What Launch Tennessee does

Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN), legally the Tennessee Technology Development Corporation, is a statutorily-created 501(c)(3) public-private partnership founded in 1998 by the Tennessee General Assembly and re-imagined under the LaunchTN brand in 2012. Headquartered in Nashville with approximately 20 employees and a 22-person board, the organization operates an integrated programmatic platform organized around three pillars ("3 C's"): Capital, Commercialization, and Connections. It serves Tennessee-based early-stage startups, university researchers, investors, and regional ecosystem partners across all 95 Tennessee counties.

The Capital pillar is anchored by the $70M InvestTN equity fund (operated under U.S. Treasury SSBCI 2.0) with three sub-funds (Regional Seed $28M, Growth $36M, Multi $6M for LP commitments), plus the historical INCITE Fund ($28.8M SSBCI 1.0, fully deployed for $1.25B impact) and a seed-stage evergreen Impact Fund. The Commercialization pillar combines SBIR/STTR support and a matching fund (up to 50% / $100K Phase I / $300K Phase II), the Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC) network of universities with multiple grant programs (Proof of Concept $1.5K-$15K, Technology Maturation up to $100K, Partnership up to $50K, Innovation Fellowship, Travel Grants), the Tennessee Intellectual Property Alliance (TNIPA), and the newly launched Tennessee Innovation Exchange (TNIX) digital platform. The Connections pillar comprises the 3686 annual entrepreneurship conference (now in its 13th year), Tennessee House at SXSW, 9 regional entrepreneur centers, 5 statewide industry partners, Startup Tennessee resource hub, a curated job board, a Summer Intern Program (up to $8,160 stipend), and the LaunchTN Fellows Program.

Revenue is non-commercial and derived from a grant contract with the State of Tennessee, federal pass-throughs (U.S. Treasury SSBCI, SBA FAST, EDA), foundation grants (Kauffman, Nasdaq, ARC), corporate Supporting Partners (Pinnacle Financial Partners, Cherry Bekaert, Nelson Mullins, Interlaced, ORNL, Vanderbilt, JPMorganChase, Acklen Avenue), Catalyst Circle individual giving, 3686 conference sponsorships, and reinvested returns from the Impact Fund. Capital deployment totals referenced include $27.8M InvestTN equity invested and $9M awarded to 40 Tennessee companies in FY25, plus $1B+ in cumulative economic impact attributed to the FY26 SBIR/STTR Matching Fund.

Name

Launch Tennessee

Legal name

Tennessee Technology Development Corporation

Website

https://launchtn.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Launch Tennessee is a statutorily-created 501(c)(3) public-private partnership providing capital, commercialization support, and connections to Tennessee-based startups, university researchers, and ecosystem partners across all 95 counties through InvestTN, TTAC, TNIX, and the 3686 conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entrepreneurship and Startup Ecosystem Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Early-Stage Venture Capital (Pre-Seed/Seed) (FSANAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK)

Keywords

• Startup ecosystem development
• Venture capital funding
• Technology commercialization
• Entrepreneurship support services
• Federal grant administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. State of Tennessee grant funding: Core operating funding: "LaunchTN initiatives to promote entrepreneurship, technology advancement, capital formation and workforce development are funded through a grant contract with the State of Tennessee." This funds operations, programming, and the TTAC network.
2. U.S. Treasury SSBCI 2.0 federal funding (InvestTN): $70M in federal funding allocated to Tennessee as part of the U.S. Department of the Treasury's State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI 2.0). InvestTN operates three sub-funds (Regional Seed $28M, Growth $36M, Multi $6M) deploying equity investments into Tennessee startups and venture funds. As of FY26, ~$30M deployed across 70+ portfolio companies and 2 LP commitments.
3. Investment returns (Impact Fund): Returns from LaunchTN's seed-stage evergreen Impact Fund (reinvesting proceeds from the original INCITE/SSBCI 1.0 fund) generate ongoing capital that is redeployed into new companies.
4. Donations and supporting partnerships: Revenue from individual donations, Catalyst Circle membership (annual giving program across Spark Society, Friends, Supporters, and Stewards levels), 3686 conference sponsorships, and Supporting Partner contributions from corporate partners (Pinnacle Financial Partners, Cherry Bekaert, Nelson Mullins, Interlaced, ORNL, University of Tennessee, Vanderbilt University, JPMorganChase, Acklen Avenue).
5. SBA Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program funding: Funding from the Small Business Administration's FAST Partnership Program supports LaunchTN's SBIR/STTR support operations, including microgrants and proposal assistance.
6. Re-grant program funding: LaunchTN issues grants to Tennessee-based organizations for sector-specific initiatives (e.g., $1.2M grant to CO.LAB for the Quantum Activation Series), acting as a pass-through for state and federal program dollars.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels14 records

