Start a New Business in Tennessee

The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth.

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development encourages entrepreneurship development and adaptive reuse of commercial buildings in accredited Tennessee Main Street communities with a Main Street Entrepreneur Incubator grant program to assist in funding activities that put vacant and/or underutilized buildings into productive service and serve as economic drivers for downtowns.

312 Rosa L. Parks Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee 37243
Phone: 615-741-1888

Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development website

The Tennessee SBA is supported by a main district office in Nashville and an additional location in Memphis. They provide services including funding programs, counseling, federal contracting, certifications, and disaster recovery. They can also connect you to partner organizations, lenders, and other community groups that help small businesses succeed.

The Nashville office serves the entire state of Tennessee. The Memphis location serves Carroll, Crockett, Dyer, Fayette, Hardeman, Haywood, Lauderdale, Madison, Shelby, and Tipton counties.

Examples of educational programs and events include Am I Ready to Start a Business; How Do I Get a Loan with SBA and/or USDA; Build Your Business Model, Plan, and Strategy; Financing Resources by Stage of Business; and Understanding Business Taxes.

Nashville district office:
2 International Plaza Drive
Suite 500
Nashville, Tennessee 37217
Phone: 615-736-5881

Tennessee Small Business Administration website

Memphis location:
Phone: 901-494-6906

The Pathway Women's Business Center is a women-owned business community and learning resource dedicated to supporting and accelerating the growth of women-owned businesses.

Whether you're looking to start a new business, grow your existing business, connect with other business owners, receive expert hands-on help from coaches, browse business resources and templates, understand your financing options, join a peer-to-peer group, or participate in classes and cohorts, the Pathway WBC is for you.

Pathway coaches are experts in their field—former executives, CPA's, and more, with expertise ranging from accounting to sales and marketing.

201 Venture Circle
Nashville, Tennessee 37228
Phone: 615-425-7171

Pathway Women’s Business Center website

The Nashville Entrepreneur Center (EC) connects entrepreneurs with critical resources to create, launch and grow businesses.

EC PreFlight Program is an in-person program that walks first-time entrepreneurs step-by-step through “I have an idea” to “I have a business plan” – empowering you with knowledge and support as you seek to bring your business to life.

EC InFlight program addresses the unique challenges of startups in Phase 2 of the Entrepreneur Lifecycle. InFlight is most beneficial for Nashville-based, high-growth founders in any industry with a minimum of $50,000 in annual revenue, a small team, and solid market traction.

EC Twende Program is an accelerator for Tennessee founders of color.

EC Project FinTech is a FinTech and BankTech program that offers tech founders the benefit of community, curriculum, and connection with exited FinTech EiRs, champion mentors, and subject-matter experts who want to help them achieve commercialization.

EC Project Music and Entertainment enables you to you gain access to an extensive network of entertainment connections and are able to leverage industry connections to foster innovation, nurture growth, and drive the future of the entertainment industry.

EC Project Healthcare drives transformation in the healthcare industry through tailored hands-on curriculum and connections.

41 Peabody Street
Nashville, Tennessee 37210
Phone: 615-873-1257

Nashville Entrepreneur Center website

SCORE Tennessee mentors are highly successful and seasoned business professionals and entrepreneurs with the experience and knowledge to help you achieve your business goals. Many of these SCORE mentors are successful women small business owners and are ready to help other women entrepreneurs achieve their business goals.

Women entrepreneurs are a growing part of the U.S. economy and SCORE Tennessee offers women entrepreneurs key resources to build on their strengths and provide new avenues to success.

5726 Marlin Road
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37411
Phone: 423-553-1722

SCORE Chattanooga website

2 International Plaza
Suite 500
Nashville, Tennessee 37217
Phone: 844-726-7322

SCORE Nashville website

412 North Cedar Bluff Road
Suite 450
Knoxville, Tennessee 37923
Phone: 865-692-0716

SCORE Greater Knoxville website

The Tennessee SBDC lets you connect with a consultant, attend training programs and events, and explore its variety of resources and educational tools.

