News & Notes | Capital Conversations returns to Chattanooga next week
PODS unveils its fifth annual "Moving Trends Report," and Tennessee has three cities ranked in the top 11 nationally.
From Chattanooga:
Launch Tennessee is back with another season of Capital Conversation events, sharing key info on funding, investment opportunities, and how to tap into resources right in your community.
First stop: Chattanooga. Join Launch Tennessee on Tuesday, June 3 at 4:30 p.m. EDT for Capital Conversations Chattanooga, hosted by Pinnacle Financial Partners and Launch Tennessee. Meet fellow entrepreneurs, learn about the $70 million InvestTN fund, and find out how to get involved.
In attendance will be members of LaunchTN’s Capital team, financial sector experts from Pinnacle Financial Partners, representatives from The Company Lab, and Chattanooga-based entrepreneur, investor, and leader/collaborator Charlie Brock. Special thanks to The Daily Ration for providing the event venue.
To register, click here.
From Knoxville:
Ardurra Group Inc. has announced the acquisition of Cannon & Cannon, Inc. (CCI), a full-service civil engineering firm headquartered in Knoxville. The Miami, FL-based firm, ranked #75 on Engineering News-Record’s Top 500 list, is known for delivering complex engineering and design services to public and private entities across the United States.
Founded in 1996, CCI is the largest engineering firm of licensed professional engineers headquartered in Knoxville, specializing in utility infrastructure and delivering trusted expertise in water, sewer, stormwater, and transportation systems. By joining forces, both firms are positioned to deliver enhanced capabilities and greater value to clients throughout the region.
CCI will continue to operate from its current Knoxville headquarters, in addition to its Memphis and Bowling Green, KY locations. More than 100 professionals from CCI will join forces with Ardurra, creating a combined team of approximately 1,850 employees across more than 85 offices throughout the U.S.
Another from Chattanooga:
Dr. Erkan Kaplanoglu moves like someone with three calendars and no off switch—teaching, mentoring, inventing, and leading the Department of Engineering Management and Technology at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC).
His relentless pace paid off this spring when he secured his first U.S. design patent for a pneumatically powered balance board designed to support patients with chronic lower back pain or those recovering from injury or surgery. It’s one of many endeavors he’s juggling alongside prototypes, proposals, partnerships, and students.
On any given day, Kaplanoglu might be debugging hardware in his lab, mentoring a capstone team, working at a recruitment event, or collaborating with industry partners and campus colleagues. Often, it’s all of the above. And somehow, he still makes time for Mocs basketball, the bağlama (a Turkish guitar that he plays in his office), and almost anyone who asks for his help.
Over the past five years, Kaplanoglu has submitted five invention disclosures through the UT Research Foundation, a pace that speaks both to his personal drive and to UTC’s expanding support for applied research.
You can learn more about him at this link.
Between Knoxville and Nashville:
Want to leaving the driving to others so you can get some work done? If your answer is ‘yes,” there’s a new option available to you between two Tennessee cities.
Vonlane, the premium regional transportation company, will offer daily luxury motor coach service between Nashville and Knoxville starting on June 13. The coach will depart Nashville at 10 a.m. CDT from the Omni Nashville Hotel, located downtown, and Knoxville at 3 p.m. EDT from The Tennessean Hotel, located downtown and one mile from Neyland Stadium. Fares are a flat rate of $125 for one-way trips with advance purchase.
Travelers will have access to a non-stop transportation choice in Vonlane—complete with Vonlane’s signature experience of 22 first-class leather seats, ample workspace, complimentary Wi-Fi, and an onboard attendant offering premium cabin service with complimentary snacks, meals (on select routes), and non-alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is available for purchase.
From Chattanooga, Knoxville, and Nashville:
PODS Enterprises LLC, an industry leader that revolutionized the moving and storage category through its portable container service offerings, has unveiled its fifth annual “Moving Trends Report,” highlighting the U.S. cities with the most move-ins and move-outs.
The Volunteer State placed three cities in the top 11. Knoxville was #8, just as it was last year. Nashville was #9, moving up four spots from its 2024 ranking. Finally, Chattanooga placed #11 following last year when it was unranked.
Topping the list, as they did in 2024, were Myrtle Beach, SC, and nearby Wilmington, NC, which continue to be a popular choice among movers for their mild climate, lower cost of living compared to larger cities, and laid-back lifestyle that is appealing to both retirees and families alike.
From Brentwood:
o15 Capital Partners, through its o15 Emerging America Credit Opportunities fund, announced a $28 million senior secured debt investment in Simplify Compliance Holdings LLC, a diversified business-to-business information services platform backed by Leeds Equity Partners. The investment refinances Simplify’s existing credit facilities and provides strategic flexibility as the company enters its next phase of growth. o15 served as the sole lender.
Headquartered in Brentwood, Simplify Compliance was formed by Leeds Equity to provide must-have information and training solutions to professionals in regulated and operationally complex industries. Today, the company operates three business units delivering digital compliance content, subscription-based analytics, and executive learning to enterprise customers in healthcare, human capital, and infrastructure sectors.
From Murfreesboro:
The Drive Electric Tennessee initiative will host its third annual “DriveElectricTN Momentum Summit” at Middle Tennessee State University on June 24. Obviously focused on electric vehicles (EVs), the Momentum Summit agenda will include:
- A keynote with Alleyn Harned of Virginia Clean Cities;
- “EVs in Higher Ed: Funding, Projects, and Research across Tennessee”;
- A panel discussing “EV Infrastructure Installation Insights”;
- A series of round robin sessions; and
- “MD/HD Futures: Electric & Hydrogen.”
The full agenda is available here, and a link to registration is here.
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