Startup or Job?

Entrepreneurship isn't for the faint-hearted, and sometimes a job's a better course. Read about this Nashville panel's discussion here.

A free Zingo franchise?

Two McCamy's in Knoxville have an interesting idea: If an entrepreneur will accept mentoring and join Entrepreneurs of Knoxville, they'll consider them for a free Zingo franchise. Zingo provides drivers dispatched via scooter for motorists who feel they shouldn't drive after drinking, or whathaveyou. It's here too.

Linx leadership

Cardell Orrin's Linx Consulting in Memphis helps guide small businesses toward strategic success, the CA reports.

Memphis EDGE?

One Commercial Appeal writer applauds local leaders' Economic Development Growth Engine (EDGE), while another decries government interference in enterprise.

NewsBits, 22 Feb '11

TNInvestco clone for entertainment? .. Silicon Ranch update .. UT entrepreneurship program .. Healthcare hotspot in N'ville? .. Bizen .. Jaworski .. Innovation Group .. and more right here.

Military as biofuels customer?

Without the tax incentives enjoyed by wind and solar energy applications, Biofuels may need to rely on Uncle Sam to contract for biofuels. The KNS reports.

SmartMart venture

Smart Mart: Memphis entrepreneur Jerry Rivalto has invested millions in automated retail kiosk startup. The CA reports it.

Cornwall finds hope for Music entrepreneurs

Always something interesting going on in Jeff Cornwall's Belmont corner of the world. Here, a few words for young entrepreneurs with their caps set on the Music industry.

Startups, Leaders in Nashville Spotlight

The Tennessean, Nashville Business Journal and CityPaper/NashvillePost.com recently profiled local startups and high-growth mature companies. If the link has been killed by the time you get there, try the outlet's archive search function. Location-based technology and social media enable Carazel, echomusic co-founder Pinky Gonzales' (at left) latest venture (TSN) ... Leveraging brands and social media, Moontoast will soon launch a Facebook-specific application (TSN), says co-founder and CTO Marcus Whitney ... Vanderbilt prof Alan Peters is the brains behind Universal Robotics, its humanoid robotics and its Spatial Vision software, currently working its way into warehousing and logistics environments (TSN) ... Jason Moore is founder of HealthDataSource, which helps local government and smaller healthcare providers affordably gather market data (TSN) ... Chris Thompson hopes his SplitSecnd will compete affordably with OnStar for crash notification (TSN) ... New software from Jackson Miller's Bizen helps smaller retailers track their store's performance (TSN) ... George Sibble's Iridium Development is pushing SmartFuel app to help motorists find the cheapest gasoline (TSN) ... The City Paper chronicled mature businesses and Williamson County officials' frustration at lack of proximity to a university spawning software engineers (how close do they need to be to VUSE, TSU, MTSU, APSU, et al, anyway?): Cybera, Comdata, C3 Consulting, Passport Health, Vaco. NP.com also recently looked into Griffin Technology and fashion portal Taigan. NBJ's latest include takes on HealthTech (formerly Brim) and the health IT sector; and, TNInvestco execs talking-up biotech.

Griffin Technology says little, makes repeated splashes

Erin Lawley's highly readable piece in The City Paper on stealthy Griffin Technology doesn't add a lot to the empirical record, but seems to provide some insight into the culture around equally stealthy Paul Griffin, just as he's apparently moving to the passenger seat.

Entrepreneur panel to meet monthly in Memphis

Entrepreneur Week has spawned a monthly entrepreneurs panel discussion in Memphis, according to Memphis Daily News. Related story on Innova event in the CA, here.

Entrepreneurship Memphis

The CA updates this week's entrepreneurship events in Memphis, details here.

UT Research Foundation challenges student entrepreneurs

Nine teams of student entrepreneurs are competing for a bit of cash and access to resources at University of Tennessee Research Foundation. KNS has a blurb.

Entrepreneurship Week begins Monday, 15 November

Tennessee has a big footprint during Global Entrepreneurship Week, with the Nashville Entrepreneur Center, LaunchMemphis and a soon-to-debut WilliamsonInnovate website among highlights.

Miller Energy: TN's most-overlooked business story?

Huntsville, Tenn.-based Miller Energy Resources (oil and gas) has gotten coverage, but the company continues to quietly press ahead and is showing a $154MM market cap on the nasdaq, this morning. Their release about a license extension, and another about rigs being deployed. The KNS reported their 'luck plus pluck' move in Alaska, months ago.

Memphis Musculoskeletal ventures conference

Last week's Musculoskeletal New Ventures Conference in Memphis provided a strong dose of med-devices' ventures for investors, according to Innova President Ken Woody and MB Venture Partners' Mike Sherman. The CA has it. Innova has another entrepreneurial event, Nov. 17, according the CA. Related: Wright Medical has expansion on its mind, Memphis Daily News has it.

Pilot, Covenant, Roadside Medical venture partners

Tennessee-based Pilot Travel Centers and Covenant Transportation are among latest partners of Las Vegas-based Roadside Medical LLC, which provides healthcare and limited pharmacy services for truckers in transit. The TFP has a story on the Covenant wellness program. Roadside's site notes their alliance with Pilot. A Knoxville roadside service is open, now.

HummingbirdBikes pedals e-power

The KNS reports on HummingbirdBike's launch of battery-powered bikes in Knoxville.

Innova venture pitch session Nov. 17

INNOVA, led by Ken Woody (left), will hold an entrepreneurs pitch session Nov. 17, in which veteran entrepreneurs will give advice and feedback to entrepreneurs with startups. They're calling it the "Catfish Tank," instead of "Shark Tank." The CA has it.

Mentor: Knoxville's Tom Boyd

From electrifying garbage cans, to investing in biotechnology, Tom Boyd's come a long way, and spawned a new generation of entrepreneurs. The KNS Business Journal has it.