This week’s “News & Notes” cover a variety of items
From Knoxville:
During last week’s eighth annual “Opportunities in Energy” program hosted by the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC), Tricia Martinez, Managing Director of the “Techstars Industries of the Future Accelerator,” announced that the start of the program has been delayed by one month. It will now begin February 21, a delay that will allow for the renovation of dedicated space on Gay Street in the former Miller’s Department Store building that is now the headquarters of the Knoxville Utilities Board.
From Maryville:
The Sky City Entrepreneur Center is holding its first-ever “Holiday Potluck” at 12 noon tomorrow at its 429 South Washington Street location. Those attending should bring a food item to share. More details can be found here.
From Oak Ridge:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory hosted a virtual event on Friday that, prior to COVID-19, had been an in-person, Black tie optional gala. It was the “Director’s Awards” event, and recognitions were announced in 23 categories. Click here to access YouTube videos on each award.
From Chattanooga:
- Small businesses without internship budgets and women and minority students seeking internships all stand to benefit from the launch of a new program announced by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS). The “Small-Business Intern Initiative,” funded by a $125,000 gift from Truist, will provide paid student internships at smaller businesses that lack capital for internships, with a particular focus on women and minority students. Click here to learn more.
- The latest issue of The University of Tennessee Chattanooga Magazine (UTC) has a great article focusing on Mike Bradshaw, the first Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the institution’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. We spotlighted the latest career move for Bradshaw in this July 14 article in teknovation.biz. To read the one in the UTC magazine, click here and go to pages 26 and 27.
From Knoxville:
The latest issue of the Tennessee Engineer magazine from the Tickle College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville is full of articles about cutting edge research and other activities involving faculty and students. Click here to access the Fall edition.
From Nashville:
The Greater Nashville Technology Council (NTC) has retained Grant Partners, an executive search firm, to help recruit the organization’s next Chief Executive Officer after Brian Moyer announced last week that he is stepping down next year. An exact date was not stated, but Moyer has led the organization for five years.
Chris Bayham, Chief Operating Officer of XSOLIS and Chair of the GNTC Board of Directors, praised the accomplishments of Moyer and his team in this news release (Tech Council CEO Departure). “When Brian took the helm, the tech council was poised for growth, but none of us could have imagined the progress our tech community has made over the last several years. Through Brian’s leadership and the efforts of a fully committed board and staff, Middle Tennessee’s tech ecosystem is thriving. From the start, Brian collaborated with regional development organizations to establish a unified goal of doubling our tech workforce by 2025 – and tech council metrics show that we are ahead of pace to meet that objective! Membership is at its highest ever. Our events, such as the ‘Analytics Summit,’ are sought out by attendees internationally. Tech Hill Commons is a central hub for technology organizations, and our tech talent recruitment campaign, ‘TechIntoNashvilleTM,’ is making waves across the country, transforming Nashville into a go-to place for top tech talent. This is the work of Brian Moyer and his staff at the NTC.”
From Washington, DC
- U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman has announced that the federal agency intends to elevate its Office of Women’s Business Ownership (OWBO) to directly report to the Office of the Administrator. According to the news release, the SBA has expanded the number of Women’s Business Centers (WBCs) to a record 140 locations nationwide including the one operated by Pathway Lending in Nashville, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI). These WBCs offer a network of extensive on-the-ground resources that include free to low-cost counseling, training, business development technical assistance and are dedicated to assisting women entrepreneurs to start, grow, and expand their enterprises.
- Amazon is partnering with a DC-based CDFI – Capital Impact Partners – to launch a free, part-time accelerator program with the goal of increasing “the number of professional real estate developers of color who focus on affordable housing and inclusive community building.” More details can be found here.
- The CDFI Fund announced 265 financial and technical assistance awards totaling more than $180 million last week. Awards can be used by CDFIs to support additional loans and investments to businesses in underserved communities, while technical assistance awards can be used to build the CDFI’s own capacity. Nine of the awardees in the FY 2021 round are from Tennessee including Pathway Lending mentioned above and three from East Tennessee – Clinchfield Federal Credit Union in Erwin, Homeworks Community Lending LLC in Johnson City, and Turnaround Community Lending Inc. from Rutledge. Click here to see all of the awards.
