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Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV) and the Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC) are thrilled to announce their acceptance into the prestigious Partnership for Inclusive Innovation Leadership Program. Read the cohort announcement.
This recognition underscores the pioneering efforts of both organizations in promoting diversity and inclusion in technology development across Kentucky and Tennessee.
"We are honored to be accepted into the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation Leadership Program,” Kayla Meisner, Executive Director of Kentucky Commercialization Ventures, said. “This opportunity will further propel our mission to foster a culture of innovation that embraces diversity and empowers under-resourced universities and innovators."
Charles Layne, Technology Advancement Manager at Launch Tennessee, shared, "This Partnership program offers a tremendous opportunity to elevate Tennessee's technology transfer landscape. By collaborating with established entities like Kentucky Commercialization Ventures, we can expand access to innovation resources for underserved universities within our state and the Southeast region."
About the Project
Kentucky Commercialization Ventures (KCV), an initiative of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC), spearheaded a groundbreaking initiative to establish a statewide technology transfer office model that prioritizes diversity and inclusion. Since its launch in 2020, KCV has facilitated 18 commercialization transactions between innovators and partner institutions, resulting in more than $400K in commercialization revenue. Inspired by KCV's success, Launch Tennessee is replicating this approach through the Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC). The partnership between KCV and TTAC aims to adopt and scale the KCV model, offering enhanced commercialization support and fostering collaboration between Kentucky and Tennessee universities.
Team Members
Project Leadership:
Kayla Meisner, Executive Director, Kentucky Commercialization Ventures
Charles Layne, Technology Advancement Manager, Launch Tennessee
Ecosystem and Program Alignment:
Allyn Abadie, Technology Advancement Coordinator, LaunchTN
Robert Turner, Director of Technology Transfer & Innovation, Tennessee State University
Katie Porritt, Chief of Staff, KSTC
About the Partnership for Inclusive Innovation Leadership Program
The Partnership for Inclusive Innovation Leadership Program is designed to foster entrepreneurial ecosystem building and tech-based economic development in small, mid-sized, and rural communities. It equips community teams with the knowledge, best practices, and relationships needed to accelerate the growth of inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems.