Charlie BrockIn Tennessee, we currently have six accelerators across the state that are nearing the end of their industry-specific summer cohort programs: GigTank in Chattanooga, Jumpstart Foundry in Nashville, ZeroTo510 and the Start Co. programs in Memphis, autoXLR8R in Spring Hill and MediaWorks in Knoxville.
All of these programs began in May and will end with demo days later this month or in August. GigTank wraps up with demo day on Tuesday, July 29 at Girls Preparatory School. GigTank is the world’s only accelerator with access to a gigabit-speed Internet and focuses on companies in areas of 3D printing/additive manufacturing, healthcare technology and smart grid development.
In the last three years, GigTank has drawn startups from all over the country – and even the world. This year is no different, with teams from across the Southeast, Canada, California, and of course, Tennessee. Several teams are working on 3D printing or additive manufacturing products and cover a wide range of industries – from retail to medical. Other teams are working on technology startups ranging from big data to project collaboration in industries like healthcare, additive manufacturing and smart grid analytics.
Just as GigTank focuses on Chattanooga’s strengths, other summer cohorts are also industry specific based on their region’s strengths. For example, Jumpstart Foundry’s focus on healthcare and technology companies is a perfect fit for Nashville, which is well known as a hub of healthcare and healthcare technology. The concentration of expertise in these areas draws entrepreneurs from across the country and state.
MediaWorks in Knoxville is hosting its first cohort this summer. With Scripps Networks Interactive and other media companies in Knoxville, digital media was a perfect fit for the area. MediaWorks is a highly immersive instructional and mentorship-driven program for startups in areas like digital video, augmented reality, digital signage, digital audio, video games and digital art.