Vanderbilt University & the Nashville Entrepreneur Center
This document outlines a $100,000 annual partnership that delivers four committed services Vanderbilt is currently sourcing piecemeal or not at all, plus a seat on the Nashville Entrepreneur Center board. The current $25,000 sponsorship significantly under-represents the scope Vanderbilt is already receiving across Owen, the Nashville Innovation Alliance, and the regional spinout pipeline. This proposal re-bases the relationship at fair value and consolidates it under a single MOU.
The Partnership
Four committed services for Owen, the Nashville Innovation Alliance, and Vanderbilt's commercialization pipeline — plus a board seat at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center.
What Vanderbilt Receives
Founder Pipeline
Curated, qualified founders placed into the Owen Health Evaluation Lab class on an annual cadence. EC is the only pipeline in the region capable of delivering vetted health-tech founders at this volume, on Owen's academic calendar. Formalized as an annual cohort commitment under this agreement.
Brand Activation
Year-round presence for the Nashville Innovation Alliance: presenting booth at Entrepreneur Day, continued integration into the Cowrite the Future campaign featuring EC founders, and named placement across EC's regional communications. Anchors the Nashville Innovation Alliance as the visible university partner of Nashville's founder community.
Owen Summer Placements
Directly addresses the Owen MBA summer-internship gap. Beginning Summer 2027, Vanderbilt sources four Owen MBAs and EC matches them into summer innovation projects inside vetted EC portfolio companies. Competitive selection, meaningful work, stipend supported. EC manages the host-company side end-to-end.
Nashville Innovation Alliance Sponsorship
Continued top-tier sponsorship of the NEXT Awards: 10 Owen/Vanderbilt student tickets paired with dedicated stage acknowledgment. The single highest-visibility night for Nashville's founder and capital community each year.
at the EC
Updated Vanderbilt placement on the EC building logo cloud at 41 Peabody Street, replacing the current/former logo presentation. Year-round visibility to every founder, investor, sponsor, and visitor who walks through the EC.
at the Nashville Entrepreneur Center
A dedicated Vanderbilt seat on the Nashville Entrepreneur Center board, strengthening the partnership at the governance level. Structure — term length, naming convention, voting vs. observer — to be defined jointly with Vanderbilt's general counsel prior to MOU execution.
Adjacent Opportunity
The largest unrealized value in the relationship: routing Vanderbilt's ~20 annual spinouts through the EC accelerator network, and connecting EC portfolio companies to licensable Vanderbilt healthcare IP. Scope to be co-designed with Tech Transfer once the partnership is in place.
Historical Context
This proposal returns the Vanderbilt–EC partnership to historical engagement levels last seen in prior years, reflecting the current scope and cadence of delivery across Owen, the Nashville Innovation Alliance, and the Cowrite the Future campaign — none of which existed at the time the current $25,000 figure was set.
Build-vs.-Buy Comparison
| 4 MBA summer placements (sourcing, matching, host-company management) | ~$60,000 |
| Comparable regional brand-activation sponsorship package | $35,000–$60,000 |
| Vanderbilt-IP subcohort routed through EC portfolio | $100,000+ event value |
Stewardship & Reporting
Quarterly impact reporting aligned to Vanderbilt's published innovation priorities: startups placed in Owen, Vanderbilt-affiliated founders activated, spinouts processed, and MBA seats filled. EC manages the reporting cadence; the Vanderbilt development office is not asked to chase.