Unlocking Innovation & Entrepreneurship in Memphis: 2025 Hackathon
- Effective New Creative Solutions
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
MEMPHIS, TN — Temeka Teshunda, Principal Consultant of ENC Solutions was proud to be in the room for the 2025 Memphis City Hackathon, where over 100 thinkers, builders, and changemakers gathered to tackle civic challenges through technology and community-driven creativity.
At the center of it all: she brought ENC Solutions' energy, vision, and problem-solving approach to the weekend-long event — a true celebration of Memphis’ growing innovation ecosystem.
The day kicked off with City of Memphis Mayor Paul Young, whose keynote on “The Power of Hope” lit up the room. His words spoke directly to the role belief plays in transforming cities from the inside out.
“I love what the Mayor said about hope,” Temeka shared.
“Without it, no community can thrive or forge forward. Everything begins with belief in what’s possible.”
Team Thrive: Turning Big Ideas Into Action
Temeka teamed up with two powerhouse collaborators:
Marilynn Willis, founder of SevenMonreaux Ai
Jabarre Jarrett, Executive Director of The Safest Avenue, a Memphis-based 501(c)3 serving at risk youth.
Each brought deep expertise and a shared passion for tech-driven community change — from AI access to public safety.
The group quickly found their rhythm.
“My team was amazing,” Temeka said.
“They made coding, technology, and problem-solving feel easy — and fun. Their spirit of innovation made the whole experience unforgettable.”
Together, they formed Team Thrive — a fitting name for a trio focused on creating solutions that uplift people, processes, and possibilities. Their approach combined AI literacy, design thinking, community insight, and strategy — all grounded in a shared desire to make Memphis stronger through smart, human-centered innovation.
A Clearer Path for Memphis Vendors: Entrepreneurship in Memphis
One of this year’s hackathon focused on a timely challenge: making it easier for local businesses to engage with the City of Memphis vendor pipeline. With over 130,000 businesses across Memphis, many still lack the tools or know-how to work with the city effectively.
Team Thrive leaned into this challenge with a simple but powerful concept: help vendors “Get City Ready.” Their solution offered a technology-first approach to vendor preparation — simplifying requirements, clarifying next steps, and giving small businesses a clearer path to success. The goal is improve entrepreneurship in Memphis.
“There was so much innovation and forward-thinking in that space — it was inspiring to be a part of the room,” Temeka said. “You could feel the momentum."
She added:
“I’m excited about what this means for Memphis. I want to keep supporting the city’s entrepreneurial infrastructure and explore how technology can bridge the gaps we see across systems. There’s so much potential ahead.”
Where Creativity Meets Civic Innovation
Through its work, ENC Solutions continues to blend strategy, systems, and storytelling to help organizations unlock their next level. The Memphis Hackathon was another opportunity to show how data, design, and technology can be used to solve real problems — and do it creatively.
Whether it's improving vendor readiness, advising on operational design, or helping civic partners navigate tech integrations, ENC’s approach is always grounded in clarity, community, and innovation.
Looking Ahead: What’s Next for ENC Solutions
This hackathon experience marks another step forward in ENC Solutions’ journey as a trusted innovation partner, remaining focused on helping organizations:
Build smarter vendor-readiness systems through user friendly UX/UI.
Explore civic-tech collaboration
Strengthen entrepreneurial ecosystems
Align strategy with real-world impact
Cultivating storytelling to ignite action
Temeka’s role at the event reflects the ENC Solutions' broader mission: supporting entrepreneurs, agencies, and communities with tools that work — and strategies that last.
Let’s Build Something That Works
Whether you're a nonprofit, city agency, or business ready to move forward with clarity and impactful strategy, let’s connect.
📩 Contact: info@enc.solutions
🌐 Learn More About ENC Solutions HERE
✨ Connect with Temeka HERE
✨ Follow ENC on LinkedIn HERE
