UTRF Discover 2015

DISCOVER The University of Tennessee Research Foundation

2015

2 | UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015

About UTRF UTRF helps the University of Tennessee fulfill its mission in becoming a national leader in research, discovery and innovation. UTRF’s mission is to encourage innovation, enhance research and facilitate economic development by commercializing intellectual property created from within the University of Tennessee System.

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015 | 3

From the President As we celebrate our 80th year, it is a good time to reflect on the accomplishments and growth of University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF). We have expanded from promoting agricultural inventions in the 1930s to advocating for a broad range of modern research, including biology, chemistry, pharmaceuticals and alternative energy.

This year, along with a new look, we launched our new Invention Disclosure Enterprise Application (I.D.E.A.) and a remodeled website. I.D.E.A. offers UT researchers a user-friendly, 24-hour access to electronically submit and track their invention disclosures. Our new website (utrf.tennessee.edu) presents expanded information on UT innovations, resources for inventors, and events for the regional entrepreneurial community. We invite you to visit our website, and we welcome your feedback.

We are delighted to share this report, which celebrates the UTRF’s impact on innovation, new venture formation and corporate engagement for the University Tennessee. We hope you will join us as we as we continue to find innovative ways to help faculty, staff, and students advance their research discoveries.

“Join us as we as we continue to find innovative ways to help faculty, staff, and students advance their research discoveries.”

David Millhorn, Ph.D., UTRF President

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UTRF Leadership David Millhorn, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . UTRF President Stacey S. Patterson, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice President (Multi Campus Office) Richard Magid, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vice President (Health Science Center Office)

Licensing Maha Krishnamurthy, MBA, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Vice President of Licensing Patrick Reynolds, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Licensing Associate Nghia Chiem, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Licensing Associate Stefan Schweizer, MBA, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Licensing Associate Andreana Leskovjan, Ph.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Licensing Assistant Delira Robbins, Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Licensing Assistant

Legal Mary Ann Warwick Russell J.D. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Staff Attorney Lakita Cavin, J.D., Ph.D.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Staff Attorney

Administrative Samantha Jeffers, CPA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Budget Director Melissa Dos Santos. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marketing Coordinator Tinieka Thrailkill, M.P.S. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Senior Administrative Coordiantor, UTHSC Dori Miller. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Office Manager, MCO Teresa Cooper. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Accounting Assistant Kathy Richards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Business Incubator Coordinator

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015 | 5

Board Members (Chair) James Roberto, Ph.D. Associate Lab Director, ORNL George Cates

Chairman (Retired) Mid-America Apartment Communities

William E. Evans, MD

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital (Retired CEO)

Brad A. Lampley, J.D.

Adams and Reese LLP

Darryl Quarles, MD

Professor & Division Chief, UTHSC

Taylor Eighmy, Ph.D.

Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement, UTK

Cari J. Parker

VP Corporate Tech, Eastman Chemical Company

Rhonda Rice

Executive Vice President, Knoxville Chamber of Commerce

Keith Helton, MD

CEO, One to One PPN, Chattanooga, TN

David Millhorn, Ph.D.

President & CEO, UT Research Foundation

“UTRF provides the experience and expertise to help UT faculty, staff, and students take their ideas to the next level. ”

Dr. David Millhorn

UTRF’s STRATEGIC GOALS • Be a recognized leader in technology commercialization and technology-based economic growth.

• Build trust and confidence in the technology commercialization system and achieve a high level of satisfaction for services and outcomes.

• Achieve sustainable financial success and a return on deployed public and private resources by creating value.

• Reach and sustain excellence in technology commercialization, continuous improvements and the highest level of performance in technology management practices, startup company business development and research park recruitment and incubation services.

• Enhance and support research and instruction; expand educational opportunities for under graduate, graduate, professional students and faculty to experience and participate in the technology commercialization and entrepreneurial processes.

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2015 UTRF Impact UTRF PROVIDES THE TECH TRANSFER SERVICES TO FACULTY, STAFF, AND STUDENTS SYSTEM-WIDE. • • • • • •

•

$1,256,542 paid to UT inventors $2,905,677 UT research contracts due to licensed IP $1,486,365 industry research agreements to handle future IP ~$688,000 patent investment in UT IP $177,963 directly back to colleges and departments ~$77,000 in fees to stand up a 501(c)3 to allow UT to compete for IACMI ($259M over five years) $54,425,000 in capital raised by UTRF companies in TN(FY15)

Total = $61,016,547

UTRF REVENUE SHARING POLICY

$0 $5,000 100% Inventors

0% Department

0% Campus

0% UTRF

15% Campus

30% UTRF

20% Campus

25% UTRF

$5,000 $1M 40% Inventors

15% Department

$1M+ 35% Inventors

20% Department

Note: After the first $5,000, distributions are made on net revenues remaining after legal fees have been deducted.

