Tennessee Technology Development Corp
Tennessee Technology Development Corporation, doing business as Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN), is a public charity based in Nashville. Created by the Tennessee General Assembly in 1998, it is a public-private partnership positioned outside state government that supports Tennessee’s startup and innovation ecosystem through capital, commercialization, and connections.
Tennessee Technology Development Corp at a glance
In short: Tennessee Technology Development Corp gave $13.0M across 69 grants in 2025 (avg $188K), mostly in Tennessee. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $12,990,582
- +53.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 69
- -5.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $188,269
- +62.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $200,000
- Total assets
- $37,823,501
- +17.4% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Tennessee (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Tennessee Technology Development Corp
- Contact
Mailing address: 601 Taylor Place 101, Nashville, TN 37208
Phone: (615) 991-2809
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
6 open opportunities from Tennessee Technology Development Corp
Innovation Fellowship
Tennessee Technology Development Corp
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
SBIR/STTR Matching Fund
Tennessee Technology Development Corp
Amount
Varies by award; program funded at $7 million (as of 2021)
Deadline
Deadline not published
TTAC Partnership Program
Tennessee Technology Development Corp
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Tennessee Technology Development Corp funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Nashville Entrepreneur Center ($421K). Together the top 10 received $3.2M.
Organizations only. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($1,171,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
276 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 104 grants of 276 (38%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
LaunchTN describes its work as supporting innovators across Tennessee. In 2025, 96% of its grant dollars went to recipients in Tennessee; the remaining reported shares went to Indiana (2%), Virginia (1%), Arizona (1%), and Michigan (0%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 69 itemized grants.
Cities
How Tennessee Technology Development Corp gives
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.9M (2021) to $13.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 69 grants totaling $13.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville Entrepreneur Center Nashville, TN | Network Partners, Survey Stipend, Intern Stipend | $421,000 |
| FC Renew LLC Knoxville, TN | Sbir, Grant Consulting, Intern Stipend | $308,000 |
| Robotic Technologies of Tennessee LLC Cookeville, TN | Sbir, Intern Stipend | $308,000 |
| Endeavor Composites Inc Knoxville, TN | Sbir, Intern Stipend | $304,000 |
| 4 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $1,165,000 |
| Skynano LLC Knoxville, TN | Sbir, Intern Stipend | $304,000 |
| Ultrasonic Technology Solutions Knoxville, TN | Sbir, Intern Stipend | $304,000 |
| Winter Innovations Inc Knoxville, TN | Sbir, Intern Stipend | $304,000 |
| Arena Labs Inc Nashville, TN | Sbir, Grant Consulting, Intern Stipend | $302,175 |
| Amalgamated Vision LLC Brentwood, TN | Sbir, Intern Stipend | $302,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Tennessee Technology Development Corp?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37,823,501 | $17,648,522 | $17,090,256 | $12,990,582 | 69 | $77,253 |
| 2024 | $32,224,900 | $13,023,314 | $12,283,617 | $8,458,265 | 73 | $356,774 |
| 2023 | $26,945,258 | $13,419,783 | $13,375,582 | $10,500,253 | 62 | $12,764 |
| 2022 | $18,062,853 | $12,109,273 | $12,192,016 | $9,365,730 | 57 | $4,480 |
| 2021 | $17,450,024 | $5,151,930 | $4,656,869 | $1,891,792 | 15 | $9,377 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
LaunchTN states that it supports the startup ecosystem through capital, connections, and commercialization. Its SBIR/STTR Matching Fund provides grants to selected Tennessee companies that have received federal SBIR/STTR awards, with the stated aim of helping companies advance research toward the market. LaunchTN also provides application support and resources for companies pursuing SBIR/STTR funding.
The Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC) Partnership Program supports collaborative projects intended to accelerate technology transfer, help researchers launch startups, strengthen industry-academic partnerships, and increase R&D investment. Its stated objectives include commercialization readiness, strategic connections, and capital access. Competitive proposals are expected to describe measurable commercialization activities, cross-sector collaboration, pathways to startup formation, and ways to enhance early-stage investment in Tennessee.
The organization’s 2023 filing describes funding and connections for regional entrepreneur center partners and statewide industry partners. Examples of supported organizations include the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, whose stated mission is to help make Nashville a good place to start and grow a business, and CO.LAB, which describes its work as supporting scalable businesses and sustainable-mobility startups in the greater Chattanooga region. These are the grantees’ own descriptions of their missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, LaunchTN reported 69 grants totaling $12,990,582. Awards ranged from $6,000 to $421,000, with a median grant of $200,000. The filing’s listed grant purposes include SBIR support, grant consulting, intern stipends, network partners, and survey stipends.
The largest listed award was $421,000 to the Nashville Entrepreneur Center. Other large awards included $308,000 each to FC Renew LLC and Robotic Technologies of Tennessee LLC; $304,000 each to Endeavor Composites Inc., SkyNano LLC, Ultrasonic Technology Solutions, and Winter Innovations Inc.; and $302,175 to Arena Labs Inc. The filing also lists grants to individual recipients; those recipients are not named here.
