Topping our “News & Notes” this week is something we previously reported, but without any details. Launch Tennessee has announced that it “3686 Festival” returns to Music City as an in-person event September 27-29, and early bird registration opens today. The popular, multi-state event, which was not held in 2021…

If you are a regular reader of teknovation.biz, you know that our default is to positive stories that share the aspirations of entrepreneurs and focus on programs and innovations that will accelerate their growth. We traditionally shy away from negative articles, but recent economic news suggests caution based on geopolitical and…

Southern Research has broken ground on an $84 million biotech center in Birmingham. Founded in 1941 as a non-profit scientific research organization, Southern Research’s expansion will add 60,000 square feet of commercial wet labs, a Biosafety Level 3 lab, and data science facilities. The expansion will allow the non-profit’s staffing…

By Tom Ballard, Chief Alliance Officer, PYA For many Knoxvillians, Greenville, SC is an aspirational city. Some just love to visit the dynamic community, perhaps taking advantage of Swamp Rabbit Trail, a popular 23-mile walking/biking trail during the day. Others admire its vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. Some love the dynamic downtown…

By Kailyn Lamb, Marketing Content Writer and Editor, PYA In the April edition of the “Economic Conditions Outlook” (ECO) report, financed by First Horizon Bank, the Knoxville Chamber offered its usual survey of businesses in the manufacturing, retail, and service sectors, and added an additional survey on gas prices. Nearly 80…

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a roundup of business news from throughout the Knoxville region. If you have some business news that you would like to be included in Teknovation Weekend, please email us at news@teknovation.biz.) Harold T. Conner receives prestigious award from AIChE Harold T. Conner, former Director of the Oak…

By Kailyn Lamb, Marketing Content Writer and Editor, PYA The Knoxville Entrepreneur Center’s (KEC) “The Maker City” initiative will be part of the festivities in today’s opening celebration for the 40th Anniversary of the 1982 World’s Fair. Members of the Mayor’s Maker Council will also be in attendance. Maranda Vandergriff, Creative…

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is another article in a periodic series spotlighting entrepreneurs who are participating in the inaugural cohort of the Bunker Labs Knoxville Chapter’s “Veterans in Residence” program. On June 1, the Knoxville participants will join those from 22 other cities for a nationwide “Bunker Labs’ Veterans in Residence…

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced yesterday that five states have received approval for their plans submitted under the new round of the “State Small Business Credit Initiative” (SSBCI) program. Frequently referred to as SSBCI 2.0, the program was reauthorized and expanded under the “American Rescue Plan” after it…

PitchBook recently issued a couple of reports that should be of interest to readers. One is the Q1 2022 “Mobility Tech Report” which documents that venture capital (VC) investments in the sector slowed from the blistering pace of 2021, dropping 35 percent quarter-over-quarter to $13.9 billion and 43 percent year-over-year.…