Life Science Tennessee Foundation, formerly BioTN, is a 501(C)(3) foundation affiliated with Life Science Tennessee. The two organizations first aligned in 2020 to advance the dual mission to grow the bioscience industry and promote biotech education and entrepreneurship across the state of Tennessee. Since that announcement, LST and BioTN have advocated for and developed policies and programs that support economic and workforce development, increase research and development, and strengthen technology commercialization.

Life Science Tennessee Foundation partners with Life Science Tennessee and Launch Tennessee to build and grow innovative life science companies and jobs in Tennessee. Co-founded by serial life science entrepreneurs, the Foundation is focused on the critical areas of entrepreneurship, access to capital, education and workforce development to help Tennessee’s grow into a major hub of research and development that will improve the lives of Tennesseans, as well as those that benefit from Tennessee products around the world.

“Our partnership with Life Science Tennessee has greatly expanded our ability to advance STEM education and entrepreneurship across the state,” said Dr. Sam Lynch, co-founder and chairman of Life Science Tennessee Foundation and CEO and chairman of Lynch Regenerative Medicine. “This further alignment will not only provide clarity in the market, but also accelerate new advancements in life science investment and economic development.”

A key offering of the Life Science Tennessee Foundation is the Life Science Venture Program, an accelerator program offering a flexible, customized approach for life science startups ready to commercialize, connect to capital, and scale their technologies. Karrie Dudek, Ph.D., an experienced bioscience entrepreneur, directs the program.

“We’re proud to more closely align the new Life Science Tennessee Foundation with our industry association,” said Glenn Perdue, chairman of Life Science Tennessee and managing member of Kraft Analytics. “It is important that stakeholders in Tennessee understand how established companies can support our emerging startup ecosystem to bolster the industry writ large. Our partnership strengthens this important objective.”