Vanderbilt Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization

The Space-Edge Pre-Accelerator’s multi-university partnership creates a unique environment where ventures can access diverse technical expertise, testing infrastructure, and commercialization pathways.

This year's cohort consisted of 16 ventures, with Vanderbilt University continuing to be a supporting hub for mid-south companies, hosting four teams: AluminAiry, Aura Life Science, Generational Systems (Gene-Sys), and Vibrapower.

🚀 Learn more about this year's highlights and teams: https://cttc.co/article/20260518/space-edge-pre-accelerators-second-cohort-advances-innovations

Strong Vanderbilt and CTTC representation last week, leading panels at the Nashville AI Innovation Week, the TN Smart Mobility Expo, and the Federal Laboratory Consortium's national meeting, while also hosting the Entrepreneurship Advisory Council on campus.

👏 And join us in congratulating George Wilson on earning his MLS from Vanderbilt University Law School!

Vanderbilt University Real Estate (VURE) is the university's strategic real estate arm, managing a portfolio of more than one million square feet of commercial and multifamily properties across the Nashville area that serve faculty, students, staff, and external tenants.

🔗 Learn more about this team's efforts: https://cttc.co/article/20260512/innovation-ecosystem-partner-vanderbilt-university-real-estate-vure

Craig Lindsley, Executive Director of the Warren Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery and Christopher James, CEO and Founder of Kifa Therapeutics, Inc., have partnered to develop innovative treatments for Parkinson’s disease. Under the guidance of Lindsley, Kifa’s Scientific Founder, the collaboration focuses on advancing highly selective CNS-kinase inhibitors.

🔗 Read the startup's spotlight: https://cttc.co/article/20260318/driving-therapeutic-innovation-kifa-therapeutics-and-parkinsons-research

🔗 View Kifa's highlights at the Southeast Venture Showcase: https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2026/04/27/2026-southeast-venture-showcase-aims-to-turn-research-into-real-world-impact/

Meet the Vanderbilt Health Brock Family Center for Applied Innovation, whose team supports investigators at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in advancing biomedical discoveries toward startup formation, commercialization, and external investment.

➡️ Learn more about the Brock Center: https://cttc.co/article/20260427/innovation-ecosystem-partner-brock-family-center-applied-innovation

At this year’s Southeast Venture Showcase, hosted by Vanderbilt University and its Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization, startups connected with local and regional investors, connections that are vital to moving their ideas forward. Shoutout to the Vanderbilt-related startups at the showcase: COG Learning, ImageAssist, Kifa Therapeutics, Mobius AI, Neurodiverse Technologies, and Vasowatch.

🔗 Read the event recap: https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2026/04/27/2026-southeast-venture-showcase-aims-to-turn-research-into-real-world-impact/

Protecting academic research starts with understanding Intellectual Property. At CTTC’s latest Lunch & Learn led by Alan Bentley, Vanderbilt faculty explored key IP fundamentals to help safeguard discoveries and support future translation.

👉 Read the key takeaways: https://cttc.co/article/20260429/essential-ip-information-scientists-key-takeaways-cttcs-lunch-and-learn-protecting

🎥 View the recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNg2UxPb_e4

Center for Technology Transfer & Commercialization Essential IP Information for Researchers

The Southeast Venture Showcase is one week away! Join leading investors, entrepreneurs, and technology experts to engage with high-potential startups emerging from 25 top research institutions across the Southeast.

We look forward to two days of curated startup showcases, venture capital panels, and targeted networking opportunities designed to surface compelling investment prospects and strategic partnerships.

🔗 You can still register here with the code SVSInvestor2026 for 50% off: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/southeast-venture-showcase-2026-tickets-1839301754059?aff=SVS2026

The Industry Collaborations team helps connect Vanderbilt faculty with corporate partners to advance research and real-world impact. By aligning industry needs with university strengths, the team supports R&D across fields, and for faculty, they simplify partnership processes, enabling sharper focus on scientific innovation.

🔗 Explore current collaborations benefiting academia and industry: https://cttc.co/article/20260318/fy25-industry-collaborations

In FY25, CTTC saw growth across disclosures, industry-sponsored research, new startups, and licensing activity, reflecting the many paths innovation can take.

Here's a quick Tech Transfer 101 on how Vanderbilt research can move from lab to market—starting with the difference between license and option agreements. 🔗 Learn more about licensing activities: https://cttc.co/article/20260316/fy25-licensing-activities

📩 Have a technology or idea to advance? Connect with the CTTC Licensing team: https://cttc.co/contact-us