1. ESTABLISHING A CULTURE OF INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN WEST TENNESSEE Todd A. Winters, Dean UT Martin, College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences Carol Reed, Executive Director Northwest TN Entrepreneur Center

2.  ~1,100 students (7,000 at University)  Majors:  BS in Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences, Natural Resources Management, and Geosciences  Military Science and Leadership (ROTC)  MS in Agriculture and Natural Resources  MBA in Agriculture  Primary Mission: Undergraduate Education  Experiential Learning  Applied Research  Service to the Rural Communities of the Region

3. Executive Director Carol Reed

5. Cohort Program: 55 Entrepreneurs Jobs Created: 67 Capital Raised: $2,055,859 Since September 2012

6. Two Accelerator Tracks CO.STARTERS (Small- to Medium-Sized Business Accelerator) and The NextFarm Ag Innovation Accelerator offer flexible programming based on the level of entrepreneur expertise.  CO.STARTERS is a 9-week program that walks small- business owners and entrepreneurs through the lean business modeling methods of high-growth startups by building and testing small models first.  The NextFarm Ag. Innovation Accelerator is one of the few accelerators nationwide focused on AgTech. NextFarm offers a series of weekend boot camps where entrepreneurs are coached on refining business ideas and strategic planning by mentors with years of experience in business, farming, and technology commercialization.

9. A weekend entrepreneurial boot camp for early stage companies interested in a process to grow their business effectively and as soon as possible.

10. NEXTFARM COMPANIES ASSISTED BY UTM  AgSmarts  Soil Moisture Sensors for Precision Irrigation  Agricultural Advisors  First Piloted at UTM Farms  Secure Foods Solutions  Aflatoxin Sensors to use at Graineries  Agricultural Advisors  Introduced to The Andersons  Led to an Agreement  FarmSpec  Flex Roller Crimper for Cover Crop Destruction  Student Group mentored by UTM Faculty and NextFarm Staff  Patent Protection by UT Research Foundation  Selected for National Ag. Innovation Prize Contest (Madison, WI)  Stony Creek Colors  Natural Indigo Dyes for Clothing  Agricultural Advisors

15. UTM COLLEGIATE PITCH CONTESTS  First Year  6 Teams—Ag. Only  Winner—FarmSpec, Flex Roller Crimper  Year Two  12--Open to all campus  Winner—Mongo, Adjustable Brisket Bar  Year Three  Open to Region  April 2016  Will have a special soy innovation division  Year Two Teams  Silotech  Olympus Shirts*  VQ  Letters in Motion* (PC)  Old South Granola  FarmSpec (2)  Mongo Brisket Bar (1)  Skyhawk Plaid  HotSpot(3)  Skyhawk Tractors  Mineral Flow  Bears that Care* *Philanthropic Component

16. ADDITIONAL ACTIVITIES  Coding “Camps” for Kids  4-H Code Academy  100 Girls of Code  Sessions to be held at UTM  Development of a “Makerspace” to be shared between the University and the Community  Development of Partnerships with other Universities in Tennessee and the Upper Delta Region

17. Questions? Carol Reed, Executive Director 206 White Street Martin, TN 38237 Carol.Reed@nwtdd.org (731) 587-4213 www.ntecconnect.com Todd A. Winters, Dean Brehm Hall 251 574 University Street Martin, TN 38238 winters@utm.edu 731-881-7251 www.utm.edu/departments/caas/