Vanderbilt Owen profs again eye NASDAQ trading

Owen Profs. Jacob Sagi and Robert Whaley created new Alpha Indexes derivative products that help investors cope with market volatility and price swings in highly liquid stocks or exchange traded funds. The Nasdaq release is here. Both men are at Owen's Financial Markets Research Center, where faculty have periodically influenced the markets' innovation, led by Director Hans Stoll. (The FMRC convenes a conference on human capital and finance, today at VU.)

Atiba's JJ adds JB from SkyP for IT

Atiba Software founder-CEO JJ Rosen recently announced he's finally landed Joe Baltimore (left), who owned SkyPeak consultancy in the Research Triangle Park area that specializes in the Microsoft applications and products stack. SkyP customers are now with Atiba.

Wunderlich adds Med-devices stock analyst

Memphis-based Wunderlich Securities added medical-devices and tech analyst Gregory
Simpson, working from St. Louis. He was co-head of the healthcare group at Stifel Nicolaus. Earlier this month, the firm named analyst Brian Freed to follow enterprise services, with emphasis on storage and security. Freed was with Morgan Keegan.

Congressional turnover and Tennessee influence

The folks at Oak Ridge National Laboratory say that despite turnover among the Tennessee congressional delegation, the support of US Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander should stand them well. The KNS reports. UT's new President Joe Pietro will have a key ORNL role. A related KNS story on Tennessee influence in Congress, post Election Day.

Chattanooga-Atlanta high-speed rail idea chugs along

The Times Free Press reports the idea of high-speed rail transportation between Chattanooga and Atlanta International Airport lives on, and greater detail is expected by mid-2012. Supposedly, the concept is advancing at least as well as competing rail ideas around the nation.

Pedley now partner in B2B CFO

Daniel Pedley, former with CB Richard Ellis, Brookfield Homes and other companies, is now a partner in the B2B CFO network's Nashville territory, providing outsourced CFO services.

3-D View of Tennessee Economy

In Knoxville, Steve McMurry's Wow 3D Group wades into 3-D imaging without 3-D glasses, the KNS reports. A PCworld video report on related commercialization. Meanwhile, over in the Memphis area, American Paper Optics has been doing land-office business manufacturing traditional 3-D glasses to support the new wave of 3-D cinema.

Business colleges' quality scrutinized

UT College of Bus. Administration Dean Jan Williams is on a committee appraising the quality and relevance of business school education, launched yesterday by AACSB International. The release is here.

Memphis seeks livability, competitiveness

The Commercial Appeal reports on a presentation by a Vancouver, Canada leader regarding the importance of livability in attracting jobs. Memphis Daily News reports on new leadership for Memphis's Aerotropolis project.

Gov. Bredesen meets with Gates Foundation

Governor Phil Bredesen (left) and Gov.-Elect Bill Haslam will meet this afternoon with representatives of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to discuss education issues, according to a gubernatorial press release this morning. The foundation is deeply involved ($90MM) in Memphis City Schools; and, recently made a smaller grant to the Tennessee Chamber (NBJ had it).

Nashville.com and Earbits collaborating on Music

Earbits, a California startup providing online indie-artists music, has partnered with Castello Cities Internet Network, based in Palm Springs, Calif., to add a newly developed music app to Castello-owned Nashville.com. Entrepreneur Joey Flores, based in Venice, California, says Earbits is looking to raise $750K for the overall company, which is developing a batch of high-traffic sites with visitors with affinity for independent artists' offerings. More on this to come. He says the company will be in touch with Tennessee investors. They've raised about $90K, thus far, mainly from West Coast and Boston, he said.