• Start: Tennessee SBDC partners with you by providing guidance on writing your business plan, finding funding resources, and securing proper licenses so your business gets off the ground.

• Grow: Use Tennessee SBDC experience and resources help you make sound decisions, such as creating and implementing sales and marketing strategies, hiring and managing employees, and analyzing market research.

• Sustain: Work with your Tennessee SBDC consultant to create a lasting plan for the future of your business.

Lead Center Office:
3050 Medical Center Parkway
Suite 200
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37129
Phone: 877-898-3900

Tennessee SBDC website

Additional Tennessee Small Business Development Center offices are located in Chattanooga, Clarksville, Cleveland, Cookeville, Dyersburg, Gallatin, Jackson, Johnson City, Kingsport, Knoxville, Martin, Memphis, Nashville, and Oak Ridge.

Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute helps you learn through training catered to every leadership level.

Each year is designed to build out from a theme aligned with what members say they need to learn more about. The Leadership Studies series and Leadership Track are designed to offer complimentary, yet independent content, providing both professional and personal development tools for every level of leader.

Your career path is stronger when you’re surrounded by a network of women across multiple industries, generations, and perspectives who are dedicated to being FOR what women are FOR.

811 Broad Street
#300
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402
Phone: 423-394-08173

Chattanooga Women’s Leadership Institute website

NAWBO Nashville and NAWBO Memphis are places where women in business come together to encourage, support, and educate one another. They build strategic affiliations and create opportunities to grow businesses and positively impact communities.

NAWBO propels women entrepreneurs into economic, social, and political spheres of power by:

• Strengthening the wealth-creating capacity of members and promoting economic development within the entrepreneurial community

• Creating innovative and effective change in the business culture

• Building strategic alliances, coalitions and affiliations

• Transforming public policy and influencing opinion makers

NAWBO Memphis
66 North Main
Memphis, Tennessee 38103

NAWBO Memphis website

NAWBO Nashville
2817 West End Avenue
Suite 126 #219
Nashville, Tennessee 37203

NAWBO Nashville website

LaunchTN is a public-private partnership positioned to provide initiatives to promote entrepreneurship, technology advancement, capital formation and workforce development funded through a grant contract with the State of Tennessee.

Epicenter: Epicenter leads the Memphis region’s entrepreneurship movement by supporting tech startups, creative and community-based businesses and student entrepreneurs across multiple industries and growth stages.

theCO: theCO supports West Tennessee as a resource, collaborative community, and support system for everyone from serial entrepreneurs to founders taking the first plunge into business ownership, problem-solving, and innovation.

Nashville Entrepreneur Center: The NEC supports Nashville’s entrepreneurial and small business communities and represents a partnership of local and state government support, private interests and the region’s business community.

The Biz Foundry: The Biz Foundry helps businesses start and thrive in the Upper Cumberland, fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and collaboration through business resources, community programs, and one-on-one work.

CO.LAB: The Company Lab (CO.LAB) accelerates early-stage startups in the greater Chattanooga region and beyond, with a focus on sustainable mobility, including electric and autonomous infrastructure, freight logistics and quantum technology.

Knoxville Entrepreneur Center: Knoxville Entrepreneur Center is a business accelerator built to serve as a bridge for entrepreneurs in East Tennessee through mentorship opportunities, classes, events, and cohorts to help every kind of entrepreneur at any stage.

Sync Space: Sync Space is the regional entrepreneurial hub in Northeast Tennessee and provides early stage startups and growing businesses connectivity to regional partners for mentorship and pilot program opportunities, all designed to help entrepreneurs be successful.

The Mill: The Mill, located in Dyersburg, supports the Northwest region by helping businesses start and grow. It serves entrepreneurs through business support, mentorship, and other resources.

1321 6th Avenue North
Nashville, Tennessee 37208
Phone: 615-991-2809

LaunchTN website

The U.S. Small Business Administration helps small businesses get the funding they need. Funding resources include:

• Loans: Start or expand your business with loans guaranteed by the SBA.

