Annual ceremonies in Knoxville and Memphis honor University of Tennessee startups, patents and licenses, as well as the UTRF Innovators of the Year.
UTRF is honored to recognize UT innovators from across the state at its annual Innovation Awards, held in Knoxville on November 24 and Memphis on December 10. UTRF staff and partners gathered to celebrate awardees for their groundbreaking work and successful transition of innovation from the lab to the marketplace.
This year’s awards recognized six startup companies, 18 licenses and 26 U.S. issued patents across both ceremonies.
UTRF also honored three exceptional researchers with the prestigious 2025 Innovator of the Year award, recognizing their outstanding contributions to innovation, entrepreneurship and the commercialization of technology.
Knoxville Ceremony
At the Knoxville ceremony, UTRF presented the Innovator of the Year award to John Sorochan and Kyley Dickson for their patented fLEX Device, a pioneering technology that simulates a cleated athlete’s foot strike to precisely measure field traction—advancing efforts to prevent injuries and enhance performance.
Their company, fLEX Standard Solutions, was acquired in May 2025 by SGL, the global market leader in sustainable pitch management solutions.
The Knoxville ceremony also presented awards to innovators from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the UT Institute of Agriculture, the UT Space Institute, UT at Chattanooga, and the UT Health Science Center College of Medicine, Knoxville.
Memphis Ceremony
At the Memphis ceremony, UTRF presented the Innovator of the Year award to James B. Dale, MD for his dedication to understanding and combating Group A Streptococcus, the bacterium responsible for strep throat and severe complications such as rheumatic heart disease.
His work not only advanced the science of strep prevention but also highlighted the global health importance of vaccines for diseases that remain widespread in low- and middle-income countries. In the United States alone, streptococcal sore throat carries an estimated economic burden of $2 billion each year. Yet the most devastating impact of Group A streptococcus occurs in poorer regions, where rheumatic heart disease—its most severe complication—remains rampant and causes nearly one million premature deaths annually.
Additionally, the Memphis ceremony presented awards to innovators from the UT Health Science Center. The Memphis office also serves UT at Martin and UT at Southern.
“UTRF’s Innovation Awards recognize UT’s innovators and entrepreneurs whose work exemplifies the power of ideas translated into impact. These innovations reflect our mission to move discoveries from UT into the marketplace, where they can improve lives, and advance economic development. We are proud to celebrate the creativity, persistence, and collaboration that make these achievements possible.” – Maha Krishnamurthy, UTRF President