Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

From Across the State:

Nashville and Knoxville cracked the top 100, and Chattanooga placed #102 in WalletHub’s listing of the most and least educated cities in the country. Nashville ranked #48 while Knoxville placed #90. The top cities were Ann Arbor, MI (#1); Durham-Chapel Hill, NC (#2); Madison, WI (#3); San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA (#4); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (#5); Raleigh-Cary, NC (#6); San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA (#7); Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX (#8); Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (#9); and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH (#10).

Click here to review the full list.

From Nashville:

Launch Tennessee is recognizing internal talent with a new wave of promotions.

“These changes reflect not only the incredible talent on our team, but also our commitment to building a strong, sustainable organization that drives innovation across Tennessee,” said Lindsey Cox, the organization’s Chief Executive Officer.

Those getting new titles are:

1. Morgan Beam, has been promoted from Data and Development Coordinator to Data and Development Manager. In this expanded role, she will help guide data strategy and reporting for the organization, oversee donor database management, and support strategic fundraising initiatives through analysis, prospect research, and systems optimization.
2. Chuck Layne, promoted from Senior Technology Advancement Manager to Technology Advancement Director. He will continue to serve as Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium Program Director while taking on a broader leadership role in shaping Launch Tennessee’s commercialization strategy and supporting the growth of early stage technologies across the state.
3. Abbey Lerner, promoted from Social Media and Communications Coordinator to Senior Marketing Coordinator. In this new role, she will take on increased responsibility for brand strategy, content development, and cross-platform marketing efforts to elevate the organization’s visibility and engagement.
4. Emily Masters, promoted from Development Director to Vice President of Development. In this elevated role, she will provide strategic leadership across all fundraising initiatives, oversee donor engagement and stewardship, and help guide the long-term growth of the organization’s development efforts.
5. Katherine Reall, promoted from Finance and Administration Director to Vice President of Finance and Administration. In this expanded leadership role, she will continue to oversee financial operations and administrative functions while playing a key role in strategic planning and organizational management.
6. Jennifer Skjellum has transitioned from a contractor role to Associate Director of University Outreach and Engagement. In this new position, she will lead efforts to strengthen partnerships with higher education institutions and expand opportunities for student and faculty engagement across Launch Tennessee’s statewide network.
7. Anna Truss, promoted from Development Assistant to Development Coordinator. In her new role, she will take on greater responsibility for donor communications, gift processing, and event support, helping to ensure smooth day-to-day operations of the development team.

From Kingsport:

The Sync Space Entrepreneur Center reports that it has helped secure two Tennessee Placemakers Entrepreneurship Grants. These grants, totaling over $450,000, will significantly boost entrepreneurial growth by enhancing the Mountain Harvest Kitchen in Unicoi County and establishing Greene County’s first co-working facility at Hackler Hall.

From Chattanooga:

Periscope is a year-long intensive training opportunity that empowers working artists to see their creative practice through an entrepreneurial lens. Led by highly experienced instructors from within Chattanooga’s entrepreneurial community along with break-out sessions facilitated by Chattanooga’s top arts professionals, Periscope is designed to be a transformative experience for each artist, sparking the moment when their career may really start to take off.

The experience is limited to 15 artists, artisans, makers, and creative entrepreneurs of all artistic disciplines in the Greater Chattanooga region. An intensive curriculum explores tools to organize, plan, and sustain a creative career, with the goal of developing an individualized business plan to prepare each artist to take their creative endeavors to the next level. The course consists of eight consecutive weeks followed by six months of one-on-one mentorship culminating in the Periscope Pitch + Artist Entrepreneur Showcase.

To apply by the August 1 deadline, click here.

From Memphis:

Epicenter has announced that the ZeroTo510 MedTech Accelerator is officially back and accepting applications until late July. The 90‑day program addresses topics in Market Discovery, Technical Feasibility, Intellectual Property, Business Models, Reimbursement, Regulatory Matters, Product Design, and

Medical Trial Studies. Once the Go To Market plan is in place, the program continues to provide support for Sales and Marketing, Operations, Customer Service Issues, and Pricing Decisions.

According to the announcement, two virtual sessions are planned ahead of the July 28 application deadline. One is at 12 noon CDT on July 10 (click here to register), and the other is also at 12 noon CDT on July 23 (click here to register). To apply for the accelerator, click on this link.

 

---