News & Notes | UT at Chattanooga hosting its “Spring Research and Arts Conference” this week
HeroWear, a start-up specializing in occupational exosuit solutions, announced a $5 million Series A funding round.
From Chattanooga:
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s (UTC) annual “Spring Research and Arts Conference” returns on Wednesday, bringing together students, faculty, and community members to highlight research, innovation, and creativity across a variety of disciplines.
For the first time, the event will be held at McKenzie Arena and the Wolford Family Athletic Center, a move that reflects the conference’s continuing growth and impact. Attendees can expect a packed schedule—with four research presentation sessions running from 9 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. EDT.
Presented by UTC’s College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) and the Office for Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavor (URaCE), the conference features more than 650 presenters and 320 unique research projects.
“This is our campuswide spring event to really showcase research and creative works on campus,” said Dr. Lisa Piazza, Executive Director of URaCE. “It’s the one time a year when everyone involved in research at UTC comes together in a single space to share their work. It’s also a way for the broader community—local high school students, industry leaders, and researchers from other institutions—to engage with the incredible things happening here.”
Among the highlights is the “MOCS Innovate! UTC Innovators Showcase,” where faculty and researchers from across campus will demonstrate projects that could lead to commercialization and real-world applications.
From Nashville:
HeroWear, a start-up specializing in occupational exosuit solutions, announced a $5 million Series A funding round led by venture capital investor White Road Investments, partnering with Engage to accelerate the company’s work with top enterprises. HeroWear plans to utilize the funds to advance product development and expand its team to continue to deliver high-quality client service and onsite training for the growing install base of its Apex 2 exosuit.
Founded in 2019, HeroWear has experienced rapid growth, with the company’s revenue doubling each year while also being recognized on Inc. Magazine’s 2024 Best in Business list for innovation and technology. Overexertion can cost workers their health and cost companies billions of dollars each year. The exosuit manufacturer aims to improve the quality of life of workers around the world, helping to reduce fatigue and discomfort through the deployment of occupational exosuits across industries, including logistics, manufacturing, warehousing, food & beverage, retail, and more. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently called for OSHA to address overexertion concerns and improve standards around ergonomics to prevent lifelong musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
HeroWear’s Apex 2 exosuit is one of the most scientifically and academically validated on the market. Elastic bands in the exosuit serve as an extra set of back muscles to assist workers who lift and bend repetitively, reducing strain by 20-40 percent. A recent study of exosuit users through more than 281,000 hours of work shows the exosuit reduced back injuries to zero. Another study uncovered an 8% improvement in worker productivity while workers reported a 30 percent decrease in work-related discomfort and a 40 percent reduction in fatigue.
Another from Nashville:
Deacon Health Inc., a specialty care management provider, has announced the public launch of its specialty care management platform supportive to polychronic patients. Deacon Health is powered by a technology that it acquired through an asset purchase that drives a more than 13.5 percent in Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) reduction.
The company is also announcing a seed funding round with $7 million in closed and committed capital from Herb Fritch, Founder and former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of HealthSpring; Larry Cash, former President and Chief Financial Officer of Community Health Systems; and David Vandewater, Founder and former CEO of Ardent Health Services; among other parties.
“My commitment to quality healthcare started almost 30 years ago when my mom died suddenly after not receiving the necessary quality care. This made it clear to me just how disjointed our healthcare system was. Significant progress has been made toward a connected healthcare system, but there are still plenty of opportunities for advancement in a way that improves outcomes while reducing costs,” said Kyle Cooksey, President and CEO at Deacon Health. “I’m proud to take the helm at Deacon Health to help providers better coordinate and control cost.”
Deacon Health partners with hospitals, accountable care organizations (ACOs), management services organizations (MSO), and payers to help their specialty surgeons better navigate care before and after surgery. Deacon Health also provides coordination of care focused on a conservative approach that seeks non-surgical care pathways when medically appropriate. Using evidence-based care plans and high-touch physician coordination, Deacon Health prioritizes a patient-centered model to ensure the patient has the best possible journey. Deacon Health connects patients with the right care and the right provider at the right time on that journey, ensuring positive patient outcomes while reducing unnecessary visits and costs.
From Memphis:
Applications close the day most people pay their taxes for Epicenter’s Customer Readiness Accelerator, a nine-week, cohort-based program designed to elevate the sales game of participants. Over eight weeks of hands-on instruction and a graduation celebration in week 9, those who are accepted into the program will master a seven-step sales process, sharpen their communication skills, learn how to handle objections like a pro, and develop strategies to close deals and build strong client relationships.
The program is divided into two parts:
- Weeks 1 through 4 focus on learning how to design strategic, high-level pilot programs that align with corporate needs — complete with proposals, timelines, and scalable frameworks.
- Weeks 5 through 8 include a deep dive into sales strategy, persuasive communication, and relationship building to confidently secure long-term partnerships.
To apply, click here.
From Asheville, NC, but with Tennessee Ties:
The Land of Sky Regional Council in Asheville will use a $342,000 grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) for the Southern Appalachian Forest Products Marketing and Supply Chain Analysis project. The funding came from ARC’s Appalachian Regional Initiative for Stronger Economies (ARISE).
According to the announcement, the award will be used to develop a strategic growth plan for Appalachia’s forest sector industry. Impacting 63 counties across North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, this project will form a multi-state task force to assess the current state of forest sector markets, explore future economic opportunities in Southern Appalachia, and strategize ways to attract private investment to expand the sector.
Land of Sky and partners bring a combined $258,000 in matching funds to this project. Over a one-year performance period, the project will develop one actionable implementation plan for sustainable economic growth.
Tennessee collaborators include East Tennessee State University, Tennessee Department of Agriculture, and the University of Tennessee.
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