Startup Guide: Nashville
An overview and resource directory for the Music City tech & venture scene.
Intro
Music City. The hot chicken capital with an even hotter job market. Healthcare hub with nearly $100B in revenue. Oracle’s new world HQ. Supply chain nucleus. However you know Nashville these days, we know it can be tough to keep up with all of the recent surges that are turning Tennessee’s capital into a breakout city for business, technology, and investment.
Whether you’re one of the many recent transplants getting acquainted to the neighborhood, or a seasoned local looking for a one-stop-shop of resources, this guide to Nashville was developed in conjunction with the team at Build In SE to help equip startups, operators, and venture professionals with the resources they need to build both companies and community in and around Music City.
For more Southeastern tech resources, find us at Build In SE’s Substack or drop me a note at topher@buildinse.com
Overview
Nashville is a growing metropolitan area, home to over 2 million people, six major universities (including 4 HBCUs), an ever-increasing number of industry giants (including Amazon, Oracle, Dollar General, HCA, iHeartMedia, Nissan North America, and more), and over 40,000 businesses1. Anchored by the local economic impact of $62 billion and $15.9 billion across healthcare and entertainment2, respectively, the Southeastern city has leveraged a series of advantages across talent, job opportunities, industry expertise, geography, and lifestyle flexibility to become one of the top cities in the country for job growth stretching beyond its core industries.
The following resources focus on the Nashville Metropolitan Area, which includes 13 counties in Middle Tennessee all contributing to the growth of innovation and investment.
Nashville Startup + Funding Resources
Angel Networks
Firm | Industry | Stage
AIM Group | Agnostic | Early-Stage
Nashville Capital Network | Agnostic | Early Stage
NueCura Partners | Healthcare | Early-Stage
Private Equity
Firm | Industry
Claritas Capital | Healthcare, Technology
Council Capital | Healthcare
Cressey & Co. | Healthcare
Donegal Bio Ventures | Life Sciences
Gen Cap America | Healthcare, Manufacturing
Graham Healthcare Capital | Healthcare
Harbert Credit Solutions | Technology
Health Velocity Capital | Healthcare
Heritage Group | Healthcare
Lead Capital Partners | Healthcare
LFM Capital | Manufacturing
Petra Capital Partners | Healthcare, Technology
Pharos Capital | Healthcare, Technology
Resolute Capital Partners | Enterprise, Healthcare
Shore Capital Partners | Healthcare, Food & Beverage, Real Estate, Business Services, Industrials
Venture Capital & Growth Equity
Firm | Industry | Stage
25 Madison | Healthcare, Logistics | Incubation, Early Stage
Altitude Ventures | Healthcare | Seed, Early Stage
Beliade | Consumer | Seed, Early Stage
Caduceus Capital Partners | Digital Health | Early Stage
Clandestine Capital | Agnostic | Seed, Early Stage
Claritas Capital | Healthcare | Early Stage, Growth
Company Ventures | Digital Health, Fintech, SaaS | Pre-Seed, Seed, Early Stage
Dive In Labs | Agnostic | Seed
Edison Partners | Fintech, Healthcare, Enterprise SaaS | Growth
First In | Cybersecurity | Seed
FCA Venture Partners | Healthcare | Seed, Early Stage
FINTOP Capital | Fintech | Early Stage
Frist Cressey | Healthcare | Early Stage, Growth
GrowthX | Enterprise, SaaS | Seed
Hawke Ventures | Adtech, Commerce, MarTech | Pre-Seed. Seed
Health Velocity Capital | Healthcare | Growth, Late Stage
Heritage Group | Healthcare | Growth
Jumpstart Capital | Healthcare | Growth
Jumpstart Foundry | Healthcare | Seed
Jumpstart Nova | Healthcare | Seed, Early Stage for Black Founders
InvestTN | Agnostic | Pre-Seed, Seed
Lodestone | Education, Healthcare, Financial Services, Transportation, Real Estate | Seed, Early Stage
Logos Labs | Blockchain, Future of Work | Pre-Seed, Seed
Lorimer Ventures | B2B SaaS | Seed
Mark II Ventures | Agnostic | Pre-Seed, Seed
Martin Ventures | Healthcare | Seed, Early Stage
Mindset Ventures | Agnostic | Seed, Early Stage
Mountain Group Partners | Animal Health, Life Science, Technology | Early Stage
Nueterra Capital | Healthcare | Early Stage, Growth Stage
OpenSky Ventures | Commerce | Pre-Seed, Seed, Early Stage
PivotNorth Capital | Climate, EdTech, Enterprise, Fintech, Future of Work, Health | Pre-Seed, Seed
Relevance Ventures | Enterprise, Fintech, Health | Seed, Early Stage, Growth Stage
Rocket Propulsion Labs | Digital Health, Fintech, Insurtech | Seed
Rubicon Founders | Healthcare | Early Stage, Growth Stage
Teamworthy Ventures | Healthcare, Life Sciences, Education, Financial Services, Government & Defense, Culture & Hospitality, Professional Services, Home Services, Transportation & Logistics | Pre-Seed, Seed, Early Stage, Early Growth
Ten31 | AI, Blockchain, Software | Pre-Seed, Seed, Early Stage
Third Prime | Agnostic | Seed, Early Stage
Transparency Health | Health | Growth Stage
TriStar Health Partners | Healthcare, Life Sciences, Medical Device | Early Stage
The above section focuses on capital providers either with headquarters or a presence in the Nashville Metropolitan Area. To check out more venture capital firms based throughout the Southeast, check out the Southeast Capital Landscape we built with our friends at Embarc Collective in Tampa. And, for a list of women investors in the Southeast, take a look at our Women Investors in the Southeast (WISE) database.
Coworking Spaces
1212 Germantown | Germantown
Center 615 | East Nashville
Eleven Willow | SoBro
Expansive | Downtown
Franklin Innovation Center | Downtown Franklin, Tennessee
Indo Nashville | Pie Town
Industrious Nashville |Downtown & The Gulch
Nashville Entrepreneur Center | SoBro
Nashville Business Incubation Center | Germantown
Regus Nashville | Downtown, Music Row, SoBro, & West Nashville
Stoked Studio | Germantown
The Malin | The Gulch, Wedgewood Houston
Three One Three | Germantown
WeWork | Downtown, East Nashville, & West Nashville
Incubators and Accelerators
Name | Parent | Industry | Stage
InFlight | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | Agnostic | Pre-Seed
Nashville Residency | Company Ventures | Healthcare, Fintech, SaaS, AI| Pre-Series A
Project Fintech | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | Fintech | Pre-Seed, Seed
Project Healthcare | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | Healthcare | Pre-Seed to Series A
TakeOff | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | Agnostic | Product Launch
The Innovation Studio | AI | Pre-Seed, Seed
The Founder Program | The Wond’ry | Agnostic (regional university affiliation) | Pre-Seed
Twende | Nashville Entrepreneur Center | Agnostic (Founders of Color) | Post-Revenue
Community & Event Organizers
Blacks in Technology-Nashville (or BIT-Nashville) chapter provides training, education, networking, and mentorship opportunities with the support of allies, partners, sponsors, local members to add more diverse tech talent to Nashville’s growing workforce. Recently, the group created a free, statewide program to train employees at nonprofit health care institutions about data analytics.
Braintrust is a membership organization for women business owners dedicated to ensuring they have an equal opportunity to build financial independence, wealth, and influence with a hub in Nashville for networking, expertise, and community building.
Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) Nashville is the largest EO chapter in the U.S. with 247 members representing $9 billion in total sales. The chapter connects businesses and professionals in the Nashville community as part of the EO network that supports entrepreneurs across both the nation and 60+ countries around the world.
