This week, a dynamic group of 31 participants traveled to Austin, Texas to take part in the fourth immersive regional cohort at South by Southwest (SXSW), one of the world’s most influential gatherings for innovation, creativity, and emerging technology. Representing 12 universities, participants have been fully immersed in a high-energy environment designed to accelerate their growth and sharpen their ideas.

From refining their innovations and stress-testing their concepts to engaging in hands-on customer discovery, the cohort has embraced every opportunity to push their work forward. Along the way, they’ve connected with industry leaders, experienced mentors, and like-minded peers, gaining valuable insights and fresh perspectives that will shape the next phase of their journeys. Stay tuned next month, to hear about their experiences!

Jackson State University

NSF I-Corps 101 Summer 2026 Cohort

Jun. 23 - Jul. 14 (Deadline: Jun. 2) 

University of Kentucky

AgTech Cohort Summer 2026

May 15 - Jul. 24 (Deadline: May 4)

Tennessee State University

Innovator Entrepreneur Bootcamp

Mar. 27 - Apr. 17 (Deadline: Mar. 18) 

George Mason University

Regional I-Corps Summer Cohort

Jul. 9 - Jul. 30 (Deadline: Jun. 22)

Join us on March 26 at 12:00 PM for our next Innovation Open Mic, currently held virtually via Zoom. This month, we have an exciting lineup of innovators tackling challenges in career prep, sustainable fashion, and healthcare:

Simba Zimuto, Erocras. Whether you are stuck on a question at 2:00 AM, need a mock interview minutes before the real thing, or want a high-level consulting case buddy, Erocras makes elite career prep available anytime ambition strikes.

Euxie Laibe, SAUV, a modular women's apparel brand with a patent-pending snap system that lets you build more outfits from fewer pieces - saving time, saving space, and saving the planet.

Hady Sabra, Phenotype-Heritable Score (P-HS), a genetic risk prediction technology that analyzes key SNP mutations to identify individuals at elevated risk for Alzheimer’s disease decades before clinical symptoms emerge.

Click here to attend. Your feedback helps shape the future of innovation in our region, and you’ll get to vote for the Audience Favorite Award, which will be added to a team’s final recognition.

Join the Hub Technology Scout Lead, Mark Hilton, on March 19th, at 1:00 PM, to learn more about NSF's National Innovation-Corps, an immersive entrepreneurial training program and $50,000 grant for research commercialization!

Click here to register for this virtual info session. 

Have you been selected for an accelerator program, earned funding, won a competition, participated in national I-Corps, or hit other milestones?

We want to hear from you!

Submit news about progress on your innovation journey, and we'll share it on the Mid-South Hub Website and on social media.

To share updates, please email lauren.carnahan@vanderbilt.edu

Applications for the 5th UMass Lowell Innovative Fellows Training (LIFT) Program open today!

The LIFT program is an experiential learning opportunity designed for graduate students and post-doctoral researchers working in biotech, medtech, aging, and aging-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease. Cohort members receive a fellowship stipend of $2,016.

Application deadline: Mar. 18, 2026. 

Click here to apply. 

Applications for Techstars' Fall 2026 accelerators are officially open.

As a Fall 2026 founder, you’ll receive:

Funding: $220,000 investment to fuel your growth*

Mentorship: Expert guidance from a network curated since 2006

Network: Lifetime access to 10k+ founders and investors worldwide

Click here to apply.