Vanderbilt University and its Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization hosted the inaugural Southeast Venture Showcase April 21–23 at the W Nashville hotel. This exclusive event was a first-of-its kind collaboration among top research universities and federal laboratories across the Southeast to highlight their most promising new technology-based ventures. Through startup company presentations, investor panels and networking opportunities, SVS connected early-stage startup companies with national venture investors, creating new funding opportunities and helping accelerate the path from research to real-world impact.
“With assets like Vanderbilt University, the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory in our backyard, Tennessee is primed to become an epicenter for innovation, R&D and technology,” Tennessee Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter said during a luncheon keynote address. “We are making strategic and historic investments in this sector now to better connect the state’s talented and robust entrepreneurial and startup ecosystem with our industry partners to ensure that Tennessee is the place where companies design, engineer and innovate in the future.”
In preparing for the Southeast Venture Showcase, the Vanderbilt CTTC led a consortium of 21 participating institutions across Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, North Carolina and Kentucky to plan and organize this uniquely southeastern showcase. By facilitating the launch of startup companies in their local ecosystems based on the cutting-edge innovations from their research laboratories, these universities play a critical role in local economic development while accelerating the delivery of life-changing ideas to communities in need.
“The southeastern United States is a rising star in the worldwide innovation community, and it was a privilege to host this amazing group of innovators and entrepreneurs in Nashville,” said Stephen Miller, executive director for new venture development at Vanderbilt University. “Startups seeking over $170 million in investment were introduced to investors with over $40.6 billion in capital under management over three days. This is the way to catalyze innovation: with bold new initiatives that accelerate the commercialization of great technologies by connecting them to investors with the vision and foresight to make it happen.”
Participating Startups
SVS showcased 45 venture-ready startup companies selected from the 21 participating universities and national labs throughout the Southeast. These startups were chosen through a competitive selection process led by more than 75 serial entrepreneurs, investors and technology experts. The new ventures spanned diverse technology sectors, including advanced materials, AI, diagnostics, medical devices, mobility, robotics, software, sustainability/clean tech and therapeutics.
“Investing in the innovative capacity of universities and the startups they produce is a smart bet,” Vanderbilt Chancellor Daniel Diermeier said. “It’s an investment that has delivered massive returns in health, security and quality of life for Americans over the last 80 years. It’s an investment that pays off for the economies of universities’ home cities. And it’s a wise investment for those who want to be part of, and benefit from, the next defining wave of innovation.”
The first round of presentations featured participants from the Mid-South I-Corps Hub, a regional coalition of nine universities that promotes innovation for all and transforms Midsouth metro areas into commercialization hubs for STEM-related technologies. The Showcase gave I-Corps program participants an opportunity to exhibit venture technologies developed across the Midsouth region.
Turning Research Into Impact
“Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes a thriving ecosystem of thinkers, doers, risk-takers and supporters,” Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs C. Cybele Raver said. “And that’s exactly what this showcase is about: building stronger connections between world-class researchers, emerging startups and the investors who can help take those ventures to the next level.” Regional leaders in innovation from venture capital firms, universities and partners like Oak Ridge National Lab discussed how these groups work together to prepare disruptive technologies for venture capital investment.
“Universities and research institutions provide critical support for their startup companies to optimize their chances for growth and sustainability,” said Alan Bentley, assistant vice chancellor for technology transfer. “And yet there are still friction points when working with investors to capitalize our startups, and dialog like what we experienced at SVS goes a long way to mitigating such points of friction.” That critical support is integral for the larger region’s success.
“The opportunity for innovation at the intersection of the university, founder and funder communities in the Southeast remains super high,” said Joe Mancini, co-founder and general partner of Front Porch Venture Partners. “These few days were a motivating reminder of what can happen when a group of people step up to pull us together.”
