Mid-South REACH
In September 2023, the Mid‑South REACH award was made by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a new Research, Evaluation, and Commercialization Hub (REACH) program across four states: Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia.
Led by Vanderbilt University, Mid-South REACH is based on the best practices and experience of previous Hubs: ExCITE and KYNETIC programs. Lead institutions include Vanderbilt University (Tennessee), University of Louisville (Kentucky), George Mason University (Virginia), and Jackson State University (Mississippi).
The project represents a significant expansion of the public‑private partnership‑based programs to bring discoveries and biomedical innovations to commercialization. Mid‑South REACH creates a robust, interstate innovation infrastructure that acts as a distribution strategy of information, and funding to the majority of research institutions and community colleges across all four states.
Innovative Approach
The Mid-South REACH program pioneers a novel approach to decision making which leverages extensive expertise, the ability to reach a large network of institutions across four states, and a flexible, scalable, and sustainable Hub model powered by matching funds in each state to fund innovators within their own constituencies.
Our Hub is led by an experienced multi-PI team from each partner state, all of whom bring extensive networks, unique experience in innovation, entrepreneurship, and biomedical research to the team. Our approach extends education, mentoring, and financial support across a coalition of four states and universities across the Mid-South, informed by Vanderbilt’s extensive expertise with entrepreneurial education, fused with best practices in biomedical innovation across our partner institutions. This Program catalyzes the practical translation of robust research portfolios and emerging innovation activities at all institutions throughout the region. This enables disparate efforts to coalesce under a unified framework that emphasizes outreach, mentorship, and experiential learning.
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$2,000,000 in matching funds
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$12,000,000 in innovation investment in the Mid-South