Core offering

Launch Tennessee is a 501(c)(3) public-private partnership that operates an integrated ecosystem of programs delivering Capital (via the $70M InvestTN equity fund, the historical INCITE/Impact Funds, and SBIR/STTR matching grants), Commercialization (via the Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium, SBIR/STTR support, and the Tennessee Innovation Exchange platform), and Connections (via the 3686 annual conference, Summer Intern Program, regional entrepreneur centers, and industry partner network) to Tennessee-based startups and university researchers.

Product overview

Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN) is a 501(c)(3) public-private partnership and statutorily-created nonprofit that does not sell a single software product but operates an integrated ecosystem of capital, commercialization, and connections programs. Its portfolio spans three core "C" pillars: Capital (InvestTN, a $70M equity fund that itself contains a $28M Regional Seed Fund, a $36M Growth Fund, and a $6M Multi Fund for LP commitments; the historical INCITE Fund and Impact Fund; and the Southeast Capital Call quarterly investor series); Commercialization (the SBIR/STTR Support and Matching Fund programs, the Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC) with its Innovation Fellowship, Travel Grant Program, Proof of Concept Program, Technology Maturation Grant, and Partnership Program, the Tennessee Intellectual Property Alliance (TNIPA), and the Tennessee Innovation Exchange (TNIX)); and Connections (the 3686 entrepreneurship conference, Tennessee House at SXSW, the Regional Entrepreneur Center network of 9 partners, Industry Partners across 5 verticals, Startup Tennessee resource hub, Job Board, Summer Intern Program, and LaunchTN Fellows Program). Together these offerings form a unified platform-plus-modules architecture in which InvestTN is the capital engine, TTAC/TNIX/TNIPA are the commercialization modules, and 3686/Tennessee House/Regional Centers/Industry Partners are the connections layer.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• InvestTN: Equity investment program for Tennessee-located startups and venture capital funds, deployed as part of the U.S. Treasury's SSBCI 2.0 program.
• Southeast Capital Call
• Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC)
• Tennessee Innovation Exchange (TNIX)
• Tennessee Intellectual Property Alliance (TNIPA)
• 3686
• Startup Tennessee
• Tennessee House (TNHouse)

