Written by Charlie Reed, for the Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium
At Tennessee Tech, innovation reaches from the soil to the sky—through university researchers turning their ideas into breakthroughs that are changing how we live, work, eat, and travel.
With nearly 11,000 students across 225 programs, Tech researchers are building tools for the communities and industries that keep Tennessee moving forward. And they’re doing it at an unprecedented pace.
“Invention disclosures climbed from just a few each year to 10 in 2024 and 13 so far this year. That’s two record-breaking years in a row,” said Dr. Michael Aikens, Associate Vice President for Research & Economic Development (acting).
The uptick, he said, grew out of the University’s collaboration with the Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC), an arm of Launch Tennessee. The consortium connects smaller and mid-sized universities like Tech with the people and programs that help move ideas from lab to market, expanding access to commercialization support once concentrated at R1 institutions.
"You can feel the momentum on campus. Faculty are reimagining research, not as the final step in a publication alone, but as the starting point for innovations that can be brought to market, said Aikens, who has spent more than 20 years working across innovation and entrepreneurship at the University.
The foundation for that growth was laid more than a decade ago with President Phil Oldham’s early push for entrepreneurship and programs like Eagle Works, the university’s student pitch competition, said Aikens, who also leads Tech’s Center for Rural Innovation.
But what’s happening at Tech reflects a broader shift across the state. Through TTAC, Launch Tennessee is helping campuses share knowledge, resources, and expertise, creating a connected pipeline from university research to real-world impact.
“When you give campuses access to commercialization support and provide faculty with actionable, one-on-one guidance and new ways of thinking about their research, you unleash potential that might otherwise stay buried. Great ideas aren’t limited to ZIP codes or endowments,” said Launch Tennessee CEO and Tech alum Lindsey Cox.
By mid-2025, companies had invested more than $4 billion in private capital into the state, funneling about 83% of it into rural communities, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.
“When we invest in research and entrepreneurship, we’re not just fueling growth in cities. We’re proving that ideas born in Tennessee can create opportunity in every part of the state,” said Deputy Gov. and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter
Back in Cookeville, Aikens said the University sees that return on investment every day, and not just in patents or prototypes.
“The real ROI isn’t just financial,” he said. “It’s what happens when ideas improve quality of life, create new jobs, and show our residents what’s possible.”
That impact is visible in labs, testbeds, and field projects across campus, where faculty and students are translating ideas into startups. With support from TTAC, Tech is proving how research and innovation in Tennessee are taking root across industries—from electrified soil and ag analytics to hybrid-electric flight and mobile cybersecurity.
This story was made possible with support from TTAC and Launch Tennessee.