Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

From Johnson City:

The College of Business and Technology at East Tennessee State University (ETSU) will host the Appalachian Highlands Economic Forum from 8 a.m. to 12 noon on March 14. The venue is ETSU’s Martin Center for the Arts.

This year’s event will feature keynote speaker John Silvia, an investment professional and President of Dynamic Economic Strategy LLC. In addition, attendees will also hear from experts in the areas of economic forecasting, housing, and a special panel featuring Chamber of Commerce leaders from Bristol, Elizabethton, Johnson City, and Kingsport. The event is free, but pre-registration is required at this link.

From Oak Ridge:

Registration for the Quantum Science Center’s Summer School is open now through February 28. Conducted in partnership with the Quantum Science Center (QSC) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, this year’s summer school will be hosted at the Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute the week of April 21 on the Purdue University campus.

Now in its fifth year, the QSC Summer School is an unparalleled event that includes lectures from world-renowned experts, interactive panel discussions, hands-on training sessions from QSC-affiliated companies, student poster sessions, and professional networking within a framework that fosters collaboration.

From Knoxville:

Drive Electric Tennessee reports that the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) have issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to release a second-round grant solicitation for the Fast Charge TN Network Grant Program in the spring of 2025. This round of funding will support the continued development of the Fast Charge Network in Tennessee, building out DC fast charging infrastructure at least every 50 miles along prioritized corridors.

This program is intended to complement the State’s implementation of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Grant Program, which seeks to build out fast charging EV infrastructure along designated Alternative Fuel Corridors and is administered by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT).

Eligible applicants include:

1. Tennessee local power companies (LPCs)
2. For-profit or nonprofit organizations authorized to do business in the State of Tennessee and that have a physical presence and operate in Tennessee, including but not limited to electric vehicle (EV) charging companies, fueling stations, private developers, private educational institutions, etc.
3. Government entities, including local governments or public institutions of higher education based in Tennessee. “Government” shall mean a State or local government agency (including a school district, municipality, city, county, special district, transit district, joint powers authority, or port authority, owning fleets purchased with government funds).

From Washington, DC but with Tennessee Implications:

Maryland Governor Wes Moore is now the Appalachian Regional Commission’s (ARC) 2025 States’ Co-Chair. The 72^nd States’ Co-Chair in ARC’s history, he was elected by the Governors of the 13 states to succeed Tennessee Governor Bill Lee.

In his year-long position, Governor Moore will work alongside ARC’s Federal Co-Chair and his fellow Governors to continue investing in economic growth and innovation across the region. In fiscal year 2024, ARC invested nearly $365 million in 583 projects, which attracted an additional $5 billion in private investments across Appalachia.

From Cookeville:

The new Putnam County Convention Center (PCCC), located off I-40 at Exit 283, will hold a grand opening ceremony from 1 to 2 p.m. CST on Tuesday. Billed as the “newest premier event and conference center in the Upper Cumberland region,” the facility features three individual meeting spaces that can be converted into an 8,000-square-foot grand ballroom.

We previously reported that The Biz Foundry, Tennessee Small Business Development Center, housed at the Upper Cumberland Development District, and the Center for Rural Innovation at Tennessee Tech University are planning to host a regional “Small Business and Entrepreneurship Conference” in mid-May at the PCC.

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