2023 Spark Incubator Program Update

SPARK INCUBATOR PROGRAM SUMMARY SINCE SEPTEMBER 2022: HOLOCENE: Website: https://www.theholocene.co/ CQ INSIGHTS: Website: https://www.cq-insights.com/ RAEV: Website: https://www.raev.tech/ SAFIRE: Website: https://www.safire.co/ FC Renew: Website: https://fcrenew.com/index.html AMERICAN NANOTECHNOLOGIES INC (ANI): Website: https://www.americannano.tech/ ORION THERAPEUTICS: Website: https://orionthx.com/

Applications Now Open for the Spark Cleantech Accelerator at the University of Tennessee Research Park at Cherokee Farm

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The Spark Cleantech Accelerator at the University of Tennessee Research Park at Cherokee Farm is now accepting applications to its 12-week business acceleration program, kicking-off on August 14th, 2023. Applications will be accepted until midnight on May 12th. The accelerator is based at the University of Tennessee Research Park in Knoxville, Tennessee and is designed to assist … Read More

Lilly Tench Joins Spark Innovation Center as Director of Spark Cleantech Accelerator

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – The University of Tennessee (UT) Research Park announced today that Lilly Tench has joined the Spark Innovation Center team as Director of the Spark Cleantech Accelerator. Over the past ten years, Lilly has supported entrepreneurs working to develop solutions in key global industries from energy to agriculture. Early in her career, Lilly worked alongside No Impact Man … Read More

Spark Bi-Annual Report Now Available!

The Spark Innovation Center at the University of Tennessee Research Park has issued its first report (2020-2022 SPARK Bi-Annual Report) covering two years of operations, and there are some impressive numbers recorded by its inaugural portfolio companies. Collectively, the seven start-ups raised nearly $35 million, employed 26 full-time people, have 10 contract employees, and supported 10 internships. The funding total … Read More

Teknovation.Biz “Spark Innovation Center portfolio companies report great numbers over past two years”

The Spark Innovation Center at the University of Tennessee Research Park has issued its first report (2020-2022 SPARK BiAnnual Report) covering two years of operations, and there are some impressive numbers recorded by its inaugural portfolio companies. Collectively, the seven start-ups raised nearly $35 million, employed 26 full-time people, have 10 contract employees, and supported 10 internships. The funding total includes $18 … Read More

Congratulations to Erica Grant for Raising SEED Round

Members of Cohort 4 of “Innovation Crossroads” graduated over the summer from the two-year program. One founder, Erica Grant, has continued to participate in panel and pitch events throughout Knoxville despite being busy planning for a pilot program, raising a seed round, and hiring at her recently renamed company now known as Quantal Security Inc. The company is focused on creating stronger … Read More

Spark Alumni Selected for TAEBC’s “Opportunities in Energy” Speaker Line-Up

The Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council (TAEBC) has announced 16 speakers for its upcoming “Opportunities in Energy.” The annual event will run from 12 noon to 4 p.m. EST November 16 at The Square Room on Market Square in Downtown Knoxville. Sessions will include topics ranging from battery partnerships to corporate sustainability to a local Knoxville nonprofit winning the Department of Energy’s … Read More

frakktal selected for new “HudsonAlpha Agtech Investment Accelerator”

frakktal, one of the participants in the inaugural “Spark Cleantech Accelerator,” has joined another accelerator. It’s the “HudsonAlpha Agtech Investment Accelerator” where the participating start-ups receive a $100,000 investment. Operated by gener8tor, a global venture firm and start-up accelerator, in partnership with the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, the 12-week program kicked-off October 13 with five participants in its inaugural cohort. Other participants … Read More