Bredesen, Farr Silicon Ranch branding begins

Silicon Ranch Corp. is a new solar-energy-related startup involving Gov. Phil Bredesen, who is, according to The Tennessean today, backing his former State Revenue Commissioner Reagan Farr, who is SRC's sole employee, and who is exploring a niche in the solar-arrays sector. Could there be a Solar REIT in the offing? The company is a Delaware company, according to the Secretary of State's online data. The agent for its registration is, the State says, Tom Trent, a partner in Bradley Arant Boult Cummings. Trent's a real-estate, finance and economic-development attorney, according to the BABC website. ECD Commissioner Matt Kisber is mentioned as also involved, somehow. The Tennessean recounts the strong push the Bredesen Administration has given Solar during the Bredesen years, and notes Farr has an office adjacent Pathway Lending, a financial institution with strong ties to state economic-development programs. The Tennessean notes Bredesen and Farr also traveled to Spain on a state mission, to discuss clean energy. Spain has one of the world's largest solar-array ranches. Months ago, Columnist Gail Kerr spotted Gov. Bredesen's interest in things Solar, in her widely read column. Kisber and Farr (L-R, at left) have been widely credited as key in the Bredesen Administrations' recruitment of investment by Hemlock, Volkswagen and other majors, as well as in passage of the TNInvestco investment program. More recent commentary, from KNS columnist Greg Johnson (Nov. 12).

AT&T goes vertical: ForHealth strategy unveiled

AT&T today announced its ForHealth strategy for the healthcare vertical, touting wireless, networked and cloud-based solutions to support all manner of health IT connectivity. The release is here. Related story from UnwiredView, whence came the pill bottle art.

JumpStart Foundry at Entrepreneur Center

JumpStart Foundry and the Nashville Entrepreneur Center collaborated on First Pitch, where 13 entrepreneurs pitched their ideas. Erin Lawley at NashvillePost blogs it here.

SuperAngels in new seed/VC fund

Mark Andreesen (left, Netscape) and Ben Horowitz (Opsware) have founded a 'new breed' SuperAngels seed/vc fund in which they actually try grow entrepreneurs into CEOs worthy of the name in a scaling enterprise. The NYT reports.

Fogelman B-School gets high marks

Fogelman College of Business & Economics (FCBE) at the University of Memphis boasts higher standards and better branding, to alumni applause. The CA reports.

Entrepreneurs: Wow 3D Group

In Knoxville, Steve McMurry's Wow 3D Group wades into 3-D imaging without 3-D glasses, the KNS reports. A PCworld video report on related commercialization. Meanwhile, over in the Memphis area, American Paper Optics has been doing land-office business manufacturing traditional 3-D glasses to support the new wave of 3-D cinema.

Health IT: TN Angel fund says Shareable Ink relocating to Nashville

Nashville Capital Network's Tennessee Angel Fund, a TNInvestco-funded group, announced today it's investing in Shareable Ink, which has technology that uses digital pen and paper to translate clinicians' handwriting into digital content for injection into electronic medical records. The Martin Companies and Heritage Group Holdings are among investors, according to a release today. Boston-based Shareable Ink will relocate to Nashville. The round is a $4.5MM series A.

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.

New healthcare Venture fund

Provident Healthcare Ventures in Boston has launched a $25MM healthcare services fund ($250K-$3MM), allied with Provident Healthcare Partners, investment bankers. The release is here.

The Med's $21MM EMR spend

The Med will spend $21 million on electronic medical record and related, with $6.3MM budgeted for the first of three tranches. The CA reports it.

Goldman Sachs scouts on VU campus

Goldman Sachs investment bankers will be on the Vanderbilt University campus for a career information session, Nov. 17, according to the VU Career Center calendar. VUSE, the Engineering School, recently held an Engineering and Information Technology industry day, reported here. Thirty-seven employers, including 15 from Tennessee (including 12 from the Nashville area), participated in the VUSE event.

Chaput invites COOs

The ubiquitous Bob Chaput has announced forming a Nashville chapter of the Chief Operating Officer Business Forum. Here's the rundown. Now with Datamountain, he was long associated with Healthways.

VU Med Center couples EMR, genetics

Vanderbilt University Medical Center's PREDICT program detects a genotype that could foul-up patients' treatment and provides an electronic medical record alert. VUMC Reporter here. Related story on Grand Opportunities funding, here.

