Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

From Knoxville:

• Don DeRosa of Eonix, a start-up researching batteries and a member of Cohort 2 of “Innovation Crossroads (IC),” is listed as one of 50 start-ups that will be pitching this week at the virtual “2022 DeepTechU Conference.” The three-day event, which begins tomorrow, is organized by the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation. According to the agenda, DeRosa is the third presenter on the opening day – May 3 – and will pitch in the 1:20 or so time period. The IC program operated by Oak Ridge National Laboratory is listed as a partner for the event.
• Nilay Parikh, Founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Be Global Safety, has been selected as one of 22 start-ups in the South to present during next week’s “Wild Pitch” event that concludes the “DIG SOUTH Tech Summit” in Charleston, SC. As previously noted in a teknovation.biz article, it is the 10^th “DIG SOUTH” event and is being held in-person over three days at the College of Charleston’s TD Arena. The “Wild Pitch” portion is billed as “the South’s Capitol of Capital.” According to the agenda, Parikh will lead off the pitch event. Be Global Safety is a participant in the inaugural cohort of the “Techstars Industries of the Future Accelerator.”
• Trillium Renewable Chemicals, a start-up we spotlighted in this January teknovation.biz article, presented last Thursday at the “BASF Sustainable by Design Startup Challenge” in Florham Park, NJ. BASF is the largest chemical producer in the world and has a goal of reaching net-zero CO₂ emissions by 2050, in part by accelerating the development of sustainable production processes for chemicals.

From Oak Ridge:

Tom Rogers, President and CEO of Cherokee Farm Development Corporation that operates the University of Tennessee Research Park, was presented the “Good Scout Award” by the Mount Le Conte District of the Great Smoky Mountain Council of the Boy Scouts of America. The recognition occurred at a luncheon last Friday at the DoubleTree Hotel in Oak Ridge, and the official making the presentation was Buddy Heins (pictured on right with Rogers on left) of Merit Construction.

From Cookeville:

The Biz Foundry will host an “official ribbon cutting” for its Sparta location, 21 North Main Street, at 4:30 p.m. CDT May 12. The facility opened during the COVID-19 pandemic, so an event of this type was not possible,

From Nashville:

The Chief Marketing Officer of the Greater Memphis Chamber has been named the new President of the Nashville Health Care Council (NHCC). Apryl Childs-Potter  also served as the Executive Director of the Chamber’s Center for Economic Competitiveness. The University of Mississippi alumna joined the Chamber four years ago as Director of Marketing and Brand Strategy. Childs-Potter succeeds Hayley Hovious who served as President of the Council for nearly seven years before becoming a Principal with Echo Health Ventures.

“The search was designed to identify a leader who can further strengthen the Council’s role as a global convener and collaborator that improves health care by serving as a catalyst for leadership and innovation,” said David Dill, NHCC Board Chair. “The board is confident that Apryl is the right person to advance the Council’s mission and that our organization is poised for a vibrant future under her leadership.”

From Chattanooga:

• Tiffanie Robinson, a Co-Founder and General Partner in The JumpFund as well as CEO of SVN Second Story and Lamp Post Properties, made news last week. It was announced that the two enterprises she leads will merge with Fidelity Trust Company to form Aslan Holdings.
• Community artists will take center stage this week for The Enterprise Center’s “Storytelling Spaces” free event series. Featuring a wide range of mediums and interactive artwork, this event is focused on bringing access to the arts into neighborhoods and celebrating the many creatives who call Chattanooga home. Eight local artists, who each received a $500 grant to complete their pitched projects, will kick off the event from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Miller Plaza. They will next showcase their work during the same time period on Thursday at the Avondale Community Center. The series wraps-up from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday at The Bethlehem Center with chances to chat with each artist and participate in interactive exhibits. For more information, visit the event page.

Across Tennessee:

Starting today in Kingston, the Tennessee Department of Transportation and the Department of Environment and Conservation are holding workshops across the state to gain input about the “Tennessee Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Deployment Plan.” It is an initiative to create a network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along interstates and key routes in Tennessee.

East Tennessee sessions are as follows:

• 5 to 6:30 p.m. May 2 – Kingston City Hall, 900 Waterford Place;
• 5 to 6:30 p.m. May 3 – Eastman Board Room, Kingsport Chamber of Commerce, 400 Clinchfield Street;
• 5 to 6:30 p.m. May 4 – Sequoyah 3, Knoxville Hilton, 501 West Church Avenue; and
• 5 to 6:30 p.m. May 11 – Conference Room 1A, Development Resource Center, 1250 Market Street, Chattanooga.

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