Through a 3-4 month sprint that began in mid-September, a hand-selected team of four junior developers is working nights and weekends under the mentorship of seasoned professionals to build and launch a SaaS product targeting small-to-medium-sized businesses. Participants are immersed in every facet of startup life, including product strategy, project management, go-to-market planning, customer development, and operations.
Epicenter will be providing programming to companies and teams that emerge from the studio, and also have the opportunity to apply for funding from Epicenter.
The initiative is being driven by Uncomplicated Inc., a venture studio founded to lower barriers to entry for new tech talent and to provide hands-on, high-impact experience building real companies. The studio is led by Brian Swanson, VP of Systems Development at MAA and cofounder of both GiveCamp Memphis and the Memphis Technology Foundation, two pillars of the city’s thriving tech ecosystem.
“We’re not just teaching people how to build software, we’re teaching them how to build businesses,” said Swanson. “Too many junior developers only get to see one narrow slice of the industry. This is a chance to see how all the parts come together, from idea to launch.”
Mentors from across technology, UI/UX, marketing, operations, and workforce development are working side-by-side with the team throughout the process, ensuring that every developer receives deep support and exposure to multiple disciplines.
Through this mentorship-driven model, the collaboration connects learning with leadership. Together, the partners aim to create a sustainable pipeline of local tech talent ready to fuel Memphis startups and high-growth companies.
“This partnership is about more than building software—it’s about building people and the city we love,” said Meka Egwuekwe, CEO of CodeCrew. “By connecting emerging developers with real startup experience and mentorship from across Memphis’s tech ecosystem, we’re preparing the next generation of innovators to solve real problems, launch real companies, and lift our community forward.”
The team’s progress is being shared publicly through social media, blog posts, and video updates, giving the broader community a transparent view into the work, the learning, and the challenges involved in launching a tech startup from the ground up. The experience will culminate in a Demo Day showcase, where the team will unveil the product they’ve built and share insights from the journey.
This collaboration underscores the shared mission of Epicenter, CodeCrew, and Uncomplicated Inc.: to cultivate the next generation of tech builders and startup leaders while strengthening the foundation of Memphis’s innovation economy.
About CodeCrew: CodeCrew is a Memphis-based nonprofit that empowers youth and adults to be tech innovators and leaders through computer science education and workforce development.
About Epicenter: Epicenter is the hub of the Memphis region’s innovative entrepreneurship ecosystem, supporting founders and startups with access to programming, capital, talent, and community resources.
About Uncomplicated Inc.: Uncomplicated is an AI-first venture studio in Memphis Tennessee dedicated to accelerating innovation by connecting emerging tech talent with real-world startup experience.