E|spaces opens for execs in Belle Meade

Phil Gibbs has opened Espaces, an executive short-interval work and conference space, in the Hill Center at Belle Meade. The TSN reports.

VU research on keyboarding Errrrors

Wait'll iPhone hears it's struggling with our hands, not our brains when it audaciously changes our spelling. The story on Vanderbilt research on intelligence buried in our hands is here. There's a business idea in this somewhere.

Alt Fuels: E-car recharging - We're on it

Oak Ridge National Laboratory is working on wireless charging for electric cars, for those forgetful owners. The KNS reports. Meanwhile, Nissan recently announced progress in setting-up those LEAF recharging stations, including some in Tennessee. Meanwhile, an MTSU professor's car runs on hydrogen, the KNS reports.

MyWerx founder 'Innovator of the Year'

MyWerx, the copyright-management solutions company founded and led by CEO Tim Smith (left), must be doing something important: Smith has just been named 'Innovator of the Year' by Nashville Technology Council. Here's the full NTC listing of honorees. Before founding MyWerx two years ago, Smith was, among other roles, CIO of Simplex, the local diabetics supply company; director, business systems, LBMC; SVP at Copyright Management, and more.

Tennessee 2nd nationally in business climate

Site Selection magazine says Tennessee is second only to North Carolina in Business Climate. The state's release is here.

Cerberus hospital deal approved

The long-anticipated approval of PE player Cerberus' takeover of Boston's Caritas Cristi medical center was approved last week. Boston.com has it. WSJ (sub.) noted the implications this weekend, mentioning Tennessee-based Vanguard, Ardent and Lifepoint as being involved in nonprofit acquisitions.

Knoxville woos 'Creative Class'

"Tennessee's Other Music Capital" is Knoxville, according to a press release last week. The release, crafted by Innovation Valley, doesn't mention Nashville, explicitly. And, Innovate Knoxville provides an interesting calendar of Knoxville venture and entrepreneurial events. The KNS reports it. The calendar was introduced during Knoxville's Entrepreneurial Imperative conference, last week. The Development Corporation of Knox County was one of the hosts. The Innovation Valley Tech Council also played a role.

Sometimes, Tech CEOs just need to bail

The New York Times reports on Twitter Founder Ev Williams' decision to hand the reins to Dick Costolo. Will the guy who sold Blogger to Google do something like that again? Factoid: Article says Twitter insiders talk about 'the Dunbar number': 150 is the most people with whom anyone can have genuinely strong relationships. Meanwhile, SiliconValley reports YouTube founder and now-former CEO Chad Hurley (at left) apparently mentioned his diminished role at the company during the Founders (-only) conference in Ireland, which was quickly followed by Google admission he was out of the CEO job. 'Seems Google wants to make money out of its YouTube acquisition. 'Seems Hurley is more interested in his new apparel company and Formula One racing, judging by this YouTube post.

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.

FedEx Fred Smith lauded for humanitarianism

FedEx CEO Fred Smith will receive an award for his and FedEx's humanitarian contributions, such as in relieving hunger in Haiti, during a Nov. 16 ceremony of the George C. Marshall Foundation. Their release is here.

Adesta, EPB symbiosis on fiber-optic

Adesta, owned by British-owned G4S, has gotten lots of business, thanks to Chattanooga EPB's fiber-optic broadband foray. The TFP has it.

Robert Half: Chattanooga IT, Accounting jobs rise

With a Volkswagen tailwind blowing through Hamilton County, IT and accounting jobs should rise significantly in the year ahead, according to a Robert Half study. The TFP 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.

Trahern now GM Great American Country

Nashvillian Sarah Trahern (left) has been named general manager and SVP of Great American Country, a Scripps Networks property. Trahern worked for TNN and C-Span prior to Scripps, and earned degrees at Georgetown University and Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management. The Scripps release is here.

Anthem Healthcare Intelligence in pact

Franklin-based Anthem Healthcare Intelligence announced it'll partner with Louisville-based Alliant Management Services to provide business-intelligence services. The release is here.

Scripps Networks consolidates in Knoxville

Scripps Networks Interactive, home of HGTV, Great American Country, The Food Network and other offerings, announced 28 October it's consolidating its headquarters in Knoxville, moving from Cincinnati. The release is here.

B'ham Vivo BioScience in Roche-ACEA pact

Birmingham Vivo Bioscience announced entering an R&D collaboration for development of cell-based assays for the xCELLigence System, co-developed by Roche-ACEA and marketed by Roche Applied Science. Details here. The B'ham BJ says the deal is worth about $2MM now for Vivo.

DJ Venture Index debuts

Dow Jones Venture Capital Indexes debuted yesterday, providing continual reporting of the value of VC funds' portfolio companies, weighted by capital invested and other factors, and derived largely from reports from Down Jones VentureSource. The Oct. 28 release is here.

TelaPoint supply-chain SW provider grows

The Louisville BJ says TelaPoint, a supply-chain software provider now owned by Maine-based Wright Express, will expand its presence in Louisville.

Comment: Knoxville competition for investment

KNS business columnist Roger Harris notes speculation about major companies considering investment in the Knoxville area, with the recurring theme of land scarcity being a hurdle Knox must meet.

Enernex CTO lauded for Smart Grid acumen

Erich Gunther (left), chairman and CTO of Knoxville-based EnerNex, has been cited for industry leadership in advancing smart-grid collaboration and technology. Enernex provides engineering and consulting services, plus software and solutions to the electric power industry. The release is here.

Chinese best ORNL's Jaguar supercomputer

The New York Times reports Chinese are unveiling a new supercomputing system with 1.4X the power of top-ranked computers now at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The NYT's story is here. The Telegraph confirms the machine will unseat Jaguar at ORNL.

CEO for Health Info Partnership TN

HIP-TN has operated for some time through a contract with C3 Consulting, where Vicki Estrin is managing consultant. HIP-TN has now has retained the Buffkin Group to recruit a CEO for the organization. Here's the CEO Job Description. Here's a HIP-TN overview (PPT). Here's our earlier story on the interrelationship between the TN Office of E-Health, run by Will Rice, and HIP-TN.

BMG names Creative chief

BMG, owned by Bertelsman and private-equity player KKR, named Richard Blackstone (left), former Warner and Zomba/Nashville chief, to be its NYC-based chief creative officer. The release is here. Blackstone, who holds a law degree, has mastered social media and other development and marketing domains.

Wunderlich adds to tech coverage

Memphis-based Wunderlich Securities added Brian Freed as SVP and tech analyst, covering the Enterprise Infrastructure sector with a focus on storage and security, according to a release. Freed was with Morgan Keegan.

edo Interactive names Whitson CFO

edo Interactive, the early-stage stored-value and gift-card provider, recently named Clay Whitson, formerly of iPayment, its chief financial officer.

Chattanooga manufacturers go 'regional'

The Chattanooga Manufacturers Association is now the Chattanooga REGIONAL Manufacturers Association, with members up into Middle Tennessee and North Georgia. The TFP reports. Earlier, the TFP reported a Georgia gubernatorial candidate vowed not to lose another VW to Tennessee.

GTx in $40MM stock offering

GTx, the Memphis pharma company, has filed for a $40MM gross proceeds offering, the MBJ has it.

PivotHealth signs Providence Medical Institute

PivotHealth, the Brentwood practice-management consultant to physician groups, has signed Providence Medical Institute in California.

Pathway's new small-biz loans Updated

Pathway Lending, the Nashville-based lender formerly Southeast Community Capital (our earlier story here) announced another small-business loan program this morning, in conjunction with the State ECD and the Tennessee Bankers Associaton. The anchor grant came from the state and PL CEO Clint Gwin hopes to raise another $15mil or so, to bring the program to $25mil.