• Investment capital: Find an investor for your business. Investors make both debt and equity investments.

• Disaster assistance: Get help after a disaster with low-interest disaster loans.

• Surety bonds: Protect your work and your client with an SBA-guaranteed surety bond.

• Grants: Look for government grants that help businesses do scientific research and development.

U.S. Small Business Administration Funding Sources website

Pathway Lending is a Community Development Financial Institution that increases access to capital for underserved businesses in Tennessee and Alabama. Business loans move you forward by cutting operating costs, improving cash flow, and boosting your bottom line. Loans feature up to 100% loan to value, extended amortization, competitive interest rates, ranging from $5,000 to $5 million.

Fund your business opportunities with loans and lines of credit for:

• Accounts receivable

• Business acquisition

• Debt consolidation

• Emergency repairs

• Energy efficiency

• Equipment– Working capital

• Inventory

• Marketing

• Payroll

• Real estate

Headquarters:
201 Venture Circle
Nashville, Tennessee 37228
Phone: 615-425-7171

Pathway Lending website

1100 Market Street
Suite 616
Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402
Phone: 423-205-3450

17 Market Square,
Suite 201
Knoxville, Tennessee 37902
Phone: 865-888-7901

150 Peabody Place, L1015
Memphis, Tennessee 38103
Phone: 901-560-4737

656 Madison Avenue
Memphis, Tennessee 38103
Phone: 901-560-4737

Lipscomb University undergraduate programs include Accounting, Finance, Data Analytics, Data Science, Management, Marketing, Business as Mission, Entrepreneurship, General Business, and General Finance.

Pfeffer Graduate School of Business programs include Accountancy, Data Analytics Certificate, Entrepreneurship Certificate, Professional MBA, Fast Track MBA, and Master of Health Administration.

You’ve got the ideas and vision, but you need the tactical principles to make them come alive. Lipscomb’s College of Business guides you in the design, plan, launch, and execution of your entrepreneurial endeavors. You will learn how to develop professional relationships, plan for the financial success of your business and market at the right time and to the right people.

One University Park Drive
Nashville, Tennessee 37204
Phone: 800-333-4358

Lipscomb University College of Business website

The Management and Entrepreneurship Department strives to provide high-quality education in the management discipline from the undergraduate to the doctoral level through a creative balance of academic, professional, and extracurricular programs.

Management and Entrepreneurship
408 Stokely Management Center
916 Volunteer Boulevard
Knoxville, Tennessee 37996
Phone: 865-974-3161

University of Tennessee Haslam College of Business Management and Entrepreneurship website

The Tennessee Chamber publishes a Business Insider magazine that provides an in-depth analysis on all things business across Tennessee and is distributed to business and local chambers of commerce across the state.

Many know Tennessee for its staples such as country music, Memphis BBQ, whiskey, and the Great Smoky Mountains, but Tennessee’s economic landscape continues to diversify and exponentially grow with other significant business and economic industries such as manufacturing, technology, and healthcare.

414 Union Street
Suite 107
Nashville, Tennessee 37219
Phone: 615-256-5141

Business Insider Magazine website

The Nashville Business Journal is Middle Tennessee’s provider of local business news – a vital business tool filled with information and resources that business leaders need including:

• The latest business news to stay ahead of the competition

• Leads and new contacts to do business with

• New ideas and strategies to improve and increase business

3100 West End Avenue
Suite 1000
Nashville, Tennessee 37203
Phone: 615-248-2222

Nashville Business Journal website

The Business Journal serves the entire Tri-Cities business community, from Abingdon to Greeneville, advocating for regionalism in the Tri-Cities with hyper-local and positive coverage while providing accurate, timely news and information.

1114 Sunset Drive
Suite 1
Johnson City, Tennessee 37604
Phone: 423-854-0140

The Business Journal of the Tri-Cities Tennessee Virginia website