage at the 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival last year to discuss how the emerging independent fashion industry has become a significant economic driver throughout the state of Tennessee. Tucker also shared her experiences using collaborative networks to maneuver the ecosystem and why it’s crucial for fashion companies to “cross-pollinate” with related businesses like agriculture, manufacturing and even music to find creative solutions to common industry problems.

Stephanie Cummings, CEO and co-founder of Please Assist Me, shares her experiences as an underestimated entrepreneur and how participating in various accelerator programs in LaunchTN’s network has provided one solution to the inequitable access to capital for minority founders. Cummings also takes us back to where her business first began and where she hopes to pivot next.

LaunchTN board member Tom Ballard joined us backstage at last year’s 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival to weigh in on how to support Tennessee entrepreneurs, beyond just investing in their business idea. Ballard also discusses how technological innovations can bridge the gap, leveraging the collaboration of communities statewide to connect those in need with access to Tennessee’s resource-rich ecosystem.

Margaret Dolan, President and CEO of LaunchTN, talks capital, 36|86 Entrepreneurship Festival, and the benefits of doing business in Tennessee. She recently traveled across the state to hear from entrepreneurs about what they need to start or grow their businesses. Find out what she learned – and what LaunchTN is doing to make Tennessee the most startup-friendly state in the nation.