Abby Trotter Wins Prestigious Tibbetts Award

Nashville Leader Honored for Advocacy Work with TN Entrepreneurs

Nashville, Tenn. – The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) recently selected Abby Trotter, partner at Hall Strategies and executive director of Life Science Tennessee, as a recipient of the 2020 Tibbetts Award. The SBA recognized Trotter for her role as a “central catalyst for creation of Tennessee’s Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) Matching Fund.” This fund, managed by Launch Tennessee and supported by Life Science Tennessee and BioTN, is an important tool that bolsters entrepreneurship in the state by matching federal dollars allotted to exciting, job-creating new Tennessee companies.

“LaunchTN was pleased to nominate Abby Trotter for this award,” stated Van Tucker, CEO of Launch Tennessee. “Abby is a key figure in the creation and implementation of the Life Science Mentor Network, which supports the business growth of life science startups, innovators, and research across Tennessee. She was the central catalyst behind the State of Tennessee’s SBIR/STTR Matching Fund, advocating for its inception in FY18 and for the continuation and expansion of the program. She’s also a key partner in LaunchTN’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Week on the Hill, where she aids life science students, entrepreneurs, and established businesses in advocating for priorities to advance the industry to our state legislators.”

Through her work with Life Science Tennessee and BioTN, Trotter has advocated vigorously for the expansion of the Matching Fund, and in 2019 she helped secure $3 million in dedicated state support for fiscal year 2020. To date, 52 companies have leveraged nearly $24 million federal dollars through the Matching Fund. The Fund offers additional funding for women and minority founders.

“For the last three years, Abby has been a tireless advocate for Tennessee’s entrepreneurs as they seek to build and bring new innovations to market,” said Paul Fitzpatrick, board chairman of Life Science Tennessee and CEO of Chattanooga-based Advanced Catheter Therapies. “Life Science Tennessee is honored the SBA recognized Abby’s work on the SBIR/STTR Matching Fund, an important program that remains one of the most promising ways to commercialize state-grown technologies.”

The Tibbetts Awards are presented to companies, organizations, and individuals who advocate for new or expanded SBIR/STTR programs. You can read more about this year’s winners here.

 

About Life Science Tennessee

Life Science Tennessee is a statewide, nonprofit member organization whose mission is to advance and grow the life science industry in Tennessee through advocacy, partnerships and alignment with economic and workforce development. Members include companies, universities, research institutions, government and economic development groups and other industry associations involved in discovery and application of life sciences products and related services that improve the health and well-being of people throughout the world. LST conducts business and economic development activities; advocates on behalf of the industry; educates the public about the benefits of life sciences research and product development; and provides a network for the exchange of ideas, information and opportunities.

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