The Lead

Events by Category

The Insights

March 25 — 11AM (Virtual)

Memphis teams are navigating rising AI and security risks. This session turns complex compliance into clear, actionable steps you can apply immediately. Helping you protect trust, reduce exposure, and make smarter decisions in real-world environments.

Join the session

March 25 — 6PM (Virtual)

Memphis project leaders reflect on what’s working, and what’s not. Gain practical insights, sharpen communication skills, and learn how local teams are improving execution. A strong room if you care about leading better projects, not just managing them.

Claim your spot

March 28 — 4PM (Virtual)

Curious about game development or interactive systems? This session breaks down Unreal Blueprints into practical concepts you can start using. A solid entry point for Memphis developers looking to expand into real-time 3D and creative tech.

Register for the workshop

March 28 — 9:30AM (In-Person)

Memphis is growing its cybersecurity talent from the ground up. This hands-on CTF lets you test skills, collaborate, and learn by doing. Whether competing or observing, it’s a front-row view into how local talent is being developed.

Enter the competition

March 24 — 6:30PM (In-Person)

Job searching in Memphis is easier with structure and support. This session helps you build accountability systems that keep you consistent, focused, and moving. Come connect with others navigating similar transitions and leave with a plan.

There isn’t a formal RSVP page. The link below shares event details.

Find your accountability partner

March 26 — 11:30AM (In-Person)

Memphis leaders are shaping how sustainability shows up across industries. Hear practical perspectives, expand your network, and engage in conversations that connect business, community, and long-term impact.

Reserve your seat

March 27 — 7PM (In-Person)

Memphis creators are building more than software. They’re experimenting, tinkering, and learning in public. Stop by to explore projects, meet makers, and tap into a community driven by curiosity and hands-on creativity.

Stop by Friday

March 28 — 8:30AM (In-Person)

See what Memphis’s next wave of developers is building. This is a direct line to emerging talent, real projects, and practical AI applications. Ideal for hiring, networking, or simply staying close to the city’s growing tech pipeline.

See what Memphis is building

March 24 — 11:30AM (In-Person)

AI is reshaping how Memphis teams plan and deliver work. Learn how leaders are moving beyond productivity hacks into real strategic advantage. If you manage projects or teams, this is a clear look at where workflows are heading next.

Attend Tuesday's session

March 25 — 10:15AM (In-Person)

Memphis is actively figuring out how AI fits into real workflows. Join a fast, practical conversation on what’s actually working. No hype—just shared lessons, tools, and momentum from people building and experimenting locally.

Join the conversation

March 26 — 6:30PM (In Person)

Memphis developers are actively learning how AI tools like Copilot fit into real workflows. Join peers to share insights, ask questions, and stay current. A strong space to level up while building real connections in the local dev community.

Level up with Copilot

March 28 | In-Person

A hands‑on cybersecurity challenge hosted by UMRF Ventures and Raymond James, at the FedEx Institute of Technology. Build skills by solving real scenarios, collaborate with peers, and contribute to the momentum behind Memphis’s growing security talent pipeline.

Special Note: This is geared towards college-aged individuals!

Enter the competition

April 2-11 | Virtual

This three-day virtual conference breaks down the science of effective mentoring. How to define success, measure impact, and design programs that grow with intention. Featuring more than ten voices from across the city, including local Microsoft Power BI leader DeNisha Malone through the Memphis Grizzlies, it offers a practical, community‑rooted look at how Memphis can strengthen its talent pipeline through thoughtful, data‑driven support.

Register for the summit

April 17-19 | In-Person

This CodeCrew‑hosted hackathon brings entrepreneurs, developers, designers, and community leaders together to build solutions in climate tech, clean energy, cybersecurity, logistics, med tech, and more. It’s a hands‑on space for Memphis creators to collaborate, prototype, and push meaningful innovation forward.

Apply to hack

April 24-25 | In-Person

BDPA’s Dumb Hackathon invites Memphis creators to try new tools, test weird ideas, and build without perfection. It’s a welcoming gateway into hackathons for anyone curious about making, experimenting, and finishing something real alongside a supportive community.

Build something creative

May 14-15 | In-Person

Part of the respected global DevOpsDays series, this regional event blends DevOps and AI insights with practical, practitioner‑led sessions. A strong option for Memphis teams looking to sharpen delivery, resilience, and modern engineering practices.

Grab your ticket

"You can build faster. That doesn't mean you own what you build."

The room at Crews Center for Entrepreneurship arrived already fluent. Founders, student entrepreneurs, and working creatives filed in. Most of them were already using AI tools daily and weren’t looking for an introduction, but for guardrails. That energy set the tone for what followed: less "what is this technology," and more "what do I actually own when I use it."

Lauren Brown, IP and AI strategist, opened by grounding the room in what intellectual property actually is and what it means for a business still finding its footing. A brand's "voice," she explained, lives in its name, tagline, and visual identity. Everything else builds from that. When the audience was asked what IP meant to them, answers came back as generational wealth, assets, and responsibility. Signals that the people in the room understood they were building something worth protecting.

The session's richest moments came from the floor. When someone asked about adding images to a prompt, what part of that output is actually yours? Brown's answer reframed the room: the more human involvement layered throughout the creation process, the more the output belongs to you. Document the process. Add your voice. Don't paste and publish.

From there, her guidance became concrete.

The practical discipline she urged:

What the evening made visible was something Memphis' creative and founder communities have been circling: AI doesn't shrink the value of ideas. It compresses the time to test them. Hours instead of weeks. But speed without ownership is just risk. Brown gave the room a framework for moving fast without giving away what they're building. That's the kind of signal Memphis entrepreneurs are ready to act on.

This newsletter exists because three organizations decided Memphis tech was worth investing in. Thank you to Tech901, Uncomplicated Inc., and Memphis Technology Foundation for making that bet week after week.

Your support is what keeps the stories, the people, and the moments from slipping by unnoticed. Memphis has momentum. You help make sure it gets documented.

Want to be part of what's building here? Learn about becoming a sponsor.

P.S. Got a win to celebrate or feedback on the new layout? Hit reply. I read every message.