School:Tennessee Technological University

Student Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Tennessee Tech is filled with students who are interested in making the world a better place. On campus there are many resources implementing entrepreneurship as the means to solve these problems.

It beings with having a place for like-minded students to meet and talk. With two dormitories that are only for Business and Engineering majors an innovative environment naturally emerges. This innovative spirit is then strengthened by the curriculum that involves classes with real world examples. Classes that show students how to not only work with theoretical models of their designs, but also the economic and marketing side of their work. These are upper level classes such as CHE 4410 Process Design and 4930 Business Strategy

Interest is further driven by events like Tedx Nashville and E-Week. Tedx Nashville is a yearly event that recently has been supported by the dean’s office, encouraging students to attend the event by paying for their tickets. E-week is a common event across many universities where the various engineering majors are brought together and pitted against each other in competitions.

Even if you are not a Business or Engineering major there is still plenty to take part of such as the  recent  Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum where speakers from the NSF will give talks to faculty and students regarding I&E.

Faculty Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The faculty at TN Tech is extremely involved with innovation. Many professors are currently doing research on something they plan to turn into a product. And many others have already started companies through their research.

Along with this environment of start-ups there is a movement going on that is pushing innovation directly. With the help of NCIIA faculty members attended a workshop in the month of February 2014. They received similar training that University Fellows are receiving but on a higher level.

This same group of faculty is also pushing to create a new major on campus. Something that would combine aspects of business and engineering curriculum to create a are of study for students that are interested in entrepreneurship.

University Technology Transfer Function

The Biz Foundry is a local business accelerator in Upper Cumberland Tennessee, partnered with Launch Tennessee. They are focused on building a startup community that nurtures local talent, innovation, and entrepreneurs in order to create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem. The accelerator program pairs startups with mentors and investors in order to help with the business model.

The Biz Foundry is found right off campus. It’s a place for students and faculty to go for any questions related to start-up ventures.

TN Tech also has a Small Business Development Center for students to go and build up on their innovative ideas. It works as a sort of pre meeting area before you go and seek more help.

University-Industry Collaboration

At TN Tech the same faculty that have attended NCIIA workshops are now pushing the development of a Innovation and Discovery Center. This will be a space for students from every major to come and work. It will serve as a meeting ground and possibly center for entrepreneurship related clubs and industry leaders interested in the research being held on campus

Also with the aid of grants such as NSFs I-core the amount of research on campus is expected to grow over the next few years. More and more faculty are partnering with industry to turn their research into a marketable product.

Thanks to these grants, the Innovation and Discovery Center, and help from places like the Biz Foundry local Businesses from near-by cities of Nashville and Knoxville now have a place to go to discuss the research happening at TN Tech

Regional and Local Economic Development Efforts

TN Tech is located in a very small town called Cookeville. The campus itself is one of the biggest aspects of the town and one of the biggest economic factors. Besides the fact that huge amounts of money come from students that buy things from the local businesses, there is also a lot of community service that takes place. 

Events like Relay for Life bring in tens of thousands of dollars for cancer research every spring. Campus wide clean ups keep the university clean and roadside clean ups mostly from Greek life organizations keep the city clean. 

Due to Cookeville being in the center of 3 major cities (Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga) It is often a meeting ground for innovation. Much work is done between these 4 cities in terms of bringing in Businesses from across to the country to Tennessee.

Landscape Canvas

Please follow this link to view Tennessee Technological University's Landscape Canvas.

Related Links

Enis Cirak

Tenessee Technological University Student Priorities

http://www.tntech.edu/

http://thebizfoundry.org/