It’s likely your feeds have been filled with small businesses, entrepreneurs, and startups facing the dismaying effects of COVID-19. In February 2020, LaunchTN partnered with ItsBundled, a Tennessee-based startup founded by Courtney Jones, to expand the Bundled Initiative that connects startups to immediate resources that can help them accomplish their next milestone. The Appalachian Regional Commission funded the…

NASHVILLE – Aug. 5, 2020 –  Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN), a public-private partnership guided by a vision of making Tennessee the most startup-friendly state in the nation, today announced that country superstar Garth Brooks will speak at the 36|86 Festival, its entrepreneur-focused event taking place digitally Aug. 17-28. Brooks will take part in 36|86’s “36 Questions,” a series in which…

Rooted in Tennessee while highlighting global solutions, 36|86 celebrates community, culture and connection, bringing together the brightest minds across industries NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN), a public-private partnership guided by a vision of making Tennessee the most startup-friendly state in the nation, today announced that 36|86 Festival, its yearly event empowering entrepreneurship, is going global. The fully…

Having helped empower a network of resources for Tennessee’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, Dolan’s tenure as CEO will end as COO Van Tucker assumes responsibilities NASHVILLE – June 15, 2020 – Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN), a public-private partnership guided by a vision of making Tennessee the most startup-friendly state in the nation, today announced that Margaret Dolan will step down from…

State initiatives take Tennessee to №8 nationwide for the National Institutes of Health SBIR/STTR application success rate. Why is our state performing so well? For PreTel Health, the fourth time was a charm. After submitting three applications to the National Institutes of Health for Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer awards, the company sought…

Tennessee Innovation Crowdsource Platform provides fast-track vetting for solutions and resources to solve COVID-19 challenges. NASHVILLE — Launch Tennessee, a public-private partnership that empowers a statewide network of resources supporting Tennessee’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, today announced the Tennessee Innovation Crowdsource Platform, a call for resources and solutions from businesses, including entrepreneurs and startups. Using Knoxville-based startup Vendor Registry, LaunchTN…

Sharing the Tennessee entrepreneurial story with policymakers statewide LaunchTN’s annual Week on the Hill, co-hosted by our network partners from across Tennessee, provided entrepreneurs and innovators face-to-face time with legislators. The 2020 Legislative Reception took place during the last week of February, at the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum in downtown Nashville. It marked the beginning…

Get to know the startups and entrepreneurs changing the Tennessee landscape — designing innovative solutions, creating jobs, and building communities. This week, meet GoCheck Kids, an app that detects risks of vision impairments. Give us your elevator pitch. GoCheck Kids is a pediatric iPhone-based app that detects risks of vision impairments, the №1 disabling condition in…

As we prepare for next week’s kickoff of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Week on the Hill, we revisit our Startup Policy Workshops series. Our Cookeville session explored guidance for relationship-building with policymakers, the intersection of “town and gown,” and how favorable policy impacts universities. Our Legislative Reception to kick off Week on the Hill takes place Feb….