STARTUP FINALISTS
CRE615, LLC
Alexa Barnett
Founded in Nashville, CRE615 is a networking and educational platform built for commercial real estate professionals. With more than 2,000 members, the organization hosts 3–5 events each month that bring together professionals across all sectors, ages, and experience levels. From happy hours and volunteer days to leadership summits and beginner-friendly classes, CRE615 creates opportunities for connection, learning, and growth. By keeping membership free and ticket prices affordable—thanks to sponsor support—CRE615 makes networking accessible, inclusive, and fun for everyone in the industry.
RECENT MILESTONES
- Partnered with 76 companies to host 39 industry events with 1,800+ total attendees
- Grew membership to 2,000+ in Nashville, with 439 new members in the last year
- Launched CRE615 Careers, a fractional recruiting service that has supported 36 young professionals at no cost
- Hosted the 3rd annual Changemakers Summit, featuring leaders from CBRE, Gresham Smith, and Core/The CityLiving Group
- Organized 9 volunteer days, contributing nearly 400 hours of service to local nonprofits
Nashville Maintenance Pros (Your Pros)
Eric Schell, Joe Freedman, & Courtney Freedman
Nashville Maintenance Pros was founded to solve a common frustration: the lack of reliable, responsive contractors for repair and improvement work. Serving homeowners, landlords, property managers, and small businesses, the company delivers projects with clear communication, accurate estimates, and timely execution. Every job is supported by a dual project management system—one in the office and one in the field—ensuring accountability from start to finish.
What sets Nashville Maintenance Pros apart is its commitment to people. In an industry often seen as transactional, the company invests in creating real career paths for technicians, with training and leadership opportunities that foster long-term growth. With the guidance of partners Joe and Courtney Freedman, the team has built a strong culture of professionalism while developing innovative systems to raise the bar in the trades.
RECENT MILESTONES
- Rebranded as Nashville Maintenance Pros in July 2024
- Grew from a $200K run rate to $2M+ in revenue within 12 months
- Expanded from 2 to 16 employees, with technicians promoted into leadership roles
- Implemented a dual project management structure for accountability and speed
- Launched OneTap, a companion tech platform to streamline communication and scheduling
Ojas Partners
Elam Freeman
Ojas Partners is a boutique commercial real estate advisory firm serving landlords, tenants, sellers, and buyers across Nashville, Atlanta, and the greater Southeast region. The firm takes a fresh approach to brokerage, combining community insight with national market trends to deliver creative, long-term solutions.
Collaboration is central to Ojas’ model. Rather than relying on individual expertise, the team works collectively to provide clients with the full value of their combined knowledge. Acting as stakeholders in the neighborhoods they serve, Ojas advisors focus on recommendations that balance creativity, impact, and vitality—helping shape the communities where people live, work, and thrive.
RECENT MILESTONES
- Expanded consulting services regionally and nationally.
- Brought first/flagship Equinox gym location to Nashville market.
- Expanded Nashville-based E+Rose to its first out-of-state market in Atlanta
- Brought the first Mel’s Drive-In location outside of California to Nashville
- Secured the first Terry Black’s Barbecue location outside of Texas for Nashville
GROWTH FINALISTS
Culture Architecture and Design, PLLC
Joseph Cole
Culture Architecture and Design is a Nashville-based firm that blends architecture, design, and business strategy to deliver creative, precise, and adaptable solutions. The team specializes in helping clients overcome challenges like unclear objectives, misaligned designs, and funding constraints through a systematic, technology-driven approach.
With a portfolio spanning corporate, institutional, and boutique projects, Culture has worked with high-profile clients including Vanderbilt University Athletics and Metro Nashville Water Services. By leveraging tools like Revit and advanced project management systems, the firm delivers customized results with the agility and attention that larger firms often struggle to match.
RECENT MILESTONES
- Serving as Associate Architect for the New Nissan Stadium (home of the Tennessee Titans), scheduled for completion in 2027.
- Serving as Associate Architect for FirstBank Stadium (home of Vanderbilt Football), scheduled for completion in fall 2025.
- Leading as Prime Architect for the Lewis County Public Library & Archives Expansion and Renovation, breaking ground in Q4 2025
- Serving as Associate Architect on the Metro Nashville Emergency Communication Center project.
- Increased design team size by 100% over the past year to meet the demands of a growing portfolio.
Holladay Ventures
Evan Holladay & Jined Lamata Holladay
Holladay Ventures develops affordable, workforce, and mixed-income communities to address the housing crisis in Nashville and across the Southeast. Since its founding in 2019, the firm has delivered or is actively building more than 1,000 units in Greater Nashville, with a mission to create high-quality housing that strengthens communities, empowers residents, and provides long-term affordability.
By partnering with impact-driven investors, nonprofits, and city leaders, Holladay Ventures ensures its developments serve both residents and neighborhoods. Communities feature energy-efficient design, durable finishes, access to transit, and resident empowerment services such as job training through partnerships with the Urban League of Middle Tennessee. Flagship projects like Shelby House and Stone Bridge Lofts highlight the firm’s commitment to sustainability, creative financing, and social impact—setting a new standard for affordable housing development in the region.
RECENT MILESTONES
- Delivered 506 affordable apartment homes across Middle Tennessee, with an additional 680 units under development, including a daycare and transit center breaking ground this fall
- Created measurable economic impact by adding 6 new positions at Holladay Ventures and supporting the creation of over 535 jobs across construction, design, engineering, and property management
- Shelby House received the Tennessee’s Best Middle Tennessee Award from the Tennessee Housing Development Agency and is a finalist for the Urban Land Institute’s Excellence in Development Award
- Secured $31 million from the Amazon Housing Equity Fund to develop Stone Bridge Lofts, Amazon’s first investment with a Nashville private developer
- Integrated sustainability features like a 100% solar-powered clubhouse at Stone Bridge Lofts, generating environmental benefits equal to planting 15 acres of forest annually
Jasper LLC
Jasmine Chambers & Jedidiah Chambers
Jasper is a high-end, design-build construction firm redefining the building experience for clients across Nashville. Specializing in custom homes and full-home transformations, the firm blends craftsmanship, efficiency, and a white-glove approach. At the core of Jasper’s work is the proprietary BUILD-IT Process, a seamless system that guides clients from vision to completion with clarity and confidence.
Founded by CEO Jasmine Chambers, Jasper operates with EPIC values—Excellence, People, Integrity, and Communication—that drive every project and interaction. With an in-house team spanning architecture, estimating, project management, and design coordination, Jasper delivers unmatched attention to detail while removing the chaos often associated with construction. The company is also preparing to launch Jasper Academy for the Trades, a workforce development initiative to train and mentor the next generation of builders and leaders.
RECENT MILESTONES
- Projected 45% growth in 2025
- Expanded in-house team across architecture, estimating, project management, and design coordination
- Completed multiple high-end custom homes and full-home transformations in Nashville
- Strengthened company culture through EPIC values, recognized for clear communication and client care
- Announced plans to launch Jasper Academy for the Trades in 2026–2027
To see other 2025 finalists, visit our NEXT Awards page or browse news.
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