The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) has recently unveiled the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative. This initiative, which received its initial funding during the 2023 legislative session from the Tennessee General Assembly, aims to enhance the state’s economic diversity by harnessing research and innovation resources to attract investments in mobility research and development (R&D) to Tennessee.
Until June 30, 2024, Victoria Hirschberg, the Assistant Vice President for Research, Outreach, and Economic Development at the University of Tennessee System, will serve as the interim director, collaborating with TNECD to manage the implementation of TNGO.
“Victoria has more than a decade of experience in economic development, and her knowledge will be vital as TNGO is launched statewide,” said TNECD Commissioner Stuart C. McWhorter. ‚”I look forward to working with Victoria and our other agency partners to strengthen Tennessee’s R&D sector, which will make our state a premier destination for the next generation of innovation and high-quality jobs.”
TNGO’s mission is to establish Tennessee as the premