TNECD Announces Rollout of Transportation Network Growth Opportunity Initiative

• Economic development tool used to connect and leverage research and innovation assets statewide
• Initiative focuses on making Tennessee the No. 1 destination in the Southeast for mobility R&D investment

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced today the rollout of the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative.

TNGO, which received initial funding from the Tennessee General Assembly during the 2023 legislative session, serves as a tool to diversify the state’s economy by leveraging research and innovation assets to attract mobility research and development (R&D) investment to Tennessee.

Through June 30, 2024, Victoria Hirschberg, assistant vice president for research, outreach and economic development at the University of Tennessee System, will work alongside TNECD as interim director to oversee the rollout of TNGO.

“Victoria has more than a decade of experience in economic development, and her knowledge will be vital as TNGO is launched statewide,” said TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter. “I look forward to working with Victoria and our other agency partners to strengthen Tennessee’s R&D sector, which will make our state a premier destination for the next generation of innovation and high-quality jobs.”

The mission of TNGO is to make Tennessee the No. 1 destination for mobility R&D investment in the Southeast by organizing and deploying statewide research and industry assets to connect, compute, power and fuel the future.

For more information or questions, please email ECD.TNGO@tn.gov.