Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

From Knoxville:

Let Her Speak (LHS) has created the “Women’s Well-being Series” in response to the community’s growing need for tools and resources around mental health and well-being. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, LHS has seen a sizeable increase in mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and burnout throughout the world, and Knoxville is no exception.

During a three-month series that kicks-off at 5:30 p.m. EDT on April 30 at Lilienthal Gallery, LHS will host discussions, workshops, and activities that focus on how these issues impact women’s mind, body, and spirit. First up is the session on mind featuring Booth Andrews, Carri McClellan, Jenifer Rodriguez-Acuna, and Sarah McNamara.

Registration is free at this link, but LHS is asking for donations if individuals are able to support our work and mission.

The remaining sessions in the series will focus body on May 30 and spirit on June 22.

From Chattanooga:

• By the time you read this article, chances are that the inaugural “Chattanooga Entrepreneur Week” is on the verge of starting, if not actually underway. Click on this link for the latest schedule of activities that run through Friday night.
• One of the participants in The Company Lab’s “Sustainable Mobility Accelerator powered by gener8tor” just placed in the top five among more than 100 competitors in the eMerge Americas tech conference in Miami. The company was Tampa start-up Fluix AI, co-founded by Abhishek”Abhi” Sastri. Fluix was also a participant in the inaugural cohort in 2022 of the “Techstars Industries of the Future Accelerator” in Knoxville. Speaking of the Chattanooga accelerator, application deadline for the second cohort is May 26.

From Washington, DC:

An alumnus of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) has been appointed Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic Development and Chief Operating Officer of the Economic Development Administration (EDA), a bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Ben Page had most recently served as Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Commerce for implementation of the Department’s infrastructure and large-scale programs. In this role, he led efforts to ensure successful implementation of high-priority initiatives and served as the Department’s liaison to the White House Infrastructure Implementation Taskforce.

Page received a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration from UTK and a Master’s in Public Policy from George Washington University.

From Johnson City:

The next edition of “Founders After 5” from the FoundersForge organization will be from 5:30 to 7 p.m. EDT May 9 at Watauga Brewing Company, 142 West Market Street. It is an opportunity for start-up founders, entrepreneurs, creatives, and professionals to connect, share ideas and form valuable relationships in a relaxed and welcoming environment.

From Cleveland:

The Smart Factory Institute, operated by Peak Performance, will hold the “Critical Networks in Manufacturing Forum” from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. EDT on May 2 at the PIE Innovation Center in Cleveland. Panelists Andy Davies, Senior Vice President of Information Technology for Mueller Water Products, and Bill Pickel, Senior Security Engineer at Kenco, will speak about their experiences addressing cybersecurity risks and breaches within their companies. Danna Bailey, Chief Communications Officer for Qubitekk, will talk about quantum technology and its uses in manufacturing in a presentation geared to non-scientists.

Tickets are $35 per person for in-person which includes lunch and $25 for virtual only. To register, click here.

From Nashville:

• The Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC), an initiative of Launch Tennessee, and Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV) have been accepted into the prestigious Partnership for Inclusive Innovation Leadership Program. Chuck Layne, Technology Advancement Manager at Launch Tennessee, is the program lead for the Volunteer State, supported by Allyn Abadie, the organization’s Technology Advancement Coordinator, and Robert Turner, Director of Technology Transfer and Innovation at Tennessee State University. KCV, an initiative of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation, spearheaded a groundbreaking initiative to establish a statewide technology transfer office model that prioritizes diversity and inclusion. Since its launch in 2020, KCV has facilitated 18 commercialization transactions between innovators and partner institutions, resulting in more than $400,000 in commercialization revenue. Inspired by KCV’s success, Launch Tennessee is replicating this approach through TTAC. The partnership between KCV and TTAC aims to adopt and scale the KCV model, offering enhanced commercialization support and fostering collaboration between Kentucky and Tennessee universities.
• American software company Oracle Corp. will be building its world headquarters in Nashville. During a “fireside chat” with former U.S. Senator Bill Frist at the Oracle Health Summit last week, Oracle Co-Founder Larry Ellison said that the move to Nashville was fueled by the city’s healthcare industry as well as employee interest. According to an article in The Tennessean, Ellison said Nashville’s prominent healthcare industry is a major draw for the company because of its increasing emphasis on healthcare software products.

From Sparta:

TERREPOWER, the solar system and EV battery lifecycle management division of BBB Industries (BBB), has announced the launch of its solar panel recycling line at its facility in Sparta. The new solar panel recycling line further establishes the TERREPOWER commitment to sustainable manufacturing and renewable energy.

The company offers complete separation of solar panel materials such as aluminum, glass, precious metals, silicon, plastic, and components. This advanced technology allows for more efficient offloading of materials for reuse. This is a significant departure from traditional recycling methods.

 

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