The EC doesn’t write the check. It finds the ones you can actually win.
We track 120 verified grants, pitch competitions, credits and programs, plus 32 investors who fund Tennessee companies. EC members get something better than a list: a private page of picks chosen for their company, checked by a person, and sorted by what’s worth their time.
Become a member Request your matchesMoney most founders never apply for, because nobody told them it existed.
Six examples from the 120 we track. Amounts are the funder’s published figures as of our last check. Deadlines move, so confirm on the funder’s site before you apply.
State match for Tennessee companies that already won a federal SBIR or STTR award.
$500 per new job ($750 per veteran hire) for small Davidson County companies adding ten or more jobs.
Eighteen cash awards in 2026, plus a year of business support. Any industry.
Three $15,000 grants every month for women-owned businesses at any stage, with $75,000 awards at year end.
$2,000 in credits for unfunded builders, $200,000 for seed to Series A companies.
State equity fund investing in venture-backable Tennessee startups alongside private investors. Needs a private lead.
What a list can’t do is read your application and tell you which six to start with. That part is the match.
A page with your name on it, not a list with everyone’s.
Tell us about your company once. We run every program and investor we track against your stage, industry, location, ownership and what you’re raising, then a person on EC staff reads the result before you see it.
- 1
Picked for your company
Only programs you’re eligible for, matched on what you sell, where you are, how far along you are, and who owns the company. Nothing generic.
- 2
Checked by a person
EC staff approve every pick before your page goes out. If a program closed last week, it isn’t on your page.
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Sorted by return for the effort
A $10,000 prize is rent to a two-person company and noise to one with a payroll. Your picks are ranked by what they’re worth to a business your size, with the hours it takes to apply shown up front.
- 4
Deadlines that update
Your page groups picks into apply now, coming up, and apply any time. Bookmark it. Dates roll on their own, and investors only appear if you told us you’re raising.
Your Phase I award makes you eligible for the state match. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so file as soon as the federal notice is in hand.
Your seed round qualifies you for the funded tier, up to $200,000 in credits. That covers most of your hosting for the next year.
Members invest individually in seed rounds of $50,000 to $250,000. Warm introduction only: start with the EC advisor network.
Not raising? Most founders here aren’t.
About a third of the founders in our Fall 2026 accelerators said they aren’t seeking investment at all. That’s fine. Grants, pitch competitions, credits, free services and loans make up most of what we track, and your page only includes investors if you ask for them. Being fundable and deciding to raise are two different things. We help with the first and leave the second to you.
Three steps. One of them is ours.
Join the EC
Any tier works. Connect membership is $49 a month and includes the advisor network, Capital Connector and weekly events. CoWork+ and All Access add the building. No sign-up or cancellation fees.
Tell us about your company
A ten-minute form: what you sell and to whom, where you are, your stage and revenue, what you’ve raised, and what you’re looking for. Rough numbers are fine. Background questions are optional and used only for eligibility. Not a member yet? Submit anyway and we’ll reach out about joining.
Get your private page
EC staff review the matches and email you a link for your team within three business days. Apply to what fits, tell us what you’re applying to, and we’ll help with the application.
Founders enrolled in TakeOff, InFlight and Project Healthcare get matched picks through their program team as part of the accelerator. Listing a program is not an endorsement, and Nashville Entrepreneur Center has no role in any outside program’s decisions.
Start with membership, or start with a program.
Become a member
Funding matches, 200+ advisors, Capital Connector, weekly events and a community of 300+ founders in downtown Nashville. From $49 a month.
See membershipBook a free consultationNot sure where you are?
Two minutes tells you which EC program fits your stage. Spring 2027 accelerator applications are open, programs begin in February, and the EC never takes equity.
Take the two-minute quizSee the accelerators