LaunchTN awards $300,000 to three Tennessee startups in inaugural commercialization grant
Each awardee has already secured a letter of interest from an industry partner or potential customer validating commercial demand for its technology.
Launch Tennessee has handed out the first round of funding from its Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC) Technology Maturation Grant, splitting $300,000 among three companies working to push university-born research into the market.
“The TTAC Technology Maturation Grant is critical for catalyzing startup formation, technology transition, and early commercialization outcomes for technologies originating from Tennessee’s research institutions,” LaunchTN CEO Lindsey Cox said. “It elevates the way industry engages with Tennessee’s research enterprise, turning proof-of-concept ideas into partnerships and products the market is ready to back.”
The 2026 awardees
- Terra Watts out of Tennessee Tech is building a wireless underground power transmission system that sends electricity through soil instead of copper wiring, aimed at cutting infrastructure costs for uses like industrial agriculture, mining, and off-grid power.
- FloUV, developed out of Tennessee State University, is commercializing a patented UV-C disinfection platform that improves microbial safety in opaque liquids such as dairy and juice without relying on heat or chemical preservatives.
- Minco Technologies Inc., also out of Tennessee Tech, is developing next-generation propulsion for unmanned aircraft, including a fuel-flexible engine designed to reduce logistical fuel needs and extend the range of unmanned aerial systems.
For Minco, the grant has been a true turning point.
It enabled us to bring on the critical engineering talent we needed, accelerate the development and integration of key subsystems and deepen relationships with defense partners interested in deploying our power technology at their installations. Just as importantly, the grant helped reduce technical and commercial risk, sharpen our commercialization roadmap and strengthen our ability to compete for the federal research and development funding needed for the next phase of development, explained founder Dr. Rory Roberts.
Want your university-based startup to get in on the action?
The program for the fall round (FY27) will increase available funding to $500,000. This cycle will also widen eligibility beyond the initial partner list to include technologies licensed from Vanderbilt University, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center.
Applications for the fall round open July 29 and close September 9. Learn more about the process and apply here!
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