Taking on South by Southwest (SXSW)
The SXSW Ideator Regional I-Corps Program, founded on the Sullivan Family Ideator Program, took participants from the Vanderbilt community—students, faculty, staff, and alumni—and collaborators from our broader Mid-South I-Corps Hub Ecosystem, including the University of Virginia, Tennessee State University, and GEM Fellow participants, to this year’s South by Southwest Festival-a global nexus of creativity and technology.
Mid-South Hub Innovation Summit
“The Mid-South Innovation Summit is the culmination of years of innovation effort, community development and entrepreneurial progress: The innovation ecosystems across the Midsouth are now assembling together.”
-Charleson Bell, Director of the NSF Mid-South I-Corps Hub
Mid-South Hub Summit Training
“The Mid-South Hub aims to ignite collaboration across the region by bringing resources, training and support to all who seek to create positive value change. We all, together, will create an atmosphere that incites regional shared prosperity.”
-Charleson Bell, Director of the NSF Mid-South I-Corps Hub
SXSW Immersive Cohort
The SXSW Ideator Regional I-Corps Program, founded on the Sullivan Family Ideator Program, took participants from the Vanderbilt community—students, faculty, staff, and alumni—and collaborators from our broader Mid-South I-Corps Hub Ecosystem, including the University of Virginia, Tennessee State University, and GEM Fellow participants, to the South by Southwest Festival-a global nexus of creativity and technology.
National Innovation Network Convening
The Mid-South Hub recently attended the 2024 National Innovation Network (NIN) Convening in Washington, D.C. The National Innovation Network, or NIN, is a tightly connected organization of the National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps Hubs, Nodes, and Sites across the U.S. During the conference, attendees received important updates, networked, collaborated, tackled solutions for overarching needs across their regions, and shared impactful highlights on how their programs are increasing participation.
Annual National Science Foundation (NSF) Site Visit
All of the Mid-South Hub partners gathered at the Wond’ry for the annual site visit with the National Science Foundation I-Corps team. Together, we reflected on the Hub's legacy, celebrated achievements, and strategized for the future. From team expansions and I-Corps training to discussions on innovation, economic development, and entrepreneurial research, it was a day filled with collaboration, inspiration, and planning for even greater impact in 2025. We’re excited about how these efforts will help to drive regional economic development throughout the Mid-South region.
