Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

At last week’s AI Tennessee Summit, it was clear that the University of Tennessee, Knoxville intends to keep our state at the lead of the AI race.

Early decisions can have long-term implications for fundraising, equity, and growth.

"We’re excited to take ZERA into real-world deployments and continue building the future of hospital operations," said the founder, Vivek Thankachan.

Speakers and panelists dissected what their communities and organizations are currently doing to adopt AI, and how to use it more strategically in the future. 

The company was part of the 2022 cohort of the Innovation Crossroads program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).

Meet the local entrepreneur providing luxury, flexible stays for Knoxville’s contract professionals.

The Spark Innovation Center opens 2026 applications for its 12-week accelerator, offering tech startups $15,000 stipends, prototyping services, and direct access to TVA and Oak Ridge National Laboratory expertise.

Moving from a breakthrough in a lab to a successful product on the market can often feel full of unknowns.