Johnson City, Tennessee might not top many national startup hub lists today, but it’s certainly gaining attention in one key area: a record number of people are moving in.
With a growing influx of people moving from states like California and New York, the city emerging as one of the Southeast’s hotspots for new arrivals.
This trend was evident during a recent trip to the Startup Mountain Summit, a startup-focused conference and retreat held in September. There, we met with both transplants and longtime locals who are working together to build a welcoming, thriving ecosystem that fosters local business and technology innovation.
The people we encountered at the Summit came from various backgrounds, each with a unique reason for calling Johnson City home. Some technologists relocated during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawn by the opportunity to live closer to nature while still pursuing their professional goals. Others returned to the area to be closer to family, while a few had no prior connection to Johnson City but were looking for a smaller town that could support their startup dreams. Regardless of their background, one thing was clear: People are working hard to build a welcoming and resilient startup community.
Building Up A Startup Community
To truly understand the local entrepreneurial landscape, it’s essential to connect with David Nelson. A seasoned startup founder with several successful ventures, Nelson is also a dedicated ecosystem builder who plays a pivotal role in nurturing the region’s entrepreneurial spirit through FoundersForge. The nonprofit entrepreneur center serves the eastern Tennessee and Appalachian Highlands region, offering startup bootcamps and events that help founders thrive.
Nelson’s passion for fostering innovation has helped transform the area into a budding hub for startups. This year’s Startup Mountain Summit, organized by FoundersForge, is proof of that. Despite challenges from heavy flooding and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, nearly 200 attendees from 16 different states gathered to celebrate entrepreneurship—a testament to the region’s resilience and unwavering commitment to growth.
The Summit didn’t just draw local talent. It piqued the interest of startup heavyweights and thought leaders from outside the region. This year’s lineup featured keynote speakers like Jeff Hilimire, Partner at the Atlanta-based Purpose Group and co-founder of Dragon Army, as well as Asia Orangio, CEO and Founder of Atlanta’s DemandMaven. Their participation not only added valuable insight but also signaled that Eastern Tennessee’s startup community is gaining recognition from key figures across the Southeast.
By blending homegrown talent with outside expertise, events like the Startup Mountain Summit are helping Johnson City carve out its place on the entrepreneurial map, proving that the region is a fertile ground for startups and innovation.
Startups To Know In Johnson City
Johnson City’s and the wider Eastern Tennessee’s startup scene boasts a variety of innovative companies led by passionate entrepreneurs who are shaping the region’s future. If you are looking to connect, here are the people and organizations you need to know:
Personality Pool: Founder Lauren Glass Mullins will be familiar to Hypepotamus readers who follow the investment scene in Tennessee. Mullins, who is based in nearby Kingsport, Tennessee, runs the HRTech startup Personality Pool that is reimagining the hiring process and helping companies ditch traditional resume reviews to find great employees.
ActionVFX: Founder and CEO, Rodolphe Pierre-Louis is transforming the movie and TV experience with its library of Production-Quality Assets for VFX Professionals. And Atlanta startup folks we see a familiar face on the ActionVFX team: Karlee Goodwin was previously the Community Manager at Atlanta Tech Village before moving to Johnson City.
Green Llama: A line of non-toxic, eco-friendly cleaning products created by co-founder and CEO Kay Baker and her co-founder/partner Matt Keasey.
ZenHammer: Founder Edwin Williams, one of the early startup founders in town, has built a remote job site tracking platform for contractors.
Organizations In Town To Know
An emerging startup hub needs more than just energized founders…it also needs strong support systems, including access to capital, mentorship, infrastructure, and a collaborative community that fosters innovation and growth.
Ballad Ventures: Ballad Ventures is a venture capital platform focused on investing in innovative ideas which transform the healthcare experience
Create Appalachia: By providing access to affordable co-working and business incubation space, professional development and entrepreneurship training, mentoring, and technical resources, Create Appalachia hopes to mitigate the “brain drain” caused by the large number of skilled graduates that are currently leaving the region upon graduation due to the lack of highly-paid, skilled jobs.
Spark Plaza: Established in 2009, Spark Plaza is the first and only coworking community in downtown Johnson City, TN designed to help mobile professionals collaborate
East Tennessee State University: ETSU’s minor in Entrepreneurship brings a practitioner focus to entrepreneurial opportunities and activities. This new program includes real-world coursework in design thinking and startup operations. The program also focuses on emerging business models, financing and funding and rapid prototyping of ideas.