The Biz Foundry, others launch Eagle Labs
(EDITOR’S NOTE: The following announcement was provided by The Biz Foundry.)
COOKEVILLE—On Thursday, several organizations unveiled a regional initiative to promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the Upper Cumberland. Eagle Labs is a partnership comprised of several key organizations as partners in the region: Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville Regional Medical Center, Launch Tennessee, and The Biz Foundry. Eagle Labs will be facilitated and managed by the Upper Cumberland Entrepreneurial Foundation, parent organization of The Biz Foundry.
The overall mission of the Eagle Labs program is to promote economic development through innovation and partnerships. The program will foster collaboration between private industry, education, research and the entrepreneurial community in order to serve as a catalyst for innovation, and in turn economic growth and job production. “As we strive to grow the research and innovation core of TTU, we are looking to create a front door to the university that enables business development through innovation, assistance with business retention and expansion, and assistance with new business recruitment,” said TTU President Phil Oldham. “We are looking forward to exploring the opportunities this initiative presents.”
The official agreement took place at Cookeville Regional Medical Center Thursday afternoon. “Community outreach and economic development is important to us and the Upper Cumberland area,” said CRMC CEO Paul Korth. “We are pleased to partner with The Biz Foundry and look forward to seeing the growth that will take place with their program.” The Eagle Labs’ mission coincides with Launch Tennessee’s effort to build entrepreneurial eco-systems across the state. The regional Launch Tennessee business accelerator, The Biz Foundry, will oversee the program. Launch Tennessee director of commercialization, Jim Stefansic, will also help with technology transfer issues and connections to outside resources.
“The research community, including students and faculty, is a major contributor to the entrepreneurial community in any region. This partnership is a step towards connecting the collective talent of TTU to vital business partners and entrepreneurs across the state and the country. Partnerships like this lead to the creation of high tech companies that take root in our region. An organization like Eagle Labs is very attractive to outside companies looking to locate in the region as well,” said Biz Foundry President Jeff Brown.
The partnership will be open to private industry, entrepreneurs and community organizations in the 14-county Upper Cumberland region. Community and industry participation is encouraged to further stimulate innovation and collaboration. To learn more about Eagle Labs, please contact The Biz Foundry at 931-210-5105.