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DISCLOSURE PIPELINE 160 160 144 144 145 145

152 152

140 140 116 116

120 120 100 100 Disclosures

Disclosures

Non-UT Non-UT

80

80

60

60

40

40

20

20

0

0

81

81

88

88 87

UTM UTM

87

UTHSC UTHSC UTK UTK UTIA UTIA 51

51

UTSI UTSI UTC UTC

2009 2009 2010 2010 2011 2011 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015 2015 YTD 2016 YTD 2016

REACHING NEW INVENTORS 250

115

200 48

Inventors

48 150

89

103

93

104

110

101

Repeat New

100

110

102 50

48 0

2009

86

49

73

39 2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

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FOCUSING ON DEAL FLOW 50 45

22

Licenses & Options

40

21

43

35 30

16

16

15

25 20 15

22 16

15

21 17

16

10

9

5 0 2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

UTRF’S PATENT PORTFOLIO (483 TOTAL PATENTS AND PATENT APPLICATIONS)

Unlicensed 27% Licensed 45%

Provisional Patents 11% UT Battelle 10%

Previously Licensed 7%

2015

YTD 2016

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LICENSING REVENUE

License Revenue ($ in millions)

3.5 3

1.74M

3.32M 1.55M

2.5

1.36M

1.55M 1.40M

2 1.5

1.40M

1.00M .96M

1.74M 1.36M

1

1.55M

958,521

1.40M 1.00M

0.5

.55M

.96M

.55M

0

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

YTD 2016

NEW COMPANY STARTS 10

9 New Company Starts

8

6

6

4

4

4

3

4 3

2

0

2009 FY 2009

FY2010 2010

2011 FY 2011

FY2012 2012

2013 FY 2013

2014 FY 2014

2015 FY 2015 (YTD)

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UTRF launches new website The redesigned utrf.tennessee.edu now features streamlined menus, simple navigation and informational sections designated for Inventor Resources, Industry and UTRF News & Events to make it more user friendly.

The website serves as an informational resource hub for inventors and highlights UT technologies.

By using streamlined menus, simple navigation and easy access to important information, the site provides an improved resource tool for technology transfer at the University of Tennessee. The website’s fresh new look and improved functionality are some of the enhanced features.

The Available Technologies section offers improved search options and filters. The Inventor Resources page contains information about UT’s technology transfer process, addresses frequently asked questions, provides information about UTRF grant programs, patents and public disclosure and more.

UTRF – Where discovery and opportunity connect!

The homepage provides at a glance, links to Inventor Resources, UTRF news and events, where to submit an invention disclosure and categories to easily search our Available Technologies.

Use the website to learn about upcoming events, submit an invention disclosure, view resource presentations, and keep up with the latest technologies available from the University of Tennessee.

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INVENTION DISCLOSURE ENTERPRISE APPLICATION

lntroducing I.D.E.A. UTRF’s New, Secure, Online Portal for Invention Disclosures The University of Tennessee Research Foundation released its new Invention Disclosure Enterprise Application. (I.D.E.A.).

IDEA (idea.tennessee.edu) is the new, secure, online portal for invention disclosures at the University of Tennessee. It offers a faster, easier way to submit disclosures.

• The application is available 24/7/365 and compatible with any PC/Mac/Phone/Tablet.

• The employees’s UT netID is linked automatically to simplify the submission and approval process.

• Submission and approval status are monitored in real-time.

• New disclosures are submitted for commercialization in just minutes!

• IDEA is paperless and ecofriendly.

At any time, UT employees may log in to idea.tennessee. edu to submit or manage an invention disclosure. IDEA enables Inventors, Approvers, and UTRF staff to monitor the progress of invention disclosures through submission, management, and approval. It also facilitates the initiation of the commercialization process.

faster

more secure

easier to track progress

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UTRF Inventors Named NAI Fellows Inventors Doug Birdwell, a Professor Emeritus of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and Duane Miller, Professor and Chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the UTHSC College of Pharmacy, were named National Academy of Inventors fellows.

