Kevin Love, Principal Consultant, NextPhase Agency 

Kevin Love is a visionary ecosystem builder, innovator, and connector whose work has shaped some of the most impactful workforce, economic development, and placemaking initiatives across Tennessee. With over a decade of experience spanning corporate partnerships, program development, innovation ecosystem strategy, and event architecture, Kevin has become a trusted leader in helping organizations, entrepreneurs, and communities bridge gaps, scale opportunities, and thrive in the modern economy.

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A Legacy of Building Ecosystems

Kevin’s professional journey reflects his ability to envision, create, and activate spaces where innovation, community, and growth intersect.

 

Director of the Innovation District (Chattanooga)

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Kevin led programming, placemaking, and ecosystem convenings across the downtown Innovation District, activating public space, building cross-sector coalitions, and stewarding a pipeline of programs that connected founders, talent, and institutions. Flagship initiatives included:

• Basecamp – a recurring coworking + connection day that plugged entrepreneurs, students, and employers into the ecosystem. (Relaunch announced April 7, 2025; summer edition June 12, 2025.) The Enterprise Center+2chattanoogapulse.com+2

• Neurodiversity & Networking Series – an inclusion-first bridge between neurodiverse talent and hiring organizations.

• ChattaNewbies – an engagement series helping newcomers integrate into Chattanooga’s innovation and cultural scenes

• InterCity Visits (ICVs) – hosting delegations from Tyler, TX; Greenville, NC; and Columbus, GA to exchange best practices in innovation, placemaking, and workforce activation.
   

Through these initiatives and allied partnerships, Chattanooga advanced its position as a rising innovation hub in the Southeast.

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Floor Five at The Edney — Management & Programming

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Kevin also managed and programmed Floor Five at The Edney Innovation Center—the community’s free, public event floor and the “front door” of the district—ensuring equitable access for educators, nonprofits, founders, and civic groups.

• Floor Five routinely hosted 150+ gatherings per month, making it a constant collision point for the ecosystem. The Enterprise Center+1

• In one fiscal year snapshot, Floor Five hosted 1,756 events with 29,679 total attendees, including recurring meetups like 1 Million Cups, Creative Mornings, and Innovation Happy Hour. Enterprise Center

• The Edney is publicly positioned as the front door to Chattanooga’s Innovation District, with ideas “born every day at community events and workshops hosted on the Fifth Floor.” The Edney
   

(Note: Floor Five’s public access concluded Sept. 1, 2025 as the organization transitioned to a new location.) The Enterprise Center

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Civic & Cultural Stewardship

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Kevin’s board and advisory service helped embed innovation priorities inside Chattanooga’s cultural heartbeat—supporting institutions and event series such as Nightfall, Riverbend Music Festival, Motorcar Festival, Downtown Chattanooga Alliance, IRONMAN, Cooper Alley, Startup Week, and the Placemaking Conference—to align talent, tourism, and tech with inclusive growth. (Program sites and calendars corroborate standing of these series in the downtown fabric.) Nightfall 2025+1

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Entertainment Industry Experience

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Before pivoting into ecosystem development, Kevin worked in entertainment—contributing to Bravo TV projects including The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Thicker Than Water—building production, storytelling, and brand muscles that later powered community narratives.

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TechTown & Innovation Pathways

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At TechTown, Kevin catalyzed youth and entrepreneur programming, sharpening a career-long focus on technology-enabled opportunity.

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Entrepreneurship & Innovation Leadership

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As Founder & CEO of NextPhase Agency, Kevin integrates workforce development, management consulting, hospitality/experiences, and tech systems into results-driven engagements:

• Workforce Solutions – recruitment, staffing, onboarding, trainings (healthcare, IT, finance, events, hospitality).

• Management Services – program & project management, fundraising strategy, grant partnerships.

• Hospitality & Experiences – festivals, conferences, expos, tourism activations.

• Tech Integration & Business Systems – AI implementation, automations, back-office setup, dashboards.
   

Kevin also founded a Silent Disco company, partnering with schools, bars, hotels, and community groups to deliver high-energy, revenue-generating experiences across the region.

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Driving Economic Growth & Workforce Equity

• SBA pathways that catalyzed founder and workforce pipelines.

• Digital skills expansion via efforts like DSEW 3.0 reaching over 1,400 Tennesseans (training and placement focus).

• Healthcare workforce development with partners such as Meharry Medical College, linking equity to access.
   

Event Architecture & Placemaking

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Signature productions and collaborations have included:

• Chattanooga Food Truck Festival & Expo (3,000+ attendees)

• Level Up Business Summit (200+ entrepreneurs annually)

• Hip-Hop Summit & Creative Economy Panels

• Ongoing networking + professional development series alongside higher education, chambers, and innovation partners
   

Kevin also helped elevate local leaders by supporting a premier annual awards program that spotlighted excellence in business, culture, and innovation—expanding recognition pathways for underrepresented builder.

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Awards & Recognitions 

• Apprenticeship Innovation District (2022 designation): Hamilton County–Chattanooga selected as one of five in the nation—affirming local leadership in workforce innovation. Chattanooga 2.0

• National & Research Recognition of the Innovation District: Profiled and referenced by the Brookings Institution, National League of Cities, Kauffman Foundation, and The New York Times—marking Chattanooga as the first mid-sized U.S. innovation district and a national point of study. The Enterprise Center

• Program Scale Milestones: Floor Five documented 1,756 events / 29,679 attendees in a single fiscal year; ongoing cadence cited at 150+ events per month—an operational benchmark often referenced in academic and civic materials. Enterprise Center+2Taylor & Francis Online+2

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🏆 Recognitions

• Times Free Press “20 Under 40” Honoree

• Leadership Chattanooga Graduate

• Protégé Program Alumnus

• Rising Star Mention in Edge Magazine

• Named One of Chatter Magazine’s Top Innovators

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📜 Certifications

• PMP — Project Management Professional

• AI Essentials Certified

• CompTIA Security+

• Digital Marketing Certified
   

🌎 Highlights

• Led multi-million dollar workforce initiatives

• Built award-winning innovation ecosystems

• Consulted for Fortune 250, government, and nonprofits

• Designed and scaled major events, tours, and platforms

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