Many opportunities for tech transfer, ED professionals in April
It’s going to be a busy April for organizations located here that focus on economic development, technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. Some of the events will occur in East Tennessee. Our snapshot of key activities includes:
- “Deal Stream Summit” on April 3, 4 and 5 in Albuquerque.
- ACE Accelerator Kickoff on April 5 at Tech 20/20.
- “Tennessee Valley Solar Solutions Conference” on April 10 and 11 in Memphis.
- “Roane County Industrial/Business Inventory Summit” on April 12 at Roane State Community College.
- “Technology Transfer Conference” on April 19 in Chattanooga.
- “Governor’s Innovation Conference” on April 26 and 27 in Nashville.
More details on each event follow.
“Deal Stream Summit” – April 3, 4 and 5 in Albuquerque – Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Y-12 National Security Complex (Y-12) will have a significant presence at the poster sessions during Technology Venture Corporation’s (TVC) “Deal Stream Summit” April 3, 4 and 5 in Albuquerque. In fact, nine of the 23 technologies listed on the promotional brochure are from ORNL or Y-12. In addition, Tom Berg, Y-12’s Director of Commercialization and Partnerships, is a panelist for a session on “Inventing the Future: Accelerating Lab Science into Commercial Products.” Former U. S. Congressman Bart Gordon of Tennessee, House sponsor of the America COMPETES Act of 2007, will give the keynote speech on April 4.
The TVC event was originally known as the “Equity Capital Symposium,” a clear reflection on the conference’s focus on starting, building and financing research-based technology as well as start-up companies and other entrepreneurial activities tied to the national laboratory system.
More information about the “Deal Stream Summit” can be found at http://techventures.org/events/summit/.
ACE Accelerator Kickoff – April 5 in Oak Ridge – As previously reported in teknovation.biz, Roane State Community College will host a kickoff for its Advanced Composites Employment (ACE) Accelerator beginning at 8 a.m. April 5 at Tech 20/20. The one-hour program is a “must” for those interested in understanding how to take advantage of this program and the importance of the effort to growing the composites industry cluster. Pre-registration is requested by emailing farmerwm@roanestate.edu.
“Tennessee Valley Solar Solutions Conference” – April 10 and 11 in Memphis – The two-day “Tennessee Valley Solar Solutions Conference” starts April 10 at the Cook Convention Center in Memphis. Keynote speaker is Julia Hamm, President and CEO of the Solar Power Electric Association. Congressman Steve Cohen speaks at lunch on the first day. Opening panels will focus on “Solar’s Place in a National Energy Policy” and “Smart Grid Technology and Integration of Solar and Other Renewables.” The conference concludes with tours of Agricenter International’s new 996 kW single-axis tracking system solar array, the largest such system in Tennessee, and the University of Tennessee’s 2011 DOE Solar Decathlon Challenge Entry, the Living Light House, located at Shelby Farms Park. The 750-square-foot home showcases how solar technology can maximize energy efficiency and sustainability.
Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis with a capacity of 500 participants. The registration URL is http://www.tnsolarsolutions.org/registration.htm.
“Roane County Industrial/Business Inventory Summit” on April 12 in Harriman – Roane County Executive Ron Woody is organizing an “Industrial/Business Inventory Summit” that begins at 6:30 p.m. April 12 in Room O-101 (O’Brien Building) at Roane State’s Harriman Campus.
The event will start with an overview of industry needs, expectations and optimal time frames for availability featuring three speakers – Aaron Stewart of the Tennessee Valley Authority, Allen Neel of the East Tennessee Economic Development Agency, and Gary Human of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
Following their high-level presentations, Woody has invited those associated with Roane County’s nearly 10 business or industrial parks to make presentations about their specific sites. The parks and those invited to present are: Roane Regional Business and Technology Park and Roane Industrial Park (Leslie Henderson), Oak Ridge Science and Technology Park and Horizon Center (Kim Denton), Heritage Center (Jeff Deardorff), Harriman Industrial Park (Mayor Chris Mason), Rockwood Industrial Park (Mayor James Watts), and Plateau Park (Ray Evans).
The Summit is expected to last about two hours. More information is available by contacting Woody’s office at 865/376-5578.
“Technology Transfer Conference” on April 19 in Chattanooga – The Enterprise Center’s fifth annual “Technology Transfer Conference” is set for April 19 at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Deadline for registering is April 12. There is no registration fee, but individuals planning to attend should advise doll_c@theenterprisrctr.org. Featured speaker is Dave Croslin, Chief Executive Officer of Innovate the Future.
More information is available at http://www.theenterprisectr.org/Events/detail/19.
“Governor’s Innovation Conference” on April 26 and 27 in Nashville – The inaugural “Governor’s Innovation Conference” is set for April 26 and 27 at the Sheraton Nashville Downtown Hotel. It is hosted by Governor Bill Haslam along with the Tennessee Technology Development Corporation and the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
On the opening day, the first-ever “Governor’s Award for Innovation Excellence” will be given to recognize the achievement of a Tennessean whose dedication to enhancing our world through innovation has made a major impact on society.
The conference’s first program session – “Driving Economic Growth in a Global Marketplace” –begins at 9 a.m. CDT on April 26. Other sessions that day will include an outlook on venture capital and a “Venture Showcase.” The event concludes with a lunch panel of start-up CEOs on April 27.
The complete agenda is available at http://www.tntechnology.org/uploads/files/Conference%20Agenda%20for%20Website.pdf.
Registration information is available at http://www.tntechnology.org/conference/registration/.