The NAI bestows the honor on academicians who have inventions that have impacted the quality of life, economic development or the welfare of society. Previously named University of Tennessee fellows include Vice Chancellor for Research and Engagement Taylor Eighmy and John Fisher Distinguished Professor Mark Dean.

Birdwell’s research into computing and information systems, including high-performance databases, has spanned from their initial surge in the 1970s through their universal adoption today. That work has made him a well-known figure, having published more than 100 papers and led millions of dollars worth of research.

“Those resources are for data derived from DNA and their utility in human identification, both us-

ing direct search and search via family relationships,” he said.

Much of that work, which includes 30 patents and additional six pending patent applications, was coordinated with the help of the UT Research Foundation.

“His innovative work is currently being used worldwide to assist law enforcement officials in the identification of remains of missing persons and mass disaster victims. UTRF has worked with him to protect and commercialize these important discoveries that have revolutionized the scalability and use of DNA evidence for human identification,” said UTRF Vice President Stacey Patterson.

Miller has collaborated on a number of successful research efforts. They have resulted in patents for SARMS (Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators) for treating some cancers; radiation mitigators now under development; and tubulin inhibitors or targeted therapies for resistant cancers. Miller estimates he and his

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015 | 13

NAI Fellows continued: collaborators have about 400 patents or patents pending for attacking diseases.

“We’re trying to design drugs for the future,” Miller said. “That’s what’s exciting to me.”

Miller said was inspired to become a pharmacist after a hometown pharmacist helped when his father was diagnosed with emphysema. A semester of work in a lab during pharmacy school at the University of Kansas cemented his career choice of designing drugs to help people.

“It’s a very humbling experience,” Miller said. “I never thought I’d be in the Academy.”

Richard Magid, UTRF vice president, called Miller worthy of the recognition for developing drugs to combat cancer and muscle wasting.“This is testimony to Duane’s relentless focus on both performing research at the highest level and translating his work into the commercial realm so that it can then benefit as many lives as possible,” he said.

TOP UTRF Named in Top 100 University of Tennessee Ranked in Top 100 Worldwide Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents for 2nd Year in a Row by NAI and IPO.

For the second year in a row, the University of Tennessee has ranked among the top 100 universities in the world granted U.S. utility patents.

“The granting of patents indicates that our faculty and research staff across the system are producing quality outcomes with potential for commercialization. As a University, we are committed to providing an atmosphere that supports innovation and encourages our researchers to seek protection of their discoveries,” said David Millhorn, president of the UT Research Foundation and executive vice president and vice president of research for the UT System.

UTRF, which filed the patents for technology discovered across the UT System, had 34 patents granted in 2014, ranking the University 91st on the list. Overall, the University of Tennessee had 24 patents as the first named assignee on the patent, and 10 more patents in which the University was not the first assignee.

The report, based on data obtained from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, recognizes the important role patents play in university research. The National Academy of Inventors and the Intellectual Property Owners Association compile the rankings each year by calculating the number of utility patents granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office which list a university as the first assignee on the printed patent.

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MATURATION GRANT FUNDING The annual grant competition provides UT faculty, staff, and students with grants of up to $15,000 to develop technologies with commercial potential.

2015 MATURATION FUND RECIPIENTS Lead Inventor

Technology

Hassan Almoazen

Phase I clinical trial of topical delivery of iodide to nutrient-deficient patients

Vanessa Morales-Tirado

Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology (UTHSC)

Development of a retinal ganglion cell line for experimental vision research

Guy Reed

Antidote to reverse TPA-induced bleeding complications

Robert Rooney

Biorepository laboratory information management system

Xueping Li

Interactive debriefing between observers and participants working with high fidelity digitally enabled manikins

Alexander B. Papandrew

Method which yields commercially viable fuel cells with significantly lower precious metal content

Tim Sparer

A novel anti-cytomegalovirus (CMV) drug with decreased toxicity

Phillip Ye

Method to produce acrylic acid from crude glycerol production of technical grade acrylic acid.

Assistant Professor of Pharmaceutical Science (UTHSC)

Professor and Chair of Internal Medicine (UTHSC)

Assistant Professor of Pediatrics (UTHSC)

Associate Professor of Industrial and Systems Engineering (UTK)

Research Associate Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering (UTK)

Assistant Professor of Microbiology (UTK)

Associate Professor of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, Center for Renewable Carbon (CRC) (UTK)

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015 | 15

2015 Product Launches Bovichek® M. avium spp paratuberculosis (Johne’s) Antibody Test Kit, ELISA

Michael Angelo (Mikey) K9 Endoscopy Mannikin

LifeCare Sim LifeCare Sim: Ponder, the Socratic Way: game to teach nursing through real-life scenarios

SEFM Educational App: Design, view and share fetal heart rate and contraction charts and learn the basics of Electronic Fetal Monitoring (EFM) in a fun and intuitive way with the simulated app.