Software pro's coming to Nashville

The Software Test Professionals Association announced they'll have their 2011 annual meeting in Nashville, in March.

Chattanooga jobs growth sets pace

Chattanooga's metro area beat Nashville and Knoxville in the latest jobs growth rankings, The TFP reports. Education and Healthcare will be jobs-growth sectors in Tennessee, the AP reports via the Tennessean. Chattanoogan.com's story here. The state's report. Chattanooga unveils new jobs-growth initiative, the TFP reports.

AutoZone adopts DST technology

Memphis-based AutoZone adopted Distribution Service Technologies (DST) software for e-commerce with AZ's commercial customers. The CA has it.

HummingbirdBikes pedals e-power

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

MasterIT recognized among data MSPs

Memphis-based MasterIT won plaudits from CRN magazine for innovativeness among IT multiservice providers. MDN has it.

The FT: VU, UT exec MBAs among world's best

According to a study by the Financial Times, executive MBA programs at Vanderbilt University (72) and the University of Tennessee (98) are among the top 100 in the world, a league in which only US programs associated with Kellogg, U. Chicago, Duke, Columbia made the top 10.

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.

TVA cites potential TN data-center sites

TVA retained Deloitte to help the power producer identify sites in Tennessee for future data centers, which could operate using the cost-advantaged TVA power grid. Details are here.

Lexmark needs app developers

Louisville-based Lexmark is looking for developers with Flash experience to develop apps for the company's Web-enabled all-in-one printers. Details here.

Aegis Sciences majority interest sold Metalmark

Nashville-based Aegis Sciences today announced the sale of majority ownership in the company to Metalmark Capital. Our earlier story on Aegis is here. By now, the company's revenue's probably north of $40m. The company made its name in drug-testing for athletes in baseball, NASCAR and other sports.

Emma, Parental Health founders speak

Digital Nashville's CEO series in coming weeks features Emma founder Clint Smith, Nov. 2; and, Parental Health founder Scotte Hudsmith (left), Dec. 7th. Registrations details are here.

Martin Cos. backs Care Team HIT

Skokie, Ill.-based CareTeam (formerly RemCare) announced Nashville-based The Martin Companies led the company's $2.7m A-round. Care Team says it provides tech platforms that help connect providers, patients and others in the continuum of care. MartinCos founder Charlie Martin (left) is perhaps better known, at the moment, as founder, chairman and CEO of Vanguard Health Systems, the Blackstone- and Morgan Stanley-backed company rumored to be considering an IPO.

UT Solar Institute funds flow

The UT-based Tennessee Solar Institute is looking at another series of grants to create jobs in Solar, and has already awarded millions. The KNS story's here.

Anderson's new-media channels

Charlie Anderson controls Magazines.com, Liquid Digital Media and other properties, and Amy Nolan of Knoxville News Sentinel provides a comprehensive profile whose family business was sold-off after a bruising face-off with publishers, in the face of changing media economics. Following an Anderson donation, UT launched the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

Musculoskeletal Ventures: This week

MB Ventures and Memphis Bioworks collaborate for the Musculoskeletal New Ventures Conference, beginning tomorrow.

Chattanooga: Capitalizing on G-bit speed

The Intelligent Community Forum says Chattanooga, thanks to the fiber-optic network from EPB, is one of Earth's 21 most intelligent communities. TFP has it. The TFP reported earlier on Chattanooga market competition among EPB, Comcast and AT&T. And, the TFP reported on Chattanooga's Lyndhurst Foundation's funding study of ways to capitalize on the River City's newfound technology advantage.

Luken's Chattanooga b'cast networks

A partnership with Seals Entertainment, content licenses bought from Equity Entertainment, and Chattanooga-based Henry Luken seems on his way to creating 10 US television networks, providing content for over-the-air broadcasters. He's buying-up LPTV slots, as well. Times Free Press reports.

VU nanoscience clean room upgraded

If you're working with nanoparticles, you want the air really, really clean and you want to be able to detect leaks of dangerous gases, quickly. The VUMC Reporter tells of an upgrade in the VINSE nanotech facility.

