Events dominate this week’s “News & Notes” feature
Announcements about upcoming events dominate this week’s “News & Notes” feature but there are a few other items including the unveiling of a new software from Clinton-based Techmer PM LLC and an early stage venture firm in Memphis that just closed its first fund at $52 million.
From Knoxville:
- The Knoxville Technology Council (KTech) has announced that its annual “KTech Pulse: Technology Summit 2022” will be held on November 3 starting at 3 p.m. at JTV, 9600 Parkside Drive. No details about the program were revealed. Registration is free at this link.
- The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s (UTK) new Machine Tool Research Center will host its inaugural “SEC (as in Southeastern Conference) Machining Competition” on Friday, November 18. The facility is located in the former Local Motors microfactory in the Hardin Valley area of West Knox County, and the competition will feature students from UTK, Auburn, Mississippi State, and Texas A&M. The all-day event is a partnership between the U.S. Department of Defense’s Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program, Project MFG, America’s Cutting Edge (ACE), Southeastern Advanced Machine Tools Network, Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility, UT-Oak Ridge Innovation Institute, the four SEC universities, MSC Industrial Supply, ZEISS, and Haas. Click here to learn more.
- Booth Andrews, Founder of The Booth Andrews Company, and Catherine Porth, Founder of Let Her Speak, have announced the inaugural “Returning Home Retreat.” It is described as an event “inspired by, created by, and made for women entrepreneurs that need support in returning home to their own wisdom while being surrounded by other women who ‘get it’.” The retreat will be held November 3-6 at The Pineapple Beach Club in Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Registration deadline is October 17. For more information, click here.
- In recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the Knoxville Chamber is hosting a panel discussion on the topic from 2 to 3 p.m. October 17 in the Techstars office, 465 South Gay Street. Panelists are: (1) Jason Graf, The IT Company; (2) Christine Horwege, CGI Federal; (3) Matt Collier, Tenhats; and (4) Bridgitte Mase, BGS LLC. Registration is free at this link.
From Clinton:
Techmer PM LLC, a materials design company that specializes in modifying and fine-tuning the properties of technical polymers, and the Composite Manufacturing and Simulation Center at Purdue University will unveil a collaborative effort on October 19 at CAMX (Composites and Advanced Materials Expo) in Anaheim, CA.
According to this news release, the revolutionary simulation workflow named ADDITIVE3D is available for members of the Purdue CAMS Consortium. They will also gain access to a library of Techmer materials already characterized for use in the ADDITIVE3D simulation workflow that will help companies reduce development time/cycles, reduce wasted material, and improve the physical properties of their finished products.
From Chattanooga:
Business Trend, a publication of the Chattanooga Chamber of Commerce, has spotlighted three of the start-ups that are participants in the inaugural cohort of the city’s Brickyard program that we described in this August 2022 teknovation.biz article. Two of the three entrepreneurs were born in other countries before relocating to the U.S. Click here to read their stories.
From Cookeville:
The application deadline is this Wednesday for the next class of The Biz Foundry‘s “Start Up Your Startup” program. Over four weeks, the course covers marketing, legal, accounting, and insurance issues. The only prerequisites are that participants have: (1) a business idea they’re ready, willing and excited to share and work on; and (2) a willingness to study, shape and fine-tune their idea in a supportive, collaborative and welcoming environment. Cost is $149 for the eight sessions – 5:30 to 7 p.m. Central Time Mondays and Thursday at the The Biz Foundry, 114 North Cedar Avenue. The first class is October 17, and the program ends November 10. Click here to apply.
From Johnson City:
FoundersForge has several upcoming monthly meetings.
- On Tuesday night, October 11, Michael Smith will speak about starting a freelancing business at the TriDev monthly software development meetup. It runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at Spark Plaza, 404 South Roan Street. To register, click here.
- Two days later at 12 noon, the monthly “Founders Meetup” at Ntara, 105 East Walnut Street, will feature a panel discussing hiring and team building. Click here to register.
- The final event is “Pitch Practice” at 12 noon October 27, also at Spark Plaza. To register, click here.
From Kingsport:
The Kingsport Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously approved a resolution last week to enter into a partnership to help develop a proposed 160-acre industrial park at Holston Army Ammunition Plant. That action followed earlier approval by the Hawkins County Commission; the lead organization is the Holston Business Development Center.
From Memphis:
Ridgeline, an early stage venture capital firm, closed its inaugural $52 million fund. The firm has made 17 investments in Fund I to date and expects to invest in up to 30 companies throughout the life of the fund. Those investments are in technologies and businesses that have the potential to transform large enterprises across both software and hardware. The firm plans to invest in early stage enterprise software and hardware companies at the seed and Series A stages.
