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ETEC - Nathan Buttrey, Sr. Advisor to Commissioner McWhorter, TN Dept. of Economic & Community Development

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ETEC - Nathan Buttrey, Sr. Advisor to Commissioner McWhorter, TN Dept. of Economic & Community Development

Friday, September 19, 2025 (7:30 AM - 8:30 AM) (EDT)

Description


Join us at ETEC in-person or virtually on Friday, September 19, 2025, at 7:30am to hear from Nathan Buttrey, Sr. Advisor to Commissioner McWhorter, in the new Office of Innovation in the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development. More information below. 

Nathan will be talking about the new Office of Innovation, IRIS grant, supporting R&D in TN, and what the grants might mean for the industry. The program will be about 15 minutes with 10 minutes built in for audience Q&A. So be sure to have questions ready! 

No registration is necessary for in-person attendance.

 

Register in advance for the VIRTUAL #ETEConline meeting here: https://tennessee.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUrd-CgrDMiHNTsDsHqH0FyubCh2ys57LzH#/registration 


For more information about ETEC’s weekly meetings, click here. 


Visit the Find Us page for the meeting location, address, and map.





Nathan Buttrey

Senior Advisor to Commissioner McWhorter

Office of Innovation
Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development


The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced today the launch of the Innovation & Research for Industry Success (IRIS) Grant Program.

IRIS funding, which aims to enhance and facilitate partnerships between private industry and the state’s leading research institutions, was in Gov. Bill Lee’s recommended FY2026 budget for TNECD and approved this spring by the Tennessee General Assembly. These dollars are included in the $63 million allocated in this year’s budget for innovation-related initiatives and represent the largest investment in innovation in Tennessee history.

“Tennessee is a top contributor to our nation’s economy because of our willingness to adapt and welcome emerging industries,” said Gov. Lee. “The IRIS Grant Program is part of a historic investment in strategic economic development grants, and I thank the General Assembly for their partnership in signaling that that Volunteer State is the new frontier for America’s greatest innovators.”

The grant program will allow TNECD to encourage companies to pilot innovative technologies and pursue new discoveries within the state, which, in turn, will facilitate collaborations that highlight the strength of Tennessee’s research capabilities and foster long-term corporate investment in the state’s innovation ecosystem.

“We have been intentional in our efforts to promote new research and innovation across the state, beginning with the launch of the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative in 2023, and today, with the announcement of IRIS,” said TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter. “TNGO specifically focused on challenges in the mobility sector, and we are now launching the next step in our innovation strategy to spur collaboration between Tennessee-based companies and our state’s leading research institutions.”

Today, Tennessee is home to some of the most well-known companies and brands across the globe; however, the state is lagging when it comes to corporate research and development expenditures. The IRIS grant program represents the next step in the state’s innovation efforts to demonstrate that Tennessee is a great place for companies to research, test and build for the future right here in their own backyard.

As of July 1, 2025, applications for the inaugural round of IRIS funding are open and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Activities must involve collaboration between a company and research institution(s) aimed at developing new products, processes or technologies that support business growth or innovation. Activities should be investigative or experimental in nature, with a clear objective to advance technical knowledge or solve industry-specific challenges.




This month's ETEC Friday Morning Meeting Series are sponsored by 

Piper Communications.



Images

ETEC - UT Outreach Center
1201 Oak Ridge Turnpike
Oak Ridge, TN 37830 United States


Click here to register for the VIRTUAL version of the meeting


Meeting ID: 816 0982 8860 
Event Contact
Hailey Lewis
Friday, September 19, 2025 (7:30 AM - 8:30 AM) (EDT)


Complimentary coffee, bagels, muffins and pastries served.

The Outreach Center is located on the back corner of the building on the Applebee’s side. The entrance faces the Quality Inn and Applebee's. 
Look for an awning and sign that says University of Tennessee Outreach Center. 
The main entrance of the ETEC Office will be locked. 

-If you are coming from Knoxville via S. Illinois Ave (TN-62W); take a right onto S. Rutgers Ave, and continue until you come to the intersection of Rice Rd and Rider Rd, across from ORNL Corporate Headquarters; after the Quality Inn, take a left onto Rider Rd and you will arrive at your destination on the right. Look for an awning and sign that says University of Tennessee Outreach Center. 

-Alternatively, if you are coming from Knoxville via S. Illinois Ave (TN-62W); you can take a sharp right and merge onto Lafayette Dr; turn left onto W. Gettysburg Ave; turn right onto Manhattan Ave; then at the intersection of Manhattan Ave and S. Rutgers Ave, continue straight across onto Rice Rd until you come to the intersection of Rice Rd and Rider Rd; take a right onto Rider Rd and you will arrive at your destination on the right. Look for an awning and sign that says University of Tennessee Outreach Center. 

-If you are coming from Oak Ridge via the Turnpike, you will find us between the intersection of S. Rutgers Ave and Wallace Rd, between the Applebee's and Dairy Queen, across the street from St. Mary's School. The Outreach Center is located on the back corner of the building on the Applebee’s side. The entrance faces the Quality Inn and Applebee's. Look for an awning and sign that says University of Tennessee Outreach Center. The main entrance of the ETEC Office will be locked. 

-If you are coming from Oak Ridge via Illinois Ave; turn onto S. Rutgers Ave, and continue until you come to the intersection of Rice Rd and Rider Rd, across from ORNL Corporate Headquarters; after the Quality Inn, turn onto Rider Rd and you will arrive at your destination on the right.  The Outreach Center is located on the back corner of the building on the Applebee’s side. The entrance faces the Quality Inn and Applebee's. Look for an awning and sign that says University of Tennessee Outreach Center. The main entrance of the ETEC Office will be locked. 
















* Weather Policy *

ETEC prioritizes the safety of our meeting attendees during weather conditions.

If inclement weather is expected on a Friday morning, and we decide to move to an ALL-VIRTUAL Zoom format, we will notify members by 5:00 p.m. the evening before. 

Newsletter subscribers will receive an email, and notices will be posted on the ETEC homepage and the calendar event page. We encourage all attendees to check for updates and use the Zoom registration link to join virtually if necessary.

If you do not receive an email and there are no notices on the website, we will proceed with the in-person (hybrid) meeting as planned, but we advise everyone to use their own judgment based on road conditions in their areas.

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