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.

Owen MBA grad CEO United Space Alliance

Virginia Barnes, who among other achievements holds an Owen GSM MBA, has been named president and CEO of the Houston-based United Space Alliance. Release here.

Bass Berry on Hospital ownership changes

Health Reform legislation will have tremendous impact on physician ownership of hospitals, as outlined in a good overview published today by Bass Berry & Sims, in Nashville.

Court undercuts 'Net Neutrality'

A U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C. today said the FCC has no authority to force broadband providers to treat all customers the same, despite their broadband consumption. The NY Times reports. This may have even broader ramifications for the Obama Administration's attempts to upgrade U.S. broadband.

TNInvestco may sharpen headquarters provision

Sometime soon, the General Assembly may, as long anticipated, expand the initial round of TNInvestco, retroactively, to include two more firms. Along the way, legislators may also endorse Revenue Commmissioner Reagan Farr's request to strengthen requirements that any out-of-state ventures that receive TNInvestco funds must relocate their headquarters and principal operations to Tennessee. There'd been rumblings for months from several TNInvestcos that they were finding some out-of-state prospects very appealing. Although recruiting funds here may galvanize small-business advocates who feel there are too many incentives for non-indigenous businesses, already, the requirement would probably accelerate "jobs-creation," by transplanting jobs, rather than growing them from seed-stage. That change, in turn, could strengthen the case not only for a $40MM expansion of the program, but for yet a further increment of $40MM, bringing the total tax-credit value to $200MM. At the same time, some Republican legislators have indicated they are wary of expanding the TNInvestco program further before it has been reviewed for effectiveness, and before a new governor -- whom many think will be a Republican -- takes office in January. TNInvestco legislation has, thus far, been mainly bipartisan. Related story by Erin Lawley, in NashvillePost.

PureSafety software upgrade

PureSafety today announced Occupational Health Manager software enhancements, release is here.

Biotech Graduate Association meeting, April 9

The Tennessee Biotechnology Association Graduate Association is have a social hour April 9 at 5 p.m. at the Flying Saucer hangout. The TBA GA form is here. Our earlier story on Mark Harris (left) and the Graduate Alliance is here. The TBA site is here.

Business 'maniacs' needed, says Riddell

As ever, Chattanooga Times Free Press Columnist John Riddell has an interesting take on the need for 'maniacs' in these times: Maniacs who'll cust their operating costs to the bone, and cut prices drastically to stay in business. Piece is here.

Memphis ad-venturing

Folks in Memphis say their recent 48Launch event produced eight (8) viable startups. We'll see. Next up for the ever-busy Memphians: Tribe, and event that crosses boundaries. The CA reports.

Passport eCares

Services and solutions within Passport Health Communications' new eCare suite include insurance eligibility verification, address verification, registration quality assurance (RQA), physician order screening (OrderChecker™), patient payment estimation (PPE), eCashiering for patient payment collections and more. Release is here.

Brewer reports TNInvestco concerns of TTDC staff

Tennessee Center for Policy Research Executive Director Clint Brewer reports on the fruits of his recent FOIA request for TNInvestco-related documents on-file at Tennessee Technology Development Corporation (TTDC). Some of the documents, as described by Brewer, suggest early concern by some TTDC staff regarding the need for a body independent of ECD-Revenue to select TNInvestco winners. Brewer also says the documents he obtained suggest tensions between ECD officials and TTDC leadership. Brewer's report, apparently funded by TCPR, is here.

Chattanoogan is SBA 'Person of Year'

Chattanooga artisan baker John Sweet of Niedlov's Breadworks has been named Tennessee's Small Business Administration "Person of the Year." Chattanoogan.com has it.

