Green Llama is now using trigger sprays created from recycled windmill blades

The Johnson City start-up forged the relationship with Knoxville-based Carbon Rivers during last year’s “Spark Cleantech Accelerator.” There’s an old adage about timing being everything. Well, that was certainly the case with Kay Baker of Johnson City-based Green Llama during her time last summer as a participant in the inaugural “Spark Cleantech Accelerator” at the University of Tennessee Research Park. Baker and Matt Keasey, … Read More

Orion Therapeutics Making Good Progress

The University of Tennessee start-up came out of stealth mode less than a year ago. The latest issue of the UTRF Newsletter from the University of Tennessee Research Foundation provides an update on one of the start-ups in the UTRF portfolio: Orion Therapeutics. As noted in our original teknovation.biz article from last September, the new venture is the result of a decade-long collaboration between a researcher at … Read More

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