The Greater Nashville Technology Council (NTC) is a convener and advocate for growing and mature companies in the Nashville area and is the leading voice for Middle Tennessee’s $8 billion information technology ecosystem. Don’t miss events such as the NTC Awards, The Analytics Summit, the monthly Tech Talk series, and more. The group also recently launched the initiative TechIntoNashville as a landing page for anyone considering relocating and joining Nashville’s tech community.
The Greater Nashville Venture Capital Association is a non-profit organization focused on expanding access to capital and talent by uniting local capital and angel investors to support emerging companies in the region. Along with venture capital and angel investors, GNVCA members include various Nashville investors from pre-seed to growth equity.
Health Tech Nerds is a newsletter and community for those passionate about, working in, and investing in the future of care. While HTN is a national (and global) community, the Nashville community in the premium Slack Group features a number of community meetups.
Launch Tennessee is a public-private partnership with the state of Tennessee created to empower Tennessee’s bustling entrepreneurial ecosystem by facilitating capital formation, market building, and resource connection through a statewide network of partners. The organization hosts numerous events per year surrounding its core development areas, including the quarterly Southeast Capital Call to drive connectivity between Southeastern investors, and 3686 Festival, Nashville’s flagship entrepreneur, investor, and ecosystem event that takes place in the heart of Downtown Nashville.
The Nashville Entrepreneur Center is the first stop for entrepreneurs and those engaged with the city's startup ecosystem, with events and programs happening every week to connect those seeking to start, grow or scale a business. The NEC seeks to increase the likelihood of success for all founders through membership, accelerators, and regular community events.
Since 2017, Nashville Entrepreneur Week has grown year-over-year as a free event dedicated to convening entrepreneurs of all kinds for a week of education, collaboration and connection. Whether you dream of starting your own business or you’ve already built a successful company, NEW’s programming and networking opportunities exist for you.
The Nashville Innovation Alliance was established by the Mayor of Nashville and Vanderbilt University to bring together public, private, civic and educational institutions to develop and implement a city-wide strategy for inclusive innovative growth, and pilot and deploy solutions that address the city’s challenges.
Nashville Product Meetup features community-building opportunities and events to connect those working on or interested in product development, management, and marketing in the Nashville area. With events and meetups happening every month, Nashville Product Meetup is a place to network and learn from those working on innovative products across Nashville’s tech sectors.
The Nashville Social Enterprise Alliance engages the resources, skills, and assets of the national SEA organization, and a local network of investors, educators, mentors, philanthropists, non-profits, businesses, and policymakers to accelerate innovative sustainable solutions to social problems in the Middle Tennessee area.
StartupNash is a growing community featuring opportunities to connect with local founders and operators over Slack and at meetups. Focusing on peer support around the difficult road that is building and scaling companies, StartupNash is anchored in Nashville but open to anyone interested in growing the Southeastern Tech Scene.
The Wond’ry and the Vanderbilt University Center for Entrepreneurship are a driving force between the prestigious university’s undergraduate and graduate entrepreneurs and founders, as well as regional university-affiliated students, alumni, and professors. Stay plugged in with the Wond’ry and C4E to ensure you don’t miss opportunities to connect with up-and-coming companies and talent, including at the annual Vanderbilt Entrepreneurship Conference and other community events.
Nashville Tech and Startup Media
Launch Tennessee’s The Pitch Weekly Newsletter for news and events on the latest in Tennessee startup, innovation, and venture news.
Launch Tennessee’s Disrupt the Continuum Podcast spotlighting both Tennessee and national guests to shed light on company-building and investing.
Nashville Business Journal’s “Nashville Inno” for all things new in the city’s ever-growing tech scene.
Nashville Entrepreneur Center’s Circle Back Podcast highlighting founders, operators, and executives who have been integral to the city’s tech success.
