Established by the University of Tennessee Research Foundation (UTRF), UT Ventures is an angel investment network that launched in January 2026 with eight founding members who shared a common interest in supporting UT-related companies. In under a year, the network has grown to 28 members, hosted six company pitches and closed two investments.
“UT Ventures is about UT funders for UT founders,” said UTRF President and CEO Maha Krishnamurthy.
The network brings together accredited investors who are UT alumni or friends of the UT System to invest in startups founded or led by UT alumni, faculty, or students, as well as companies built on UT-owned intellectual property. Unlike traditional venture capital funds, UT Ventures charges no management fees and takes no cut of profits, giving members complete control to invest deal-by-deal.
Through this model, UT Ventures creates another avenue for entrepreneurs to access capital and business expertise while giving investors an opportunity to support UT-related companies.
From concept to investment
UT Ventures was built around a shared recognition that promising entrepreneurs often need access to early-stage capital, experienced advisors and business connections to bring their ideas to market.
For many founding members, the opportunity to help fill that need also offered a meaningful way to give back to UT.
“Entrepreneurs move the world forward,” said UT System President Randy Boyd, a UT Ventures founding member and founder of Radio Systems Corporation. “We need to have more entrepreneurs in the state of Tennessee and at the University of Tennessee.”
In July 2026, UT Ventures reached a major milestone with its inaugural investment in Solaris Endovascular, a medical device company developing technologies for patients with dialysis access complications and peripheral artery disease.
“Support from UT Ventures strengthens our ability to advance Solaris DE and bring a truly differentiated solution to patients who have very few good options today,” said John Reviere, vice president of clinical and quality operations for Solaris Endovascular and a UT Knoxville (UTK) alumnus.
In October 2026, UT Ventures completed its second investment in Asqr, a Knoxville-based, AI-powered guest intelligence platform founded by UTK alumni. The platform helps live-event operators better understand and engage their audiences.
“Thank you, UT Ventures. Having my alma mater invest in Asqr means a lot, and we’ll work hard to make you proud. Grateful to Market Square Ventures for leading the round,” said Carey Archer, CEO of Asqr.
Together, the investments illustrate how UT Ventures is applying its model to support UT-related companies across different industries.
In collaboration with UT Ventures, UTK’s Haslam College of Business launched ENT 553, a graduate-level course that gives students hands-on experience researching investment opportunities and learning the research and due diligence process used by investors.
Building a network for long-term impact
As UT Ventures expands its investment portfolio, it is also growing the community of investors available to evaluate opportunities and support companies. Members bring experience across fields including technology, health care, finance, consumer products and entrepreneurship.
That collective expertise can offer value beyond financial support. Members can share perspectives with founders, help evaluate business opportunities and provide feedback that may help companies refine their strategies, even when an investment doesn’t move forward.
“There are so many smart people in that group that give really good feedback,” said Tracy Thompson, a UT Ventures Founding Member, UTRF Board Member and CEO of Focus Health Group. “It can be helpful to the startups whether we invest or not.”
Over time, the network’s impact could extend beyond individual investments. Successful companies create jobs, attract additional investments, and bring new products and services to the market. The UT System may also benefit as members can pledge a portion of their investment returns to UT.
For founding members, that long-term potential is central to the network’s appeal.
“If we look back 10 years from now, I hope there’s a lot of startups that are healthy and have created jobs and that UT can ultimately benefit from that,” Thompson said.
From eight founding members to 28 and two completed investments, UT Ventures is turning connections within the UT community into opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors alike. As the network continues to grow, its focus remains on helping UT-related companies take their next steps and building an entrepreneurial ecosystem that benefits the UT System, its alumni, students and researchers for years to come.