Tennessee Technology Development Corp
Tennessee Technology Development Corporation, operating as Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN), is a public-private partnership headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The organization was created by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1998 to support the development of high-growth companies throughout the state. With 23 employees, LaunchTN works to make Tennessee the leading place in the Southeast to start and grow a business.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$32.2M
+19.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$8.5M
-19.4% YoY
Grant Count
73
+17.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$116K
-31.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
LaunchTN's mission centers on supporting entrepreneurs and high-growth companies across Tennessee. The organization fulfills this mission through:
SBIR/STTR Support Program: Provides matching fund grants to Tennessee companies that have received federal Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards. The program aims to help Tennessee companies achieve higher-than-average success rates for Phase I and Phase II awards and to accelerate bringing research innovations to market.
Regional Entrepreneur Centers: Operates partnerships with seven regional entrepreneur centers located in Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, Cookeville, Chattanooga, Knoxville, and the Tri-Cities region.
Industry-Specific Support: Works with six statewide industry partners in sectors that add value to the Tennessee economy, including advanced energy, agricultural technology, consumer packaged goods, financial technologies, life sciences, and mobility.
Grantmaking
LaunchTN actively awards grants to support entrepreneurship and innovation across Tennessee. Recent grantmaking activity includes:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
LaunchTN operates statewide across Tennessee, with particular emphasis on seven regional entrepreneur center partnerships:
- Memphis
- Jackson
- Nashville
- Cookeville
- Chattanooga
- Knoxville
- Tri-Cities region
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Fiscal Year 2024:
- Total revenues: $13,023,314
- Total expenses: $12,283,617
- Total assets: $32,224,900
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $32,224,900 | $26,945,258 | $18,062,853 |
| Revenue | $13,023,314 | $13,419,783 | $12,109,273 |
| Expenses | $12,283,617 | $13,375,582 | $12,192,016 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $356,774 | $12,764 | $4,480 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
165 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Tennessee Technology Development Corp
Innovation Fellowship
TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORP
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
SBIR/STTR Matching Fund
TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORP
Amount
Varies by award; program funded at $7 million (as of 2021)
Deadline
Rolling / Open
TTAC Partnership Program
TENNESSEE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CORP
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALAN BENTLEY | DIRECTOR | 37.5 | — |
| ANDRE J BAHOU | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SEN BO WATSON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| BRUCE DOEG | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CALVIN ANDERSON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DENNY WAYNE ROBINSON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DR H M HASHEMIAN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| FRANK WILLIAMSON | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| REP PATSY HAZELWOOD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SHAWN GLINTER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| STEPHEN CRAWFORD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| TOM BALLARD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| STUART MCWHORTER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JULIA POLK | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RYAN EGLY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DR SUSAN HUBBARD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| WINSTON JUSTICE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| VICTORIA HIRSCHBERG | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| BENJAMIN ORGEL | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DR BRIAN NOLAND | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LINDSEY COX | PRESIDENT & CEO | 37.5 | $234,450 |
| KATHERINE REALL | FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION DIRECTOR | 37.5 | $184,359 |
| MONIQUE CAPRA | CHIEF INVESTMENT OFFICER | 37.5 | $185,430 |
| ASHLEY CURRIE | MARKETING DIRECTOR | 37.5 | $133,127 |
| EMILY MASTERS | DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR | 37.5 | $144,930 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
LaunchTN publishes comprehensive reports documenting its impact and initiatives, including:
TTAC FY25 Annual Report
TTAC Pilot Year Report 2024
2023 Launch Tennessee SBIR/STTR Matching Fund Impact Report
Launch Tennessee Awards $7 Million in Matching Funds to 37 TN Businesses2023 Report on Scaling Up Benchmarking and Recommendations for Growing Tennessee's Tech-Based Economy
Quarterly Deal Reports
The organization maintains a Title VI Policy Statement addressing non-discrimination in its programs and services.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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