Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

From Vanderbilt University:

James Kellerhouse is the Division of Administration’s new Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives and Executive Director of Operations and Engagement for Vanderbilt University–New York City. The appointment marks a significant step in Vanderbilt’s efforts to expand its presence in one of the metropolitan and business capitals of the world.

Kellerhouse, a veteran administrator with extensive experience in higher education, will oversee the day-to-day operations of Vanderbilt’s New York City campus, while simultaneously leading strategic initiatives to enhance the university’s impact in the city.

“James Kellerhouse’s leadership and experience in strategic growth and partnership building make him an excellent fit for Vanderbilt’s expanding presence in New York City,” Vice Chancellor for Administration Darren Reisberg said. “His work will be key in strengthening our operations and deepening our impact in one of the world’s most dynamic cities.”

Kellerhouse comes to Vanderbilt with more than 25 years of building strategic relationships with prospective donors, corporations, foundations, elected officials, and government agencies to advance institutional priorities in education and health care. Before joining Vanderbilt, he served as the Vice President for Institutional Advancement and External Affairs at Hartwick College, helping to raise more than $7 million per year in private philanthropy and government grants and publicly launching a $50 million campaign for the school. Additionally, he led the career development and network engagement team overseeing the integration of career readiness, alumni and industry engagement, and professional networking into the student experience.

From Duke University:

More than 60 start-ups have been backed by Duke Capital Partners (DCP), Duke University’s official early stage venture investment arm, in the past decade.

This year, Duke Capital Partners celebrates its 10th anniversary. Since 2015, the team has connected Duke investors with opportunities to support Duke-affiliated start-ups. And it has delivered: DCP has built a $105 million investment portfolio, backing more than 60 companies collectively valued at more than $10 billion.

Ten years ago, though, DCP was just a dream.

“We started out as just five or six people huddled in a small conference room in the Duke Law School,” said Trevor Kiviat, who was a law student at the time. His professor, Kip Frey, had the feeling that if they built something like DCP, the opportunities would come.

In recent years, more than a thousand start-ups annually reach out to DCP seeking funding. Abou 200 are evaluated more deeply, and a dozen or two are put through deep pressure testing and brought to the investor members. Each DCP member chooses whether to participate and at what amount, and then DCP coordinates the transactions.

From the University of Chicago:

The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is set to significantly expand its support and offerings for students interested in energy transition innovation, thanks to a generous $12.5 million gift from Michael and Tanya Polsky through the Polsky Foundation. The gift is part of a larger $25 million donation to the University of Chicago, which established the Polsky Energy Transition Leadership Academy.

“As an energy entrepreneur who has designed and built power plants and associated electricity infrastructure that power millions of homes and businesses, I’ve seen firsthand the practical challenges that stand in the way of building energy infrastructure and the solutions that can help America reclaim leadership in energy innovation, manufacturing, and deployment,” said Michael Polsky. “Our gift to the University of Chicago supports the next generation of leaders that will build the efficient, cleaner, low-cost, scalable energy infrastructure needed to support America’s technological and energy leadership.”

Given over a 10-year period, the funds will support critical entrepreneurship and innovation programs at the Polsky Center through prizes and start-up funding, as well as co-curricular educational offerings and career support for students. Beyond the Polsky Center, the money will also provide scholarship support, faculty engagement, and curriculum development.

With the first pledge received last month, the Polsky Center is positioned to immediately start making an impact by supporting students, faculty, and entrepreneurs working to help accelerate the transition to a clean, abundant, affordable, and reliable energy future.

From the Indiana Institute of Technology:

The institution, usually referred to as Indiana Tech, has completed its purchase of Building 36 on the Electric Works campus in Fort Wayne, a key step in establishing a home for Junction 36, the university’s new advanced manufacturing innovation center initiative. Indiana Tech first announced the Junction 36 initiative in August 2024 when it received a five-year, $21 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. in support of the project. Funds from the Lilly Endowment grant helped underwrite the $1.5 million purchase cost of the building.

Junction 36 is comprised of three central components:

1. Transformation of Building 36 on the Electric Works campus into a center for HardTech and advanced manufacturing innovation that will help grow local companies by connecting them to university-led research, development, and training. It will provide training related to Industry 4.0, business assistance for small-to-large organizations, spaces for business innovation teams and start-ups, and a variety of event spaces to host community gatherings as part of the innovation ecosystem at Electric Works and throughout Northeast Indiana.
2. The Talent Connection, a program that will provide unique learning experiences that connect talent to the community in ways that create strong bonds and lead to enhanced talent attraction and retention. The program includes significantly expanded student service learning for Indiana Tech and other regional students, a new Fellows program focused on keeping top talent in the region, and assigning Indiana Tech students as project partners and mentors for Amp Lab high school students.
3. Public Workshop, a program to help diverse learners and entrepreneurs access support and overcome systemic barriers to advancing their education. It will work to bring the benefits of the Indiana Tech initiative to wider regional audiences, helping more area residents and entrepreneurs reach their full potential by connecting them to a diverse set of resources. Working with partners around the region, Public Workshop will connect learners and entrepreneurs with wrap-around services such as early childhood education, affordable housing, training pathway guidance, and resources for personal health.

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