Tennbeat is a an independent, online news outlet based in Nashville covering in-depth stories on business, technology, real estate and local government.
Venture Nashville Connections for both quick updates and deep dives on the state’s innovation, venture, and startup news including fundraises, founder profiles, and more.
Nashville Tech Job Postings
Startups to Watch
Built Technologies — Built is a construction finance platform that is focused on improving the financial performance of the $14 trillion global construction industry with an emphasis on modernizing the movement of money amongst its key stakeholders. The startup has seen explosive growth since its founding in 2014, and has helped fund $68 billion worth of construction projects while raising over $250 million to date, including a $125 million Series D in 2021 at a $1.5 billion valuation from Fifth Wall Ventures, 9yards capital, HighSage Ventures, Index Ventures, XYZ Ventures, and others that helped make it one of Nashville’s most valuable private companies.
Freightwise — Founded in 2014, nearby Brentwood, TN-based Freightwise is a transportation management software platform that fills the gap between transportation management systems and accounting systems to reduce clients’ freight spend. The company was named the second-fastest growing company in the U.S. in 2019 after growing revenues 30,548% over three years to over $33 million annually, and is a shining example of Middle Tennessee’s integral place as a freight, logistics, and transportation technology corridor.
Goodship — As technology enabled remote teams to collaborate on exciting new companies from anywhere in the world, Goodship’s remote team with leadership in Nashville, Seattle, and elsewhere have built a novel procurement platform to provide shippers transparency into their freight data and insights into their procurement ecosystems. Since being founded in 2022, the company has raised over $15M, most recently a Series A led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with other investors like Ironspring, Chicago Ventures, Fuse VC, Wischoff Ventures, and others continuing to support the startup as it inks large contracts with Kellanova (formerly Kellogg Co.), KBX Logistics, and others.
Possip — Possip is a parent engagement platform striving to create a feedback loop between parents and schools. Drawing on her experiences as both a teacher and mother, founder Shani Dowell recognized parents needed a better way to provide praise and feedback to schools and schools needed an efficient way to analyze this data. Since its founding in 2017, Possip has now provided its service — a short, text message “Pulse Check” survey to parents — to over 700 schools in over 100 languages. Dowell’s efforts to eliminate socioeconomic, language, and other barriers to parent-school communication have led to her being the first African-American woman in Tennessee to raise $1 million for a start-up.
Soundstripe — Soundstripe is a product of Nashville’s deep music and entertainment industry expertise and a leading provider of royalty-free music, stock video, and sound effects for use in videos, podcasts, and other media projects. The musician-founded startup has raised $15 million from investors including PayPal COO David Sacks’ Craft Ventures, Overline, Escalate Capital Partners, and others.
Thyme Care — An example of the potential for technology to take on some of the most complex specialty care challenges in healthcare, Thyme Care provides virtual and in-person care, care navigation, and wraparound support for oncology patients and providers, while adopting a value-based risk sharing model to improve health outcomes and reduce total cost of care. The Series C company has raised $168 million in its history, with premier healthcare investors like CVS Health, a16z Health + Bio, Town Hall Ventures, Frist Cressey Ventures, Foresite Capital, and others.
Wellvana — Another sign of Nashville’s healthcare innovation being recognized by both local and global investors, Nashville-based Wellvana has build and scaled its value-based care platform to allow health systems, primary care providers, and payors the guidance and incentives models to transition to improving healthcare quality and reducing costs. The company has raised over $170 million from investors like Heritage Group, Valtruis, Memorial Hermann Health System, and other experienced healthcare investors.
Yoshi — Yoshi is one of the many startups that have relocated its headquarters from Silicon Valley to Nashville amidst the city’s tech boom, and offers a variety of onsite automotive mobility services to be delivered to both home and workplaces. The company has raised nearly $75 million from strategic investors such as GM Ventures and ExxonMobil, and individuals such as NBA superstar Kevin Durant and NFL legend Joe Montana.
