The Innovation Studio is a venture studio based in the Nashville region that exists for a single purpose: to build technology startups that solve pervasive industry problems by developing and using the best artificial intelligence. From the origin of an idea through company exit, the Studio uses a disciplined, repeatable process to launch companies designed to scale.
Rather than waiting for founders to walk in the door, The Innovation Studio begins with problems. Working closely with large enterprises and other partners, the team identifies high-value, data-rich challenges where Industrial AI can create immediate, measurable impact. These are real-world, operational problems that can’t be solved with off-the-shelf consumer AI tools alone – they require deep domain understanding, access to proprietary data, and tight collaboration between technologists and business leaders.
Once a promising opportunity is identified, the Studio moves it through a four-phase model: Ideation, Validation, Launch, and Scale.
- In Ideation, The Innovation Studio evaluates ideas sourced from large enterprise partners and its broader network, focusing on whether a concept has the potential to become a venture-scale, market-leading company.
- During Validation, it stress-tests customer demand, technical feasibility, unit economics, market dynamics, and investor interest, with a “fail fast” mindset that allows only the strongest ideas to advance.
- In Launch, the Studio creates a new company, provides initial capital, helps recruit a founding CEO, and surrounds the new venture with playbooks, systems, and a curated network of advisors and service providers. The goal is to give each company an significant advantage on day one by compressing the time and risk between concept and commercial traction.
- In Scale, The Innovation Studio offers ongoing operational support so founders can focus on what matters most: customers, product, and team. The Innovation Studio’s leadership team brings together experienced software CEOs, investors, and venture operators who have collectively launched and grown multiple successful technology companies. Their backgrounds span AI, enterprise software, venture capital, and technology commercialization – all centered on turning complex ideas into scalable businesses. Building Industrial AI Companies That Solve Real-World Problems providers. The goal is to give each company a significant advantage on day one by compressing the time and risk between concept and commercial traction.
- In Scale, The Innovation Studio offers ongoing operational support so founders can focus on what matters most: customers, product, and team. The Innovation Studio’s leadership team brings together experienced software CEOs, investors, and venture operators who have collectively launched and grown multiple successful technology companies. Their backgrounds span AI, enterprise software, venture capital, and technology commercialization – all centered on turning complex ideas into scalable businesses.
Nashville and the surrounding region are an intentional part of the story. The Innovation Studio is leveraging Middle Tennessee’s fast-growing technology ecosystem, strong university community, and diverse base of established industries to build the next generation of Industrial AI companies. By partnering with local and national organizations, the Studio aims to position the region as a sought-after destination for AI-driven innovation and a leader in applying emerging technologies to real business challenges.
From its home in Franklin, Tennessee, The Innovation Studio is already working with large enterprises to identify untapped opportunities and launch new ventures. These new ventures apply AI to challenges such as improving operational efficiency, transforming legacy workflows, and unlocking insights from complex data. Across every engagement, the Studio’s mission remains the same: to combine ambitious ideas, world-class execution, and responsible AI to create companies that deliver meaningful results for customers and long-term value for investors and the community.