16 | UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015

UTRF Innovation Awards The UT Research Foundation recognized more than 100 University of Tennessee researchers for recent discoveries and commercialization successes during the 2016 Innovation Award ceremonies.

“Our researchers have translated their ideas into reality,” said David Millhorn, executive president and senior vice president for research.

awards in more than one category.

“UTHSC researchers are inventing new drugs, vaccines, and medical devices that have the potential to treat significant diseases” said Richard Magid, UTRF vice president. “But the full benefit of a discovery is only realized after the university partners with the private sector to turn that invention into a proven, safe, and effective product.”

Once the University patents a technology, it can then be licensed to outside companies for further development and commercialization.

For the past two years, the University has been ranked among the top 100 universities in the world granted U.S. patents.

UTRF Health Science Center Awards: l-r Steve Schwab, Duane Miller, Charles Ryan Yates, Edward Chaum, and Richard Magid

Each ceremony – one held in Memphis and one in Knoxville – honors noted researchers and the innovations they have made at the university. All inventors who have been awarded a US patent or founded a startup company within the past year were presented with a plaque, and all inventors that contributed to a new-

UTRF Health Science Center Awards

ly-licensed technology received a certificate of recognition. Several researchers received

“License agreements stemming from patented technologies generate revenue for the University and can develop into new companies, which contribute to local and regional economic development and impact the quality of life for Tennesseans,” Millhorn said.

Jayne Wu, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (UTK) and Shigetoshi Eda, Professor of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries with the UT Institute of Agriculture, winners of the B. Otto and Kathleen Wheeley Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer, were also recognized during the ceremony.

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015 | 17

“I have had a very positive experience working with UTRF” said Dr. Eda

UTRF Multi Campus Office Awards: l-r Maha Krishnamurthy, Stacey S. Patterson, Jayne Wu, & Shigetoshi Eda

Wu’s research interests include microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, Bio-MEMS and electrokinetics.

Eda’s research interests include the immunology and diagnosis of an infectious disease in ruminates called Johne’s disease. Wu and Eda are both authors on numerous publications and are the recipients of multiple patents.

tion, advertising the technology, licensing and interactions with private companies.

UTRF awards the Wheeley Award to UT faculty who excel in the commercialization of university-based inventions. The B. Otto and Kathleen Wheeley Foundation provides the award stipend of $5,000 through an endowment fund, which was established in 1989.

About 10 years ago, Eda, with Professor Emeritus C.A. Speer, developed a highly sensitive diagnostic test for Johne’s disease, and in February 2015, a veterinary diagnostic company announced the development of a new kit based on Eda’s invention. l-r Stacey S. Patterson, Maha Krishnamurthy, Doug Birdwell, David Millhorn, Tsewei Wang, Patrick Reynolds, David Icove, & Andreana Leskovjan

Wheeley Award recipients: Shigetoshi Eda and Jayne Wu

“I think we owe a large part of our successful licensing to UTRF and Dr. Maha Krishnamurthy.

Maha worked diligently and closely with us for two years leading up to the licensing. I have had a very positive experience working with UTRF” said Dr. Wu. Dr Eda also commented, “I echo what Jayne [Wu] said. UTRF helped us with patent applica-

David Millhorn and Neal Stewart

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l-r Jonathan Sexton, Richard Magid, Stacey S. Patterson, Ming Qi, Thomas Zawodzinski, and Mengqi Zhang

the global marketplace,” said Stacey Patterson, UTRF vice president.

Ming Qi, of Peroxygen Systems received the $20,000 award from UTRF. The winning team was one of six finalists pitching its business idea to a panel of investors.

After weeks of preparation, Peroxygen Systems claimed the winning prize during the 2016 Tennessee Venture Challenge.

This is the second year that the University of Tennessee Research Foundation has hosted the challenge, a months-long process during which startups define their markets before pitching their products, during a competition to bring intellectual property created at a UT campus or institute to the market. At the end of the seven-week series, nine potential startups competed in the TVC semifinals. During the semifinals, the field was narrowed to the six teams that competed in the final event.

