Find out what’s happening in the Knoxville tech industry and celebrate the innovative work of entrepreneurs & organizations in East Tennessee!

Innovation Spotlights

Speakers from Knoxville-based organizations will share about projects featuring new and emerging technologies, and the impact they’re making around the world.

Contextual Security Solutions
Slade Griffin, President
Discover how AI is enhancing penetration testing and risk assessments, helping businesses navigate complex cyber threats.

Covenant Health
Chris Skinner, Vice President Informatics
Learn how near real-time data collection and AI-driven processing are transforming patient care and enterprise operations through automation and timely interventions.

Knoxville Utilities Board
Steven Watson, Engineer
See how AI-powered coding and 3D visualization streamline sewer infrastructure inspections, from faster data access to improved workflow.

RegScale
Travis Howerton, CEO and Co-Founder
Explore how AI-driven automation in compliance management is saving time and resources, making risk management faster and more precise.

AI Tech Panel

A group of business leaders will discuss practical use cases of Artificial Intelligence, including:

• How AI is being used by Knoxville area businesses
• Steps that businesses can take to develop AI policies
• Lessons learned to improve AI implementation

Panelists

Amir Sadovnik, PhD | Research Lead, Center for AI Security Research, ORNL

John Derrick | Chief Executive Officer, Authentrics.ai

Andrew Gunter | Chief Strategy Officer & General Counsel, Cential AI

Leslie McGuirk | VP of Financial Compliance, Warner Bros. Discovery

Keynote Address

Commanding the Next Era: Dealing with AI

Mik Bertolli, PhD | Chief Science Officer at Avrio Analytics

AI isn’t the new player on the field—it’s been running the game behind the scenes for years. From crunching data to optimizing logistics, it’s been the silent engine powering industries while most people were oblivious. The difference now? GPT models slapped a face on it, made it talk, and suddenly everyone thinks AI just showed up to the party.

But let’s be clear: AI isn’t a silver bullet, and the hype can outpace reality. Skepticism is healthy—it’s not going to fix every problem, and mishandled, it can create new ones. Yet, for those ready to cut through the noise, AI offers tools too potent to ignore.

Networking Happy Hour

Following the presentations, head to the JTV rooftop to reconnect with familiar faces and make new connections at the networking happy hour. We’ll watch the sunset while enjoying drinks and hors d’oeuvres.