LaunchTN’s website describes TTAC Partnership Program grant types as one-time Program Grants of up to $50,000 for innovation-driven projects and Event and Meeting Grants of up to $10,000 for Tennessee-based events. It also lists the Innovation Fellowship, TTAC Travel Grant Program, and TTAC Proof of Concept Program as active TTAC programs, but the provided materials give limited program details. No application process, materials, or unsolicited-request policy are specified in the provided information.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists the following directors: Steve Crawford, Benjamin Orgel, Victoria Hirschberg, Dr. Susan Hubbard, Ryan Egly, Julia Polk, Jason Schmitt, Shawn Glinter, Frank Williamson, and Dr. HM Hash Hashemian. LaunchTN’s website says the organization is governed by a 22-person board of directors.
Tennessee Technology Development Corp is led by Lindsey Cox, President & CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2022); 5 of 25 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lindsey Cox
President & CEO
CEO → President & CEO, 2023
On filings since 2022
37.5 hrs/week
$138K (2023) → $240K (2025)
Stuart McWhorter
Chair
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Reall
Finance & Administration Director
On filings since 2023
37.5 hrs/week
$178K (2023) → $199K (2025)
Emily Masters
Development Director
On filings since 2024
37.5 hrs/week
$145K (2024) → $152K (2025)
Chloe Morrison
Communications Director
New on the 2025 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$105K (2025)
Alan Bentley
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Noland
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Calvin Anderson
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Denny Wayne Robinson
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frank Williamson
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hm Hash Hashemian
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shawn Glinter
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julia Polk
Director
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Benjamin Orgel
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ryan Egly
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sen Bo Watson
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Hubbard
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Victoria Hirschberg
Director
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Winston Justice
Director
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jason Schmitt
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lauren Ingram
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Crawford
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eller Kelliher
Chief Investment Officer
New on the 2025 filing
37.5 hrs/week
$195K (2025)
Bruce Doeg
Vice Chair
Secretary → Director, 2024
Director → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aj Bahou
Secretary & Treasurer
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (21)
- Former: Andre J. Bahou (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Stephen Crawford (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Tom Ballard (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Ashley Currie (2023–2024) — Marketing Director
- Former: Rep Patsy Hazelwood (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Monique Capra (2024) — Chief Investment Officer
- Former: Dawn Patrick (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Ann Kathryn Dettwiller (2023) — Director
- Former: Khrystopher Hatch (2023) — Senior Associate
- Former: Bo Watson (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Bob Rolfe (2021–2022) — Chairman
- Former: Kristina Montague (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Marci Harris (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Marcus Whitney (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Patsy Hazelwood (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Stacey Patterson (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Thomas Zacharia (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Van Tucker (2021–2022) — Former President & CEO
- Former: Abby Trotter (2022) — Interim CEO
- Former: David Waddell (2021) — Director
- Former: Susan Lynn (2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $240K, to Lindsey Cox (President & CEO). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Tennessee Technology Development Corp
How much does Tennessee Technology Development Corp give each year?
Tennessee Technology Development Corp gave $13.0M across 69 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $8.5M across 73 grants.
What is Tennessee Technology Development Corp's typical grant size?
Tennessee Technology Development Corp's median grant in 2025 was $200,000, and its average grant was $188,269, across 69 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Tennessee Technology Development Corp give grants?
Tennessee Technology Development Corp gives mostly in Tennessee: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Knoxville, TN (14 grants), Nashville, TN (12 grants), Memphis, TN (7 grants) and Cookeville, TN (4 grants).
Does Tennessee Technology Development Corp give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 69 grants with a stated purpose on Tennessee Technology Development Corp's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Sbir" (27 grants), "Sbir, Intern Stipend" (11 grants) and "Ttac" (8 grants).
Who are Tennessee Technology Development Corp's largest grantees?
Tennessee Technology Development Corp's largest 2025 grantees include Nashville Entrepreneur Center ($421,000), FC Renew LLC ($308,000) and Robotic Technologies of Tennessee LLC ($308,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. It also paid 5 grants to individuals ($1,171,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 8% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Tennessee Technology Development Corp?
Tennessee Technology Development Corp reported $37.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $17.6M.
What does Tennessee Technology Development Corp fund?
LaunchTN states that it supports the startup ecosystem through capital, connections, and commercialization. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tennessee Technology Development Corp?
Tennessee Technology Development Corp has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Tennessee Technology Development Corp's EIN?
Tennessee Technology Development Corp's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 62-1765738. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 30, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 24, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 2, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Tennessee Technology Development Corp's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Tennessee Technology Development Corp funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/tennessee-technology-development-corp-morg_e968506ebb5249478ce820769b8601c0
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_621765738_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Tennessee Technology Development Corp funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/tennessee-technology-development-corp-morg_e968506ebb5249478ce820769b8601c0},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Tennessee Technology Development Corp's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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