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Special Report: Cogent Healthcare and the Big Bang While VCs, the Feds and others watch with interest, an industry that couldn't spell 'hospitalist' ten years ago may get its next big lift from a California transplant that's relying heavily on Nashville's healthcare 'DNA'. Milt Capps

Will Nashville technology community 'mushroom'? Digital Nashville initiative believes it can make a difference in breeding community for folks in interactive media, streaming, design, other fields. Milt Capps Update 12:16pm

News and Views

VW: The Noog Uber Alles There's much to celebrate in Chattanooga's Volkswagen win, even though the benefits for Nashville remain uncertain The VN Blog

Nashville Q could lure Cisco innovation exec to tell all Company's I-Prize competition leader says Nashville could probably replicate the global innovation initiative. He'll tell what he knows -- but, there may be a price... Milt Capps

Owen 'consultants' boosting nine top companies From Cat Financial, Humana and Griffin Technology to Gresham Smith and others ... 85 earnest consultants are battling to win their stripes in a combination of education and entrepreneurship that will produce ideas for Nashville's Thermal site, iPod accessories and more. Milt Capps UPDATED June 29, 2008

Nashville 49th among 60 cities in creating Tech jobs UPDATED June 27 - Recent reports suggest Nashville's foothold in the world's Tech economy is real, but tenuous Milt Capps

Governor's e-Health quarterback shifting back to private sector UPDATED JUNE 25 1015 - While Agassi joins Cogent, continuity for the eHealth Council will be preserved. Agassi's role there, navigating the Council's path among competing healthcare and insurance stakeholders, has been key. Milt Capps Updated 1423 June 20

Tech entrepreneurs make public pitches to Angels During today's event at Cummins Station, the Angel Capital Group takes another step toward transparency -- while a few caveats are offered by a veteran observer Milt Capps

Video as a Service: Smartvue seeks Angels, gives Hapner new wings Marty Renkis isn't backing-off his $100 million goal, as he works to finesse his B Round raise and adds a veteran IT exec to push sales Milt Capps Updated 0827 June 19

Apple Computer Co-Founder Wozniak joins Nashville's Leadership Music Computer scientist, philanthropist, entrepreneur Wozniak has committed to participating in a demanding 9-month program in Nashville. The program may afford Woz a look inside Music that will benefit a new venture he helps guide. Milt Capps UPDATED 4:21PM

Gov. Bredesen OK's fight-game overseers; Incubator CEO aims for martial-arts debut this fall This high-achieving former homeless person and tech manager may end-up in the Third World -- but, first, it's mixed martial arts, earning a couple of degrees, selling athletic apparel...and carving-out time to be a father. Milt Capps - Updated 0950 June 16

Special Report: Nashville's eMids Technologies launches 'FlatWorld' initiative This Nashville tech venture finds direct engagement with customers and straight talk are the best ways to address 'Flat World' realities and grow a business. Milt Capps

Nashville 'Startup Weekend' for tech ventures is still a long shot Could Nashville 'capture lightning' in a bottle with a Startup Weekend? In other cities, this technology-oriented endurance test has produced stronger venture communities, new businesses -- but, thus far, no one seems to have claimed the lead to win one for Nashville. Milt Capps

'Creative Nashville' may lure high-growth ventures Tonight, NBC provides another test of Nashville's brand-image -- while the Entrepreneur Project confronts 'lagging innovative capacity', inadequate capital and slow tech commercialization. Milt Capps

Tech strategist joins Tennessee economic advocate Tennessee Technology Development Corporation continues to assemble its team to drive tech-centered economic development. Milt Capps

Bouncing Ideas: VU prof takes 'non-trivial' science to Microsoft Preparing for a visit to Mount Microsoft, this VU Engineering scientist shares his thoughts about his low-profile work in an area some others think could provide further energy for the Big Bang in video-on-demand. Given a glimpse of the findings, one local entrepreneur doesn't find it 'trivial', at all. Milt Capps

Survivors: Nashville Business Plan winners unveiled after 18-month trek These Nashville entrepreneurs are celebrating this morning, but we won't see another batch of innovators til 2010. Other competitions at UT and FedEx Institute are about all there are in the state, at the moment. Milt Capps

'Secret Sauce': Debut Broadcasting hopes investors smell what it's cookin' Are 'Radio Days' back? The capital crunch has hit this Nashville-based media roll-up, which aims to take a page from the consolidation playbook of Clear Channel and other giants Milt Capps

Nashville VCs may soon hear Google ally knocking With up to $15 million on his mind, Smart Furniture's CEO hopes Nashville investors won't sit out his next raise. He's simultaneously flirting with the search engine giant, and staking a claim to leadership in mass customization. Milt Capps

VCs: Waiting for 'The Big One' and bridging the 'Confidence Gap' Time for a gut check?  While 'the deals that make sense get funded', there remain some hard realities for Nashville entrepreneurs to face, while waiting for 'the Big One' to put Nashville on the tech-venture map By Milt Capps Updated 30 May 1200

