INNOVATE® Nashville

Innovations of the World

INNOVATE® Nashville

Nashville – Music City, the capital city of the state of Tennessee is rightfully known as the hometown of country music, the birthplace of bluegrass, and the city with the highest concentration of music industry establishments in the nation, celebrating four times more music industry employment than any other US city.

But it’s that and MUCH more! Recently voted as the 11th best place to start a business in the USA, Nashville is a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship. It has a thriving retail, automotive, and healthcare industry, and a growing tech hub, with notable organizations like Amazon, Oracle, and Facebook investing in the city.

This city, rich in history, culture, and entertainment just topped the list of the Wall Street Journal’s 2022 hottest job markets. Developments in connectivity, infrastructure and transportation will ensure that Nashville remains one of the best cities in the US to live, work, and play.

INNOVATE® Nashville showcases and profiles the innovators and innovation enablers that are contributing to the dynamic innovation ecosystem drawing talent, industry and investment to the city.

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Thought Leaders

Featured Innovators

Featured Innovators

SOUNDSTRIPE

WHERE MUSIC MEETS MOMENTUM

Soundstripe makes it easier for creators to find music that moves—and for artists to make a living doing what they love. Born in Nashville and built by musicians who know the grind, Soundstripe is more than just a licensing platform—it’s a growing music library of tens of thousands of tracks...

Nashville Stars

Building a Brand, Creating a Venue, Inspiring a City

When the story of Nashville’s first Major League Baseball franchise is finally written, one theme will stand above the rest: innovation. Music City Baseball (MCB), the local ownership foundation behind the Nashville Stars, has approached the challenge of bringing MLB to Tennessee with a strategy that goes beyond the traditional...

bundleN

OUR AGILE TEAM DELIVERS QUALITY SOFTWARE BEYOND EXPECTATION

Software should solve problems, not create them. However, the process of developing software has its own set of bugs. In 2021, 48-percent of software development projects ran over budget and a third over time, according to a Deloitte study. These project pitfalls stem from a lack of transparency and proper...

OVYL

OVYL-MAKING HIGH-END

MAKING HIGH-END, HIGH-TECH PRODUCTS

THE QUESTIONHave you ever had to throw your best work away? I have. It’s demoralizing, but sometimes things you can’t control go wrong and there’s nothing to do but let it go. You can start to think, “why bother?” I’ve seen it happen to our clients too. As a device...

REED

INNOVATING NASHVILLE’S TRADITION

Building Real Connections, The Nashville Way Since 2012, REED has focused on what matters most: turning neighborhoods into nations and telling the stories of the people and businesses that make up these communities. Strategy Comes First Innovation isn’t just about new technology; it’s about using what works in a new...

SHANE MAC

SHANE MAC

INVESTING IN THE SWITCHBOARD CITY

I have lived to work and, believe me, that’s no way to live… or work. This doesn’t mean don’t work hard. I’ve just discovered that when you love where you live you have a longer-term view of how you work. I spend my days supporting people who are in the...

LIPSCOMB UNIVERSITY

INSPIRING INNOVATION AROUND AN ENDURING PURPOSE

What never changes: Christ-centeredness and transformative experiences.What drives change: Curiosity and courage. For more than 134 years, Lipscomb University has been a Christ-centered academic institution rooted in purpose-driven education. Located in the heart of Nashville, Tennessee, Lipscomb is one of the few institutions in the nation offering educational pathways from...

S3 RECYCLING

S3 RECYCLING-HASSLE-FREE E-WASTE SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESSES

HASSLE-FREE E-WASTE SOLUTIONS FOR BUSINESSES

S3 Recycling Solutions is the right choice for businesses looking for an easy and hassle-free way to responsibly and safely manage excess electronics. Headquartered in Springfield, Tenn., S3 is an award-winning, R2-certified technology recycling firm that provides tailored e-waste solutions to businesses across the nation and in Canada. Since 2007,...

Parallel Entrepreneur

How Mark Cleveland Is Redefining Entrepreneurship in Music City

In a city known for breakout artists and bold founders, Mark Cleveland is building something less obvious but no less revolutionary. Through his Parallel Entrepreneur brand – anchored by a podcast, a growing network, and a forthcoming book – Cleveland is giving voice to a specific kind of business leader:...

NASHVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

NASHVILLE AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE-Since 1847

Since 1847, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce has increased economic prosperity by facilitating community leadership

Since 1847, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce has been working for Middle Tennessee businesses. The Chamber is a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating economic prosperity by facilitating community leadership. The Nashville Area Chamber is Middle Tennessee’s largest business federation, representing more than 1,700 member businesses in 10 counties (Davidson,...

VANDERBILT CAREER ADVANCEMENT AND ENGAGEMENT

THIS IS A COMMUNITY OF LEARNING DEDICATED TO THE FULFILLMENT OF HUMAN POTENTIAL

If you woke up with the opportunity to help empower the next generation of change makers, how would you maximize that opportunity? That’s the question we have the privilege of answering every day for our students. In the 150 years since Vanderbilt University’s founding, we’ve grown from a regional university into...

