Gov's Nexus and Commercialization
Gov's Nexus is Austin Peay State University's home for innovation and commercialization. We help APSU faculty, staff, and students turn research, inventions, and creative work into real-world impact, through funding, intellectual property support, and connections to industry partners.
About TTAC at Austin Peay State University
Austin Peay State University is a proud member of the Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium (TTAC), a statewide initiative led by Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN) to support innovation, research commercialization, and entrepreneurship across Tennessee's universities and research institutions.
As a TTAC member, faculty, researchers, staff, and students at Austin Peay State University have access to resources that help evaluate and advance the commercial potential of ideas, technologies, and research discoveries. TTAC supports our institution in screening and validating technologies, exploring intellectual property (IP) opportunities, and connecting innovators to commercialization pathways.
If you have an invention, early-stage research, or even just an idea you're exploring and want help understanding its commercial potential, we encourage you to connect with your Commercialization Counselor and submit a TTAC Idea Submission Form.
Get started in three steps
- Talk to us. Email innovation@apsu.edu to set up a conversation with APSU's Commercialization Counselor. No idea is too early.
- Disclose your work. If you have an invention or a copyrightable work, complete the matching disclosure form on our Forms page.
- Come to an event. Meet colleagues, hear about funding, and share your research at a Gov's Nexus event.
TTAC resources available to you
- TTAC Innovation Fellowship: A 6-week training program offered each Fall and Spring to help researchers evaluate commercial potential and explore entrepreneurial pathways.
- TTAC Travel Grant: Supports travel to industry conferences and events that help advance the commercialization of your technology.
- TTAC Proof of Concept Funding: Awards between $1,500 and $15,000 to help validate early-stage ideas and build a proof of concept.
- TTAC Maturation Grant: Awards of $50,000 to $100,000 to help de-risk technologies through milestone-driven collaborations with industry partners.
- TTAC Partnership Program: Funding for strategic events and initiatives that connect the university to external industry and innovation partners, fostering a culture of commercialization on campus.
Learn more about the statewide program at LaunchTN: Tennessee Technology Advancement Consortium.
Proof of Concept funding at APSU
APSU has a $25,000 Proof of Concept pool for 2026–27. APSU awards up to $15,000 per project. APSU faculty and staff are eligible. Apply through LaunchTN's Proof of Concept application; applications are sent to APSU for internal review and selection. Funds will be awarded by January 2027.
Apply for TTAC Proof of Concept funding
Questions? Email innovation@apsu.edu.
What we can help with
- Assessing whether your idea, invention, or creative work has commercial potential
- Invention and copyright disclosures, and next steps with intellectual property
- Proof of Concept, SBIR/STTR, and other funding opportunities
- Finding industry partners, collaborators, and licensees
- Confidentiality agreements before you share details with a company
- Exploring startups built on APSU research