Products and services

• InvestTN Fund A $70-million equity investment program operated under the U.S. Treasury's SSBCI 2.0 program that makes direct equity investments in Tennessee-located startups at Pre-Seed through Series B and LP commitments into Tennessee-focused venture capital funds. Composed of a Regional Seed Fund ($28M, $25K-$250K), Growth Fund ($36M, $250K-$3M), and Multi Fund ($6M, $1M-$3M LP).
• SBIR/STTR Matching Fund Matching fund administered by Launch Tennessee through the State of Tennessee that matches successful Tennessee SBIR/STTR and other federal commercialization program applications. Matches up to 50% of total federal award (Phase I up to $100K, Phase II up to $300K), awarded in two tranches.
• SBIR/STTR Support Program Application support for the federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, including up to $2,500 microgrant funding to work with an SBIR/STTR consultant and monthly workshops. 40% of micrograntee award success rate vs. 15% national average.
• Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC) Statewide technology transfer and commercialization support network empowering faculty and student innovators at Tennessee higher education institutions across three building blocks: Ideation, Development, and Commercialization. Operated in collaboration with TTAC member universities (Vanderbilt, University of Tennessee, University of Memphis, Tennessee Tech, Tennessee State, and others).
• Tennessee Innovation Exchange (TNIX) Statewide platform that connects industry partners with research expertise across Tennessee's leading institutions, including searchable researcher profiles, available IP, and active collaboration opportunities.
• 3686 Conference Tennessee's premier annual entrepreneurship conference named for Nashville's geographic coordinates (36° N × 86° W). Brings together startup founders, investors, corporate leaders, and ecosystem partners; features pitch competition with $10,000 prize, Startup Showcase, and Brella-powered 1-on-1 networking.
• Summer Intern Program Paid 12-14 week internship program placing college students and recent graduates at Tennessee startups, entrepreneur support organizations, and VC firms; interns receive up to $8,160 stipend, with LaunchTN supplementing up to 50% of the host company's stipend cost.
• Southeast Capital Call
• Tennessee Intellectual Property Alliance (TNIPA)
• Startup Tennessee Resource Hub

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% of LaunchTN microgrant recipients go on to receive federal SBIR/STTR awards (vs. 15% national average)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers45 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability1 record

Feature6 records

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship - governance-level, core, core - innovator tier supporter, core - content/marketing partner, flagship - research partner, flagship - academic partner, core - advocate tier supporter, flagship - regional entrepreneur center, flagship - regional entrepreneur center / grantee, flagship - statewide industry partner, core - quantum commercialization sponsor, core - quantum infrastructure partner, core - ttac academic partner, flagship - mitto peer and minor - mitto evaluation partner.

• Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD)flagship - governance-levelStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatutorily-created public-private partnership. TNECD joined the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Technology Development Corporation in 2012 to reimagine the organization as LaunchTN. Commissioner Stuart McWhorter sits on the LaunchTN board. LaunchTN is funded through a grant contract with the State of Tennessee, and InvestTN capital is provided through TNECD under the U.S. Treasury's SSBCI 2.0 program.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunchTN is funded in part through the SBA's Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program to offer SBIR/STTR proposal support, microgrant funding (up to $2,500), and proposal assistance to Tennessee small businesses. LaunchTN and SBA hosted a road tour stop connecting Tennessee entrepreneurs with federal funding.
• Nelson Mullinscore - innovator tier supporterStrategic or Co-development Partner2026 Innovator-tier Supporting Partner of Launch Tennessee. Law firm providing legal and strategic counsel supporting the Tennessee innovation ecosystem.
• Interlacedcore - content/marketing partnerGTM or Marketing Partner2026 Innovator-tier Supporting Partner that powers "The Tech Check" content series on LaunchTN (covering IT/AI best practices for startups). Interlaced helps startups build practical AI policies and close IT gaps through Tech Strategy Sessions.
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)flagship - research partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner2026 Innovator-tier Supporting Partner of Launch Tennessee. Dr. Susan Hubbard (Deputy Laboratory Director for Science & Technology at ORNL) sits on the LaunchTN Board of Directors. Likely TTAC-affiliated research partner.
• The University of Tennessee (UT System)flagship - academic partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner2026 Advocate-tier Supporting Partner of Launch Tennessee and likely TTAC member institution connecting faculty/student innovators with commercialization resources via the TTAC statewide network.
• Vanderbilt Universityflagship - academic partnerStrategic or Co-development Partner2026 Advocate-tier Supporting Partner of Launch Tennessee. Alan Bentley, Assistant Vice Chancellor of the Center for Technology Transfer & Commercialization at Vanderbilt University, sits on the LaunchTN Board of Directors. Vanderbilt is a TTAC-affiliated research institution.
• Acklen Avenuecore - advocate tier supporterStrategic or Co-development Partner2026 Advocate-tier Supporting Partner of Launch Tennessee. Technology/software development partner supporting the Tennessee startup ecosystem.
• Epicenter (Memphis)flagship - regional entrepreneur centerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLaunchTN actively partners with and provides funding to Epicenter, which leads the Memphis region's entrepreneurship movement by supporting tech startups, creative and community-based businesses, and student entrepreneurs across multiple industries and growth stages.
• theCO (West Tennessee)flagship - regional entrepreneur centerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLaunchTN actively partners with and provides funding to theCO, which supports West Tennessee as a resource, collaborative community, and support system for everyone from serial entrepreneurs to founders taking the first plunge into business ownership, problem-solving, and innovation.
• Nashville Entrepreneur Center (NEC)flagship - regional entrepreneur centerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLaunchTN actively partners with and provides funding to NEC, which supports Nashville's entrepreneurial and small business communities and represents a partnership of local and state government support, private interests, and the region's business community.
• The Biz Foundry (Upper Cumberland)flagship - regional entrepreneur centerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLaunchTN actively partners with and provides funding to The Biz Foundry, which helps businesses start and thrive in the Upper Cumberland, fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and collaboration through business resources, community programs, and one-on-one work.
• CO.LAB (The Company Lab, Chattanooga)flagship - regional entrepreneur center / granteeChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLaunchTN actively partners with and provides funding to CO.LAB, which accelerates early-stage startups in the greater Chattanooga region with a focus on sustainable mobility (electric and autonomous infrastructure, freight logistics) and quantum technology. CO.LAB received a $1.2M grant from LaunchTN to launch the Quantum Activation Series (per 2026 coverage).
• Knoxville Entrepreneur Center (KnoxEC)flagship - regional entrepreneur centerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLaunchTN actively partners with and provides funding to the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, which serves as a business accelerator and bridge for entrepreneurs in East Tennessee through mentorship opportunities, classes, events, and cohorts.
• Sync Space (Northeast Tennessee)flagship - regional entrepreneur centerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLaunchTN actively partners with and provides funding to Sync Space, the regional entrepreneurial hub in Northeast Tennessee. Sync Space provides early-stage startups and growing businesses connectivity to regional partners for mentorship and pilot program opportunities.
• The Mill (Northwest Tennessee, Dyersburg)flagship - regional entrepreneur centerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLaunchTN actively partners with and provides funding to The Mill in Dyersburg, which supports the Northwest region by helping businesses start and grow through business support, mentorship, and other resources.
• NOVA Entrepreneur Center (Southern Middle Tennessee, Pulaski)flagship - regional entrepreneur centerChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLaunchTN actively partners with and provides funding to the NOVA Entrepreneurship Center, which drives rural economic growth in Southern Middle Tennessee through LaunchTN's pillars of Connection, Commercialization, and Capital. NOVA supports startups across 13 Southern Middle Tennessee counties.
• AgLaunchflagship - statewide industry partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunchTN statewide industry partner focused on agriculture. AgLaunch provides free statewide mentoring programs connecting Tennessee agriculture startups with industry experts. Also received a U.S. Department of Commerce grant per 2022 AP News coverage.