Passport Health founder once faced 'blank stares' Today, he's just put another notch on his acquisitions belt, but not long ago Jim Lackey was begging for that first customer as he attempted to introduce technology in a sector fond of sticky notes, faxes and phone calls. By Milt Capps

Angel Capital Group outlines deal-syndication strategy Leveraging a North Carolina Angel-investing network and attempting to launch a microfund, the ACG hasn't lowered its expectations, as it makes a fresh push to gain traction in Tennessee. By Milt Capps

VCs: Nashville 'doesn't exist' in minds of many healthcare, tech investors Former U.S. Sen. Bill Frist (left) predicted 'we're going to spend more on healthcare', but four VCs told local execs that few investors know much about Nashville's healthcare track record -- unwelcome news for Kin Clinton's Woolsthorpe Technologies. By Milt Capps

Alexander and Gordon keep pressure on Bush White House Strange Days: A sitting President signs a bill funding science, technology and education and simultaneously vows to gut funding. The federal budget has  been held up, ever since.

UPDATE: Pathfinder Therapeutics is back on the money trail Making scientific discoveries that can survive the punishing path toward the market is hard enough. Now that the FDA has approved marketing that could save liver-cancer patients' lives, Pathfinder Therapeutics hopes local investors and the State of Tennessee can lend a hand. But, they're not holding their breath. By Milt Capps

Special Report: BioMimetic shakes-off FDA bruise, carves-out Biotechnology niche Now, after selling its first FDA-approved product to a close ally, BioMimetic is flush with cash and experience -- and committed to developing biotechnologies in Middle Tennessee. By Milt Capps

Nashville loses Veran Medical Technologies Results-oriented Nashville entrepreneur in hot medical-devices sector accepts VC investment, relocates firm. Should Nashville focus on more familiar sectors and 'focus on its knitting'? Milt Capps UPDATED 4:35PM

KravTek Media prepares pitch to Nashville investors Will Nashville investors greenlight this developing company? KravTek may help catapult Nashville's digital-media sector to stardom -- but first the spotlight's on raising money to make it happen. Milt Capps POSTED Fri., May 9, 2008 12:22 AM

Music Disrupter: Jill Sobule's 'People Power' Singer-songwriter Jill Sobule's impish strategy for freeing her musician-comrades from supposed big-label tyranny may attract more than chuckles. The VN Blog

World Trade Center in Nashville moves closer to reality A Franklin, Tenn.-based entrepreneur today won approval of the World Trade Centers Association in New York City to create a World Trade Center to serve the Greater Nashville area. Milt Capps

Belmont University is hatching new ventures At 23, Kevin Jennings may represent the breed of entrepreneur being spawned in the Hatchery incubator at Belmont University. Drive, networks and family support play classic roles. Milt Capps

HealthStream faces another round of challenges HealthStream analyst asks when company will 'get legs', while reinforced management team seeks fresh traction to integrate the company Milt Capps

Cycles: Nashville CEO makes sagacious reports for The Fed Sage Group's Rich Ford explains his company's recent success, and collects Fed intelligence from Nashville and the region Milt Capps

Waddey argues for Nashville R&D Park No need to take a backseat to the Research Triangle and Austin, forever, argues this engineer-turned-IP-lawyer. Let's create a campus for innovation. The VN Blog

Smryna-based VGT will invest $100 million in deals Founder John Yarbrough (left) says he's finding locally sourced investment candidates. The VN Blog

Nashville Capital Network prepares twin deals Sid Chambless says he's hanging on for the ride, as NCN queues-up two more financing deals, leveraging its new Fund with investors from 50-Angel network Milt Capps

Nashville 'venture creed' could be powerful Declaring Nashville's strengths could help startups like Bravato Music, and help entrepreneurs and investors create common ground Milt Capps

The VN Blog: What's wrong with Lifestyle Entrepreneurs Is the bias against 'Lifestyle Entrepreneurs' short-sighted? The VN Blog

VU Tech Transfer takes company's liquidation in stride There are still 21 active portfolio companies over which Chris McKinney says grace.

Analysis: Cromwell still pushing for traction at TTDC Venture advocate's latest activity recalls earlier attempts to ignite technology in Tennessee Milt Capps

Catching-up with Ryan Wuerch An erstwhile Nashville tech roll-up, Motricity, f/k/a PowerByHand is disappointing another community and relocating again. The VN Blog

VC Cyberinvestment in Tennessee reported by AeA The VN Blog reports on Tech wage differential, VC trends in Tennessee and more. On The VN Blog

Tennessee Angels investors expanding U.S. reach Budding U.S. network aims to increase deal flow and investment By Milt Capps

Hapner quietly exits Beacon Technologies Co-founder predicts he'll soon be back in saddle of another IT firm By Milt Capps

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