“The 2016 Tennessee Venture Challenge saw technologies that represented the broad spectrum of research occurring at the University of Tennessee that have the potential to solve problems and bring tremendous innovations to

Ming Qi, a former postdoctoral researcher at UT, started Peroxygen Systems to make the hydrogen peroxide production and delivery process more efficient and cost effective. Hydrogen peroxide works as a bleaching agent and disinfectant against bacteria, viruses, spores and yeasts.

“We are pretty happy,” said Qi of the prize. “We will really make use of the money to build our first prototype.”

Qi said that the onsite production of hydrogen peroxide reduces costs for manufacturers by more than 50 percent, and, more importantly, is environmentally friendly and prevents the dangerous transportation of the chemical.

Farm Specific Technology took the $3,000 second place and the $5,000 crowd favorite

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015 | 19

prize. That team is working to patent the Flex Roller Crimper, a flexible twist on a piece of

l-r Jonathan Sexton, Stacey S. Patterson, Daniel Wiggins, Richard Magid, Shawn Butler, and Austin Scott

farm equipment used to manage cover crops and get rid of pesky weeds. Shawn Butler, a graduate research assistant at UT’s West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center, is working with Austin Scott and Daniel Wiggins on the project.

Qixin Zhong, a professor with the UT Department of Food and Science Technology, started CZ Nutrition, which took the $2,000 third prize. He

l-r Jonathan Sexton, Qixin Zhong, Richard Magid, Stacey S. Patterson, Ben Savage, Kate McKnight, and Nghia Chiem

has invented a technology to produce clear protein drinks that are easy on the palate, rich in nutrients and sugar free.

over 250 registered

Each group presented an eight-minute pitch to: Ken Woody of Innova Memphis; Grady Vanderhoofven of Meritus Ventures; Brian Laden of TriStar Technology Ventures; and Tim Wilson of Artiman Ventures.

Ken Woody

Grady Vanderhoofven

Brian Laden

Innova

Meritus Ventures

TriStar Technology Ventures

Tim Wilson Artiman

2016 TVC FINALE JUDGES TVC Judging panel: l-r Ken Woody, Grady Vanderhoofven, Brian Laden, and Tim Wilson

The judges scored all presentations on a variety of criteria including: • explanation of product/service and the problem it solves • uniqueness of product, • sizable market opportunity • ability to penetrate that market development stage with a viable business model and clear measures of success.

“Moving intellectual property from the lab into the marketplace is one of UTRF’s primary functions, and we’re excited about the enthusiasm for commercialization we’ve seen among the UT research community during this competition,” said Patterson.

All 2016 TVC Participating Teams:

20 | UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015

Craig Blue, IACMI; David Danielson, US Department of Energy; and David Millhorn, University of Tennessee Research Foundation

UT-Led IACMI Formally Launches at Inaugural Meeting in Knoxville.

In January 2015, President Barack Obama announced the creation of the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation, a consortium of 122 organizations seeking to improve the way America handles its manufacturing industry.

UT and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are among IACMI’s founding research partners.

The IACMI signing ceremony between the US Department of Energy and IACMI representatives marked the official start of business for the newly established institute.

Funded with $70 million in federal funds and more than $180 million in nonfederal funds, IACMI will focus on making advanced fiber-reinforced polymer composites less expensive and less energy-intensive, helping give America’s resurgent manufacturing sector a more competitive edge in the global economy.

“The DOE investment in IACMI will catalyze increased production capacity of carbon fiber

and other materials important to US leadership in advanced composite manufacturing,” said IACMI CEO Craig Blue.

The collaborative group of private companies, nonprofit organizations, universities and research laboratories work to support and encourage the development of advanced composite materials, such as carbon fiber. IACMI will work to reduce technical risk and develop a robust supply chain for advanced composite materials in automotive components, wind turbines, and compressed gas storage applications.

The IACMI team, headquartered in Tennessee, is led and operated by a not-for-profit established by the University of Tennessee Research Foundation that connects the world’s leading manufacturers across the supply chain with universities and national laboratories pioneering advanced composites technology development and research.

“The UT Research Foundation’s involvement to establish IACMI was critical to the project’s success and will further the university’s efforts

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015 | 21

to boost our state’s economic development through the creation of new intellectual property,” said David Millhorn, UT Research Foundation president and CEO, and UT System executive vice president and vice president for research.

Civil & Environmental Consultants will be the first private tenant at Cherokee Farm in a move that brings the firm closer to its clients throughout the region.