BONUS: Food, Drink, and Lifestyle Highlights
For those looking for a place to meet up with a new connection or just wanting to explore the city’s bustling hospitality and recreation scene
Barista Parlor (Coffee Shop, Multiple) — Since 2012, Barista Parlor has been a source of handcrafted caffeinated beverages and exceptionally cool digs for creatives, freelancers, and corporate workers alike at their many locations across the city.
City House (Restaurant, Germantown) — Make a reservation at Nashville-native and James Beard Award-winning chef Tandy Wilson’s infinitely shareable pizza and plates at this Germantown staple.
Fifth & Broadway (Restaurant + Retail, Downtown) — A glossy symbol of Nashville’s wave of new construction, this mixed-use complex opened in early 2021 and features everything from an Apple Store to the new National Museum of African American Music, as well as locally-grown and imported dining and shopping concepts — all a stone’s throw away from Nashville’s neon-adorned honky tonks and bars on Broadway.
Imogene + Willie (Clothing, 12 South) — Started by husband and wife duo Carrie and Matthew Eddmenson, you can visit Imogene + Willie’s flagship shop in a refurbished gas station located in the always-active 12 South neighborhood to find handmade jeans and other high-quality clothing that are the envy of denim enthusiasts the world over.
Monell’s (Restaurant, Multiple) — With 3 locations across town, including a southern manor house by the airport and their original location in a Germantown townhome, Monell’s is a celebration of Southern home cooking with family style dining — meaning you pay a single meal ticket price, sit down with a complementary group of strangers, and get served course after course of wholesome and hearty breakfast, lunch, and dinner including what might be the best skillet fried chicken in the city. (Pro-tip: The Germantown location serves “Midnight Breakfast” every Saturday from Midnight-3:00 am)
Percy and Edwin Warner Parks (Recreation, Belle Meade) — Located 9 miles from downtown Nashville, the Warner Parks contain 3,100 acres of forest and fields and are a beloved destination for hiking, picnics, dog walks, biking, and an urban-adjacent breath of fresh air.
Prince’s Hot Chicken (Restaurant, Multiple) — Nearly 100 years ago, Thornton Prince received a plate of extra-spicy seasoned fried chicken from his sweetheart as attempted revenge for suspected infidelity. Today, Prince’s Hot Chicken is the originator and gold standard of the now-famous southern staple, always served with pickles atop a slice of white bread.
Ryman Auditorium (Music Venue, Broadway) — Birthplace of bluegrass. Former home of the Grand Ole Opry. Everyone from Elvis to Johnny Cash to B.B. King to The Pixies have graced the stage at the renowned Ryman Auditorium, and catching a show here is one of the best ways to get in touch with the legacy of Music City and experience the auditory perfection that the building was engineered for.
Santa’s Pub (Karaoke Bar, Fairgrounds) — While Nashville has dozens of places for you to stand in the crowd and admire the vast array of musical talent, Santa’s Pub, a Christmas-themed karaoke bar housed in a doublewide trailer, is a unique dive that allows you to step onstage and live out all your vocalist fantasies. Just make sure you don’t violate the “No Cussin’” rule!
Slim + Husky’s (Restaurant, Multiple) — Started in Nashville and now found as far as Atlanta and Sacramento, Slim + Husky’s is a fast-casual (and fast-growing) option for a choose-your-topping pizza available in either Slim or Husky sizes before they take a trip through the conveyor belt oven. Pair with a beer if that’s on your agenda, and sit back and enjoy the R&B and hip-hop vibes curated by the team.
Thank you for checking out this guide to the Nashville tech and startup ecosystem. If you’re interested in being a part of the ever-growing success story that is entrepreneurship in the Southeast, check out the Build In SE website, or learn more via our publications on Substack.
If you know of any resources that should be added to this guide, or if you simply want to get in touch, please reach out to me at topher@buildinse.com!