Spark Innovation Center at the UT Research Park

The Spark Cleantech Accelerator is now accepting applications for its 2025 cohort! ?? This 12-week program provides a stipend of $15,000, specialized workshops, expert mentorship, connections with investors and strategic partners such as the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee Valley Authority, the City of Knoxville, the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council, and more. ? ?- Apply by May 16, 2025 at https://lnkd.in/dt4rHZXr Learn more at https://lnkd.in/dT4ETjs2? - Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at the University of Tennessee UT Center for Advanced Materials & Manufacturing (CAMM) UT Institute for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing University of Tennessee Research Foundation - UTRF Knoxville Chamber (Knoxville, Tennessee) Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) DOE Office of Technology Transitions UT Research Park at Cherokee Farm University of Tennessee Research Knoxville Entrepreneur Center Piper Communications Innovation Crossroads teknovation.biz LaunchTN F6S US - #innovation #circulareconomy #energyefficiency #sustainableag #wastewatertreatment #energystorage #advancedenergy #advancedmanufacturing #mobility #tennessee #knoxville #knoxvilletn

We are thrilled to congratulate?Perseus Materials and founder Dan L. for being recognized as one of the?Top 20 Innovative Startups in Composites! Perseus Materials will be taking the global stage at?JEC World 2025?on?March 4-6?in?Paris-Nord Villepinte, where they will pitch their revolutionary ideas to industry leaders and innovators. Well done! Read more about it here >>> https://lnkd.in/emhYrqw4

This Black History Month, we’re proud to celebrate the incredible contributions of Black entrepreneurs and businesses in Knoxville. As part of our commitment to fostering an inclusive ecosystem, we encourage everyone to explore and support the amazing Black-owned businesses in our community. One powerful resource to help you do just that is the?Knoxville Black Business Directory (KBBD), founded by Damon Rawls M.A.. With a mission to help Black-owned businesses grow and prosper, the KBBD is a free, centralized directory featuring over 200+ Black-owned businesses in the Knoxville area. Damon’s vision was born from his own entrepreneurial journey, recognizing the challenges small businesses face and creating a platform to uplift and connect the community. Visit the?Knoxville Black Business Directory?to discover and engage with the incredible talent and services right here in our city!

As John Bruck steps back from his role as EIR at Spark Innovation Center, we want to express our deepest gratitude for his incredible contributions. John’s passion for entrepreneurial technology and the sciences, combined with his jolly character and wealth of experience, has made him a cornerstone of our community. Whether mentoring startups, sharing insights, or simply brightening the room with his laughter, John has left an indelible mark on Spark and Knoxville’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. While this may be a “retirement” from his EIR role, we know John’s impact will continue to ripple through the work of those he’s inspired. Thank you, John, for your dedication, wisdom, and unwavering belief in the power of innovation. Here’s to the next chapter—Spark won’t be the same without you, but we can’t wait to see what you do next!?

Our friends over at the Knoxville Entrepreneur Center have an announcement! Public Voting is OPEN for What’s The Big Idea! Public Voting is live for KEC’s What’s The Big Idea? Pitch Competition! Participants have submitted a 1-minute pitch video, and this is your chance to say who you think should end up as a finalist with the chance to win $10,000. Voting ends Friday, February 14th at 11:59 PM, so please vote ASAP! Vote here: www.bigideaknox.com

New business Idea to locate in Knoxville? Apply for KEC's What's The Big Idea!

Congratulations to Sarah Jordan and the Skuld LLC team on being IMPACT 2.0 Project Call Winners! Sarah and her team will soon compete in the America Makes Topic 3, Part B - Rapid Casting Demonstration Challenge "Race" in March. A huge thank you to strategic partnership with UT Institute for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing, and Dr. Dustin Gilmer at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. It is our pleasure to sing the victories of our Spark companies competing on a national scale! - Team Lead:?Skuld, LLC Project Team:?University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 3Degrees, Foundry Casting Systems, LLC. + Adry Lain - This project is funded by the Department of Defense Manufacturing Technology Program

New Job opening at SkyNano! Check it out and share it with anyone who might be interested ??

We are very proud to announce that we are one of?five?winners of the?DOE Office of Technology Transitions?EPIC Round 3 Phase 2 award! - This prestigious $1M award will help fund the development of SparkShop,?in partnership with Tickle College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee and the UT Center for Materials Processing (CMP). This program will provide product development support, resources, and training designed to help cleantech startups accelerate market entry, validate technology, and boost investor confidence. - Read about it more here >>> https://lnkd.in/gxwXx8ds - The EPIC program is funded by the?DOE Office of Technology Transitions

?? Honored and excited! We at AluminAiry are thrilled to have been awarded the $10,000 Spark Award by the Tennessee Valley Authority during the Opportunities in Energy 2024 event. This recognition is a testament to our mission to redefine energy generation with our innovative aluminum-air battery system. Our solution delivers clean electricity, reduces reliance on rare earth elements, and enhances grid resiliency—key steps toward a sustainable energy future. ??? A heartfelt thank you to Miles Biggs, Curt Jawdy, PE, and the Tennessee Valley Authority for believing in and supporting our vision. Also, special thanks to Lilly Tench, the fantastic people at the Spark Innovation Center at the UT Research Park, and the incredible community at the Tennessee Advanced Energy Business Council. Your commitment to fostering innovation inspires us to keep pushing boundaries. Let’s keep building a brighter and cleaner energy future! ?? #Innovation #Cleantech #EnergyFuture #AluminumAirBatteries #GridResiliency Read more here: https://lnkd.in/gtxibtXv