• Life Science Tennessee Foundationflagship - statewide industry partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunchTN statewide industry partner focused on life sciences. Provides free statewide mentoring programs connecting Tennessee life sciences startups with industry experts.
• Project FinTechflagship - statewide industry partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunchTN statewide industry partner focused on fintech. Provides free statewide mentoring programs connecting Tennessee fintech startups with industry experts.
• TAEBC (Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council)flagship - statewide industry partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunchTN statewide industry partner focused on energy. Provides free statewide mentoring programs connecting Tennessee advanced energy startups with industry experts.
• SPARK Mobility Labflagship - statewide industry partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunchTN statewide industry partner focused on mobility. Provides free statewide mentoring programs connecting Tennessee mobility startups with industry experts.
• IonQcore - quantum commercialization sponsorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommercial quantum platform company sponsoring CO.LAB's Quantum Activation Series (funded by a $1.2M LaunchTN grant to CO.LAB). Contributing quantum computing and networking technology deployed through projects like EPB's Quantum Network in Chattanooga.
• EPB (Chattanooga)core - quantum infrastructure partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerChattanooga-based electric utility whose Quantum Network hosts IonQ quantum computing/networking technology deployed as part of the Quantum Activation Series sponsored through LaunchTN's $1.2M grant to CO.LAB. Evann Freeman (VP, Government & Community Relations at EPB) sits on the LaunchTN Board of Directors.
• University of Memphiscore - ttac academic partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerPer 2022 AP News, the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded grants to the University of Memphis alongside Launch Tennessee. Per LaunchTN news, TTAC partnered with University of Memphis to boost entrepreneurial activity in West Tennessee. Likely TTAC member institution.
• Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV)flagship - mitto peerStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaunchTN is one of three active Multi-Institution Technology Transfer Office (MITTO) sites being evaluated together: Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV), Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC), and WiSys. KC BioHub (Kansas City) and the Partnership for Innovation (Georgia) participate as evaluation partners.
• WiSysflagship - mitto peerStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three active Multi-Institution Technology Transfer Office (MITTO) sites being jointly evaluated: Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV), Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC, hosted by LaunchTN), and WiSys.
• KC BioHub (Kansas City)minor - mitto evaluation partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvaluation partner in the MITTO multi-institution technology transfer office model evaluation led by LaunchTN. Represents regional innovation community with commercialization challenges that MITTOs could potentially address.
• Partnership for Innovation (Georgia; Southeast)minor - mitto evaluation partnerStrategic or Co-development PartnerEvaluation partner in the MITTO multi-institution technology transfer office model evaluation led by LaunchTN. Represents regional innovation community with commercialization challenges that MITTOs could potentially address.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• gener8tor: Operates accelerator programs and investment funds (often state-backed) for early-stage startups. Closest operational analog to LaunchTN's combination of program design, capital deployment, and ecosystem partnership network.
• Capital Factory: Texas-based innovation hub and venture platform combining accelerator programming, investor connections, and corporate partnerships. Mirrors LaunchTN's state-level ecosystem model with a private-sector operating structure.
• 1871: Chicago-based innovation hub providing workspace, programming, and corporate connections to early-stage startups. Comparable to LaunchTN as a regional/state innovation intermediary serving founders with non-dilutive support and curated networks.
• CIC (Cambridge Innovation Center): Global innovation campus operator offering workspace, venture services, and ecosystem programming. Comparable in operating a multi-stakeholder innovation infrastructure across geographies.
• JumpStart Inc. (formerly BioEnterprise): Cleveland-based venture development organization providing capital, connections, and commercialization support to early-stage startups in Northeast Ohio. Highly comparable operating model to LaunchTN's three C's framework.
• Invest Michigan: Michigan-focused state SSBCI fund operator deploying capital into early-stage startups. Direct peer to InvestTN in operating a state-allocated federal capital deployment program with similar mandate, structure, and compliance requirements.

Broad incumbents

• MassTech (Massachusetts Technology Collaborative): Massachusetts quasi-public economic development agency operating innovation programs, capital deployment, and research commercialization. Closest state-level statutory analog to LaunchTN's PPP model in a larger, more mature ecosystem.

Regional players

• Empire State Development: New York's principal economic development agency, operating innovation and venture programs across the state. Comparable to LaunchTN in scale, statutory mandate, and state PPP structure, though with a much larger geography and budget.

Others

• Kauffman Foundation: National foundation supporting entrepreneurship research, programs, and ecosystem-building (including a $300K grant to LaunchTN in 2018). Comparable as a national ecosystem funder and thought partner to state innovation PPPs like LaunchTN.
• NVCA (National Venture Capital Association): Trade association representing the U.S. venture capital industry. Adjacent peer reflecting LaunchTN's role as a state-level venture ecosystem operator interacting with the broader VC community via the Southeast Capital Call and Multi Fund LP commitments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LaunchTN
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@LaunchTN
• Facebookfacebook.com/LaunchTN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/launchtn
• Instagraminstagram.com/launchtn

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments154 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Launch Tennessee