STUDIO BANK

STUDIO BANK

How Studio Bank is fueling Nashville’s creative economy with creative financial solutions and human connections

A bank for creators…A Studio is a place where creators do their thing. Studio Bank exists to empower creators. Whether you’re designing a company or creating a better life for your family, crafting a song or writing code, orchestrating social change or enhancing the quality of care, we launched Studio...

THNKS

THNKS-SPARKING A MOVEMENT OF GRATITUDE

SPARKING A MOVEMENT OF GRATITUDE

At Thnks, our mission is to leverage technology and the science of gratitude to help establish and build strong relationships for the modern world, through efficient, personalized, and thoughtful appreciation. Thnks has created a movement in workplaces with over 15,000 Thnks sent every week — helping business professionals improve their...

TRACTOR SUPPLY CO

POWERING LIFE OUT HERE

How Tractor Supply Blends Tradition, Technology and Trust to Serve Rural America. Tractor Supply Company (NASDAQ: TSCO) has quietly become one of the most successful and innovative retailers in the United States, earning a loyal following while staying true to its core mission: serving the needs of rural lifestyles. Since...

Holland & Knight

Service Without Boundaries

Founded in 1889, Holland & Knight is a global law firm with more than 2,200 lawyers and other professionals in 35 offices throughout the world. The Firm’s lawyers provide representation in litigation, business, real estate and governmental law. Interdisciplinary practice groups and industry-based teams provide clients with efficient access to...

MobiusAI

Equipping Fleets for the Next Generation of Mobility

In the transportation industry every extra minute and every extra mile eats away at a fleet’s profit. MobiusAI is helping fleets operate at their best. The industry struggles with inefficient planning, outdated software, and razor-thin margins, but Mobius is using AI to empower fleets for excellence. From Research to Real-World...

CIRCA

BRANDING THAT DRIVES MEANINGFUL & MEASURED GROWTH

Circa helps organizations in vital growth periods uncover who they are, connect with who they serve, and build brands that last. In 2015, founders Tori Thomas and Laura Deleot set out with a clear vision: create what matters. They built Circa to not only deliver value for clients, but also...

Potluck

And the Reimagining of Social Tech

In an era dominated by likes, follows, and infinite scrolls, Justin Gray, founder of Potluck, is betting on a different future—one where social technology isn’t about building an audience, but about deepening real-life connections with the people we actually see: our friends, families, neighbors, and coworkers. Potluck is more than...

SolidBase Structural Engineers

Solid Foundations, Strong Futures

THE STORY OF SOLIDBASE STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS For SolidBase Structural Engineers (SBSE), every project begins with one guiding principle — that a structure is only as strong as the foundation it’s built on. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, SBSE has earned a reputation as a trusted name in residential and commercial structural...

CELERO COMMERCE

CELERO COMMERCE

WAS FOUNDED WITH ONE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVE: TO HELP SMALL AND MID-SIZED BUSINESSES WIN

We know that we can deliver that by leveraging our investment in FinTech and our commitment to partnerships with community /regional banks. It is this combination that truly empowers local businesses in a way that enables them to compete and win in this ever more complex and competitive market.  ...

MobileFlow

Hytch and The Gamification of Movement

Modern transportation systems were not designed for how people actually live today. Cities have grown denser, work has become more flexible, schedules more fragmented, and travel patterns more complex. Yet mobility is still largely governed by static infrastructure and blunt policy tools. The result is familiar and costly: congestion that...

DECODE HEALTH

DECODE HEALTH-Advancing Precision Medicine to Improve Lives

Advancing Precision Medicine to Improve Lives

Current methods of managing healthcare are unsustainable, with chronic disease treatment alone putting a $4 trillion annual strain on the U.S. economy. Healthcare professionals across the board agree that earlier diagnosis, better preventative care, and improved disease management will significantly reduce those costs while improving the lives of millions of...

FIRST SOUTH FINANCIAL

BANKING WITH FRIENDS

The Story of First South Financial’s Strength, Innovation, and Community Impact. For nearly seven decades, First South Financial has stood as a trusted partner in helping individuals, families, and business owners achieve their financial goals. What began as a modest effort to provide accessible banking services has grown into one...

BAKER DONELSON

FROM STARTUP TO STANDOUT

Baker Donelson’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital Practice Fuels the Future of Emerging Companies. With a deep bench of attorneys who understand the unique challenges and opportunities faced by early-stage companies and rapid-growth ventures, Baker Donelson’s Emerging Companies and Venture Capital (ECVC) team is a trusted partner for entrepreneurs and...

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The Publisher

Glen Edwards

Glen Edwards was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University and served in the United States Marine Corps Services. For the next 10 years, Glen worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer in Philadelphia, counseling underprivileged children in North and West Philadelphia. In 1983, Glen left the court and went to work... click to read more

The Publisher

Glen Edwards

Glen Edwards was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from Pennsylvania State University and served in the United States Marine Corps Services. For the next 10 years, Glen worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer in Philadelphia, counseling underprivileged children in North and West Philadelphia. In 1983, Glen left the court and went to work... click to read more

Other Ecosystems