Safire’s Major Win at DOE EPIC Startup Pitch Competition

DOE Blog Announcing Winners The University of Tennessee Research Park is excited to announce that Safire, a member of the Spark Innovation Center Incubator, has secured first place at the Fall 2024 EPIC Startup Pitch Competition at RE+. Safire’s success is a testament to the company’s hard work, determination, and cutting-edge clean energy technology, which has captured national attention and … Read More

Opportunity in the Air: Google Now Backing Holocene’s DAC In Knoxville

Original Google Blog | Axios Generate Newsletter The UT Research Park and Spark Innovation Center we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements of Holocene, a Knoxville-based cleantech company that has made headlines with its revolutionary work in Direct Air Capture (DAC) technology. Their recent partnership with Google marks a significant step toward combating climate change, demonstrating not only Holocene’s … Read More

The Spark Innovation Center Wins DOE Office of Technology Transitions EPIC Round 3 Phase 1

April 2, 2023 – KNOXVILLE, Tenn. We are delighted to announce that the Spark Innovation Center, located within the University of Tennessee Research Park, has been honored with the prestigious DOE’s OTT Energy Program Innovation Cluster Round 3 Phase 1 Award. This achievement signifies our advancement to Phase 2 this summer, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to fostering … Read More

Travis Howerton Praises East Tennessee’s Tech Potential

Travis Howerton

Travis Howerton, Co-founder and chief executive officer of Regscale, spoke highly on the rising tech environment here in east Tennessee. In an opinion column for Knoxville News Sentinel, Howerton proudly boasts the potential of the well kept secret – citing not only the affordable living costs, but the regions technological powerhouses.

DOE Awards a Spark Company in Voucher Program

Man Standing in front of camera

The Spark Innovation Center hosted the Department of Energy’s Office of Tenchnology Transitions yesterday in a Voucher Announcement and Roundtable discussion event! Thank you to Chief Commercialization Officer, Director, Office of Technology Transitions, Dr. Vanessa Z. Chan and her team for making it out to Knoxville for this event, to Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon for attending, and to the Tennessee … Read More

It’s a New Year for New Day Diagnostics

Embracing the dawn of 2024, New Day Diagnostics is at the forefront of a healthcare revolution. Following a strategic merger and a game-changing asset purchase agreement, the Knoxville-based powerhouse, led by CEO Eric Mayer, is set to redefine diagnostics, focusing on expanding its portfolio to include over-the-counter solutions for various ailments. With a $15 million funding round underway, a commitment … Read More

New UTK Chancellor’s Innovation Fund accepting proposals

Administered by the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Development (ORIED), the new fund is designed to raise awareness, promote innovation, and support entrepreneurship for UTK’s promising innovators. Faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) will be submitting proposals for the new Chancellor’s Innovation Fund (CIF) within the next two weeks. Administered by the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic … Read More

Six start-ups selected for Cohort 2 of Spark Cleantech Accelerator

The 12-week program kicks off August 21 and culminates with a Demo Day on November 15 as part of the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council’s “Opportunities in Energy” annual event. The Spark Cleantech Accelerator at the University of Tennessee (UT) Research Park has announced the participants for the second cohort of the program that launched in 2022. The six start-ups represent a diverse group … Read More