The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the nation's top public research universities with nearly 50,000 students who study in person at the main campus in Atlanta, at Georgia Tech-Europe in France, at Georgia Tech-Shenzhen in China, as well as through distance and online learning.
Stuart C. McWhorter has served as TNECD commissioner since July 2022. During his tenure, TNECD has nearly 160 projects, which represent more than 21,700 job commitments and $10.9 billion in capital investment. Of those projects, more than 28 percent were the result of foreign direct investment.
McWhorter has a diverse background in entrepreneurship, corporate finance, and strategic planning. He served as co-founder and chairman of Clayton Associates with over 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship and early-stage investing.
Stephen joined CTTC in May 2024 and is responsible for leading the New Ventures team in their efforts to advance entrepreneurship and new venture creation and support programs across the Vanderbilt campus, in the greater Nashville area, and throughout Tennessee. He works closely with the CTTC unit directors of Licensing and Industry Collaborations and their teams, as well as key university leaders, administrators, and faculty, to identify promising technologies, assess market potential, secure IP, build management teams, and attract funding to accelerate commercialization.
Jesse Draper is a mother of 3 boys and founding partner of Halogen Ventures focused on early stage investing in consumer technology companies led by female and co-ed teams. Draper, the first solo female GP in Los Angeles is also a 4th generation venture capitalist, the creator and host of Emmy nominated television series, The Valley Girl Show, and host of the MOMumental Podcast. She is a fierce advocate for investing in women and the opportunity for using technology and innovation to solve some of the biggest issues facing women and families today.
Marcus Whitney is a Founding Partner of Jumpstart Health Investors (JHI), the most active early-stage healthcare venture capital firm in America. Of JHI’s funds, Marcus leads Jumpstart Nova, JHI's institutional, strategic, healthcare seed fund.
Marcus is also co-founder and minority owner of Major League Soccer team, Nashville Soccer Club.
Marcus is the author of the Amazon #1 best-selling book "Create and Orchestrate", about claiming your Creative Power through entrepreneurship. His work has been featured by Entrepreneur, CNBC, Inc., NPR, Fast Company, and The Atlantic.
Jonathan Godfrey serves as senior vice president and head of regional commercial banking. In this role Godfrey has strategic responsibility for the middle market and business banking segments, across our national footprint. He works directly with regional leaders to bring clients the Bank’s leading-edge solutions and extensive commercial services and is involved with the middle market expansion across the united States.
Geof is the managing partner of the firm’s Nashville office and co-head of the firm's technology and procurement practice. He focuses his practice on advising domestic and global service providers and customers on general business and technology issues and complex sourcing and managed services arrangements, including assisting with developing business, operational and legal strategies, negotiating transactions, and corporate and operational structures.
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