A partnership between Vanderbilt University and four other universities across four states is launching a new hub aimed at advancing biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Mid-South Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub has been awarded $12 million, including a four-year, $4 million grant from the National Institutes of Health, according to a news release. The remaining $8 million comes from partnering universities, state economic development entities and public-private partnerships.
The partnership "will focus on accelerating real-world impact of biomedical innovations through education, mentorship and financial support for entrepreneurs," according to the Vanderbilt research news site.
The hub, which is led by Vanderbilt, includes Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia. The other universities in the group include the University of Louisville, the University of Kentucky, Jackson State University and George Mason University.
Entrepreneurs from any university in those states are eligible for the program, according to the Vanderbilt post, which will provide education, mentorship and financial support for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Robert Webster, a professor at Vanderbilt, will lead the hub. Charleston Bell, director of entrepreneurship and biomedical innovation at the Wond’ry, will lead the efforts in Tennessee.
NIH’s REACH programs are aimed at bringing scientific discoveries to the market by providing entrepreneurial training to researchers.
Vanderbilt is the second-largest university in Nashville, according to Business Journal research, with a total enrollment of 13,710.
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Who will lead the Mid-South Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub in Kentucky?
University of Louisville will lead efforts in Kentucky to turn academic discoveries into commercial health products, according to a news release, through biomedical innovations, education, mentorship and financial support for aspiring entrepreneurs.
“UofL is a top-tier, Carnegie Research-1 university, and we are proud of our strong track record as a driver of health innovation and entrepreneurship,” Kevin Gardner, UofL executive vice president for research and innovation, in the release. “We are excited to expand that work with the Mid-South Hub, joining our partner institutions to accelerate technologies and companies that can save and improve lives, creating opportunity here and throughout our region.”
This is not the first time UofL has partnered with Vanderbilt. Last year, the two institutions launched a $15 million regional hub called I-Corps focused on accelerating product innovation and entrepreneurship. That effort was backed by the National Science Foundation.
