Innovation Program Roadshow
TennSMART is on a mission to shape the future of mobility. As part of this effort, we are creating an ecosystem of mentors, resources, partnerships, and funding opportunities that position Tennessee as the best destination for corporations and small businesses to build successful and viable technologies that advance the industry.
In January, our roadshow continues across the state. At these events, you’ll hear from TennSMART’s director of entrepreneurship and commercialization Bryan Barringer about the resources available and what is launching next year to accelerate this work. These resources and programs include:
- The Automotive & Mobility Mentor Network
- The Smart Mobility Challenge
- Reverse Pitch Challenge
We’ll be heading east with stops in Tri-Cities, Knoxville, Cookeville, and Chattanooga. We’ll also reconnect with industry in Jackson, Blue Oval City, and Memphis. Stay tuned for more info.
In the meantime, if you have an idea or are interested in becoming a mentor, send an email to Bryan.
Member Event Series
In June, we held the second installment of our member event series focused on breaking down federal funding opportunities. The event covered new funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) with experts reviewing federal grants and guidance related to the hydrogen economy—a Biden administration priority—and other transportation related projects.
Here’s a snapshot of the agenda:
- Member Meet & Greet
- Biden Administration Energy Priorities
- Torend Collins, Regional Intergovernmental and External Affairs Specialist for Appalachia, DOE
- DOE Funding Opportunities
- Rich Davies, Director for the Sustainable Transportation Program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Thomas J. King, Jr., Director of the Sustainable Electricity Program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Update on EV Fast Charging Network
- Matt Meservy, Director, Long Range Planning Division, TDOT
Check back for details on our next TennSMART member event.
In 2022, TennSMART held a virtual event series meant to educate and inform members of relevant federal funding opportunities.
The first event outlined opportunities related to the Department of Transportation and featured speakers from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Tennessee Valley Authority, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, and the Tennessee Department of Transportation. These experts covered topics ranging from EV charging infrastructure and electrified transit to connected and automated research and technology to broadband expansion and fiber infrastructure to the hydrogen economy.
In addition to helping TennSMART members identify and gain from these funding opportunities, we also set aside time for networking to allow members to make connections and discuss potential partnerships and teams for pursuing grants.
View select presentations from previous TennSMART events:
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: U.S. Department of Energy – Torend Collins, Regional Intergovernmental and External Affairs Specialist for Appalachia, U.S. DOE
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Department of Energy Transportation related Opportunity Overview – Rich Davies, Sustainable Transportation Program Director, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law: Grid Infrastructure Overview – Thomas J. King, Jr., Director of the Sustainable Electricity Program, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
TennSMART Technical Advisory Committee Update – Brad Freeze, Director of Traffic Operations Division at TDOT
The Impacts and Adoption of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles in Tennessee – Dr. Sabya Mishra, Associate Professor and Faudree Professor of Civil Engineering at the University of Memphis
Autonomous Truck Mounted Attenuator (ATMA) Pilot – Airton Kohls, Research Associate, The University of Tennessee Center for Transportation Research
CTwin: The Chattanooga Digital Twin – Jibo Sanyal, Group Leader and Senior Scientist Computational Urban Sciences Group, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
CAV and Smart Mobility: A Minnesota Case Study – Kristin White, Executive Director, Minnesota Office of Connected and Automated Vehicles and Destination CAV
U.S. DOT Truck Platooning Research Program – Tom Kearney, Freight Operations Program Manager, Federal Highway Administration
Innovations in Long Haul – Carson Spencer, Bridgestone Americas; Dr. Eric Thorn, Southwest Research Institute; and Dr. Stephanie Ivey, University of Memphis (moderator)
TennSMART Member Presentations – Bill Copeland, EPB; and Al Pramuk, Andy Lucyshyn, & Matt D’Angelo, Gresham Smith
Last Mile Innovation – Rebecca Yeung, Staff Vice President of Service Experience Leadership, FedEx