Charlie BrockAs an industry as old as Henry Ford and the Model T, auto manufacturing may not spring to top of mind in a discussion about entrepreneurship in this era of Google Glass and cyber innovation. But in Tennessee, auto manufacturing startups are on the rise and an increasingly important catalyst for our economic future.
The automotive industry is Tennessee’s largest manufacturing industry, and it happens to be one of the most innovative and technologically advanced in the country. Tennessee is home to three original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) — Nissan in Smyra, GM in Spring Hill and VW in Chattanooga — and more than 1,000 parts suppliers that are creating cars and parts that are lighter, stronger and “smarter.”
Given the vigor of Tennessee’s auto industry and the accompanying innovative forces, we are going to see more automotive companies birthed from our state’s accelerator network.
The autoXLR8R program, a Launch Tennessee supported automotive-focused accelerator located in Spring Hill, is playing an important role in connecting entrepreneurs with the automotive community and identifying new technologies that will benefit the industry.
After successfully navigating the rigorous 13-week boot camp, this year’s crop of companies will be ready to pitch to investors today in Spring Hill and on Wednesdayt in Oak Ridge.