Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

From Knoxville:

The Women of Knoxville, an organization focused on Black female entrepreneurs, has announced the launch of a campaign named “5 Years to $50,000.” With $35,000 already in the bank, so to speak, the goal of $15,000 more is within reach.

The group is best known for its programming that includes tailored financial literacy education, its interest-free micro loan program, and the annual Crown Pitch Competition.

“When we started in a living room back in 2020, we knew we wanted to make a difference,” The Women of Knoxville wrote in an email. “What we didn’t anticipate was the profound impact we’d have in Knoxville, thanks to your support. Access to financial resources has historically been obstructed for Black entrepreneurs, but with your help, The Women have been able to dismantle these barriers and help pave the way to generational wealth for future generations.”

From Knoxville, Nashville and Oak Ridge:

Four individuals – three faculty members at two Tennessee universities and a researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory – have been named as Fellows of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI). They are among 170 selected for the honor and include:

1. Sergei V. Kalinin, Weston Fulton Chairholder at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) and also Chief Scientist for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning for Physical Sciences at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.
2. Charles Melcher, Research Professor and Director of UTK’s Scintillation Materials Research Center.
3. Wellington Pham, Professor of Radiology and Radiological Sciences and also a Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Vanderbilt University.
4. Vivek Sujan, a Distinguished Researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

The four will be inducted as NAI Fellows at the NAI 14^th Annual Meeting on June 26.

From Kingsport:

From Chattanooga:

Felicia Jackson, President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of CPRWRAP, has announced that her guide for people seeking to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has officially claimed the #1 spot on Amazon’s Best Sellers List for CPR masks and shields. We first spotlighted Jackson and her efforts almost eight years ago to the day with this January 4, 2017 teknovation.biz post. About the latest accomplishment, she writes, “This milestone is not just a win for me but for everyone who believes in empowering everyday people to save lives.”

From Nashville:

Pathway Lending was one of 199 recipients of $2 billion donated during 2024 by MacKenzie Scott. The Nashville-based Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) was created by the old Technology 2020 organization. Another CDFI – the Kentucky Highlands Investment Corporation – was also a recipient. No word on how much each received.

From Memphis:

Memphis Magazine has named five individuals as recipients of its 12^th annual “Innovation Awards.” They are:

1. BreAnna Boyd, Founder and CEO of FeedWells;
2. Dr. Evan S. Glazer, Associate Professor of Surgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center;
3. Eric Mathews, CEO of Start Co.; and
4. Susan Cooper, Chief Integration Officer, and Megan Williams, Director of Complex Care, both with Regional One Health.

They will be honored at a breakfast on January 15.

From Across the State:

Drive Electric Tennessee issued its 2024 nine-slide annual report on December 18. The organization has seven chapters across the state that sponsored more than 20 events including 500 “ride and drives” offered and also engaging 8,000 individuals throughout the year.

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