Cherokee Farm is the only research and development park in the Southeast affiliated with both a major research university and a national research laboratory. It includes more than 77 developable acres along the Tennessee River in a collaboration between the University of Tennessee and Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Tenants have access to world-leading resources in computational science, advanced materials research and testing, neutron science and biological sciences. They also have the ability to work in collaboration with the university and ORNL in a way that not only benefits the tenant company, but also the entire community.

“From first announcing plans for Cherokee Farm in 2007,

to this milestone of announcing its first private investment, today is evidence of years of steady progress toward the vision for Cherokee Farm,” said UT President Joe DiPietro.

“That vision is for a landmark Knoxville location that serves as a base for interdisciplinary research and stimulates the local, state and regional economies by turning scientific advancements into marketable businesses that provide good jobs.”

TennEra, LLC is the former Genera Energy LLC, with Genera Energy, Inc having spun out to pursue its biomass supply business while maintaining its name. TennEra remains a private, for-profit, wholly owned subsidiary of UTRF which serves as a commercialization vehicle for UT research related to bio-based technologies.

TennEra is the owner of a demonstration scale cellulosic ethanol biorefinery, located in Vonore, TN, for which DuPont designed and operates via a Master Collaboration Agreement through December 2016. Additionally, TennEra is the majority owner of two companies, Genera Energy, Inc and Prisma Renewable Composites, LLC. Prisma’s business is focused on devel-

oping comprehensive fractionation technologies for the production of bio-based materials and products derived from renewable energy crops.

These fractionation technologies include its InnoTerra™ technology, a low energy, low chemical pulping process for which molded fiber products can be produced, as well as its EvolUTIA™ technology, an advanced OrganoSolv fractionation process, which chemically separates biomass into high purity, tailored streams of lignin, cellulose, hemi-cellulose, and other extractives.

These process streams, due to their novel purity and character, are capable of being converted into advanced materials including carbon fiber, plastics, biochemicals, and other composite materials. TennEra and Prisma have collaborated with multiple University departments, including the Center for Renewable Carbon, the Department of Civil Engineering, the UT Space Institute, and the Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department.

There are active license agreements in place with UTRF and Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the ongoing commercialization of these technologies and development of IP.

22 | UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015

Startup Day Knoxville is a Great Success!

UTRF along with; Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Launch Tennessee, Pershing Yoakley & Associates, Tech 2020, Knoxville Entrepreneur Center, and The Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, participated as presenting sponsors for Startup Day Knoxville 2015.

For his design and pitch of a extendible and directional pouring spout, Bryan Crosby received the top $5,000 prize during the third annual Startup Day. Seven startup companies competed before Bryan Crosby - FunLPro more than 500 of East Tennessee’s leading investors, innovators, entrepreneurs and business leaders for cash prizes during the event.

“What a banner day this was for the Knoxville entrepreneur community,” said Stacey Patterson, UTRF vice president and Startup Day Steering Committee member.

Crosby is the co-founder and CEO of FunLPro Technology, which produces lengthy, extendible, and directional pouring spouts for fluid containers. FunLPro eliminates the need to purchase, store, and reuse separate pouring devices such as traditional funnels.

Harvey Abouelata, ARiES Energy founder and Startup Day 2013 alumnus, received the first Traction Award, sponsored by UT Federal Credit Union. The Traction Award is given to Startup alumni who have gained the most momentum

in the past three years. ARiES Energy, an alternative energy solutions company, launched in 2011.

Eric Dobson, chief executive officer of Angel Capital Group, announced General Graphene, led by serial entrepreneur Vig Sherrill, as the recipient of an investment from the group, a national syndicate of angel groups and funds.

Vig Sherrill - General Graphene

General Graphene, introduced by Sherrill during a Startup Day 2014 Power Pitch, makes graphene, one of the most expensive substances on earth, affordable for material innovators throughout the world.

At only one atom thick, graphene is harder than a diamond, 200 times stronger than steel, 1,000 times the current carrying capacity and 20 times more thermally conductive than copper, impermeable to all known substances, inert in the human body, anti-microbial, corrosion resistant, flexible and almost transparent.

Patterson said the largest Startup Day event in UTRF history “shows the power of the entrepreneur and innovator spirit in Knoxville.”

UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015 | 23

“What a banner day this was for the Knoxville entrepreneur community.” said Patterson

right - Keynote Speaker - Angel Gambino

Jon Shieber, TechCrunch

record number crowds

special investor event - Startup Night

24 | UT RESEARCH FOUNDATION DISCOVER 2015

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