Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

From Knoxville:

The East Tennessee Economic Council has announced the dates for its seventh annual “Nuclear Opportunities Workshop” (NOW) as well as a new location after outgrowing the 2024 venue at the Knoxville Airport Hilton Hotel. The dates are July 22 and 23 at the Knoxville Convention Center.

Last year’s conference drew about 660 people. The event, which started with 80 or so participants in 2017, achieved another record attendance in 2024 including 160 students who were registered for NOW. The exponential growth in the interest about nuclear energy in the State of Tennessee was at the forefront during the early part of the program.

From Johnson City:

Becker’s Healthcare has spotlighted 36 trailblazing Chief Innovation Officers from hospitals and health systems across the nation, and one of the individuals calls Johnson City home.

Clem “Bo” Wilkes III, Senior Vice President and Chief Growth Officer for Ballad Health, drives innovation and transformation across the 20-hospital system serving rural Appalachia. He also serves as President of Ballad Ventures where Wilkes leads the Ballad Health Innovation Center, evaluating disruptive technologies and clinical advancements to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. With more than 15 years of experience, Wilkes has implemented strategic initiatives that foster collaboration, operational efficiency, and a culture of innovation, aligning closely with the role of chief innovation officer.

From Nashville:

Nashville Biosciences LLC (NashBio), a wholly owned, for-profit subsidiary of Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), has announced the launch of multiple next-generation, real-world data (RWD) solutions, including a research platform and therapeutic area collections over the next six months.

These advancements will deliver unprecedented access to deidentified electronic health record (EHR) and linked genomic data, empowering life science researchers, pharmaceutical companies, and biotech innovators to uncover actionable insights, accelerate therapeutic discoveries, advance equitable healthcare outcomes, and bridge critical data gaps in precision medicine.

The offerings include:

1. Therapeutic-Area Data Collections: Expertly curated, specialty-aligned datasets designed to make complex clinical data features in high-priority focused therapeutic areas, such as cardiology and hepatology, easy to use and transform the way clinical phenotypes are developed, and endpoints are analyzed. It is available now.
2. Secure Research Platform: A scalable, cloud-based, data-as-a-service (DaaS) subscription platform that empowers researchers to rapidly identify and analyze patient cohorts using disease-specific phenotypes, longitudinal clinical data, and genomic insights on their own terms and timelines. It will be available this spring.

From Nashville but with Statewide Impact:

Launch Tennessee is seeking hosts for its Summer Intern Program. The initiative offers opportunities for three types of organizations:

1. Start-ups;
2. Ecosystem builders – the seven entrepreneur centers; and
3. Venture capital firms.

The application deadline is January 31.

To apply to be a host, click here.

Another from Knoxville:

Provectus Biopharmaceuticals Inc. has announced a $3 million seed financing round for VisiRose Inc., the Provectus founded entity that is developing novel ocular therapeutics.

VisiRose is a newly launched, privately held, clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on initially commercializing Rose Bengal Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy (RB-PDAT) for the treatment of infectious keratitis and other eye infections using Provectus’s bioactive synthetic small molecule and active pharmaceutical ingredient (“API”) Rose Bengal Sodium (“RBS”).

RB-PDAT, a groundbreaking, non-invasive investigational treatment for eye infections, is based on innovative ocular research from the Ophthalmic Biophysics Center at Bascom Palmer Eye Institute of the University of Miami’s Miller School of Medicine. RB-PDAT combines a formulation of Provectus’s pharmaceutical-grade RBS API and OBC’s light-based medical device to treat eye infections caused by bacteria, fungi, and parasites, including multidrug-resistant organisms.

Another from Nashville:

A recent study by Rocket Moving identified the top 10 U.S. cities where moving out of the parent’s house is easiest, and Nashville was in that group. The study focused on factors that support independent living, evaluating 11 key metrics such as personal income, cost of living, rent, housing availability, job growth, safety, and air quality. Cities with higher scores demonstrated a balanced mix of economic opportunities, housing accessibility, and livability, making them ideal for young adults seeking independence.

The summary for Music City read as follows: “With one of the lowest costs of living (90.4) and an average house price of $323K, the city offers a financially accessible option for those seeking independence.”

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