VC Doerr taps Ferguson CEO of EMR Play

In its exclusive report, Venture Nashville breaks news about Nashvillian Gary Ferguson's appointment as CEO of a electronic medical record (EMR) and revenue-cycle management (RCM) venture that will have a Nashville office, a St. Louis headquarters and the personal backing of famed VC John Doerr, whose dayjob is leading Kleiner Perkins. There's also background on KPCB in Tennessee and further info about NotifyMD, which Ferguson previously led as CEO.

Venture Notes, April 5, 2010

The latest venture-notes roundup includes Jack Massari's ICGLink, Nashville Medical Trade Center, Gibson Guitar, a $5MM private placement and much more. The roundup is here.

Venture Nashville Calendar Update

Our update on major coming events includes Gov. Bredesen's ECD conference, a major new social-media event and many other programs worthy of consideration. The calendar's here.

'Race to Top' results draw skepticism

States that didn't win $500MM as Tennessee did are considering no longer participating in the Federal 'Race to the Top' education-reform program. Fed officials aren't backing off. The NY Times reports.

Oak Ridge NL gets Secretary's challenge

Fast Track: During a recent visit to Oak Ridge National Lab, Energy Secretary Steven Chu (left) signalled he wants to see 'Manhattan Project'-type approaches to tackling new-energy challenges, with less waiting around for funding reviews. UT-Battelle also got its contract extension for managing ORNL. And, ORNL Director Thom Mason reviewed the lab's accomplishments, in the KNS.

TN Tech devcenter grant

Tennessee Tech proposes beefing-up Center for Rural Regional Development Creation, with $500K ARC grant. The TFP has it. State release.

Advocating Gore's UT honorific

Gary McCracken, head of UT's department of ecology and evolutionary biology, makes the case in the KNS for the University awarding former VP Al Gore an honorary degree, which has been criticized by some.

The Street not good at raising capital?

New York Times Magazine recently carried former WSJ reporter Roger Lowenstein's jeremiad against what he sees as Wall Street's poor performance in raising capital, which drew the ire of blogger at Sub Specie Æternitatis, whose identify remains unconfirmed by VNC.

VU CERN linkage

Recent Vanderbilt University release describes VU physicists' roles relative to the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. VNC's earlier story on related VU CERN data-processing responsibilities is here.

AirPlay Direct update

Although he'll be continuing his talent-management business, Scott Welch was recently elevated from a special-projects role at AirPlay Direct to president. Robert Weingartz remains AirPlay's CEO. The release is here. An earlier VNC story is here. We're thinking Welch is probably also continuing to support Highnote. Investor Stephen Collins continues as an advisor to AirPlay.

Horizon Center mystery prospect

The Horizon Center scitech biz park may be getting a new resident, a company that is consolidating its facilities in one spot. The company remains unidentified, but the KNS says the OR Industrial Development Board will hear a presentation, Monday, April 5.

VNC's Capps joining FT's mergermarket

On April 7th I'm joining the crew at The Financial Times Group's mergermarket newsletter, in the role of Nashville-based regional reporter, focusing on healthcare, life sciences, mergers and acquisitions and other assignments. I'll say more, soon, but I wanted to let Venture Nashville's readers, sources and other friends know, now. VentureNashville.com will soon go into hiatus. As word has gotten 'round, some folks have expressd interest in exploring keeping VNC going. I'd sure love that. It's been a labor of love. If there turn out to be serious prospects for that, you'll be among the first to know. Meanwhile, stick with us. Cheers, Milt Capps [milt@venturenashville.com]

Uniguest eyes digital growth

Nashville-based Uniguest expects to hit $12MM in revenue this year, and may become part of the supposed wave of digital Out of Home media mergers, somewhere down the road. The Story's here.

TN biz incubators thriving

Business incubators in Chattanooga and Cleveland are thriving in Tennessee, the TFP reports.

UNUM awards Academy STEM grant

Unum, based in Chattanooga, awarded $150K over three years to the Greater Chattanooga Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) Academy. The TFP reports.

Alexander hails VW auto 'hub'

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) toured the emerging Volkswagen facility in Hamilton County and declared Chattanooga the heart of America's new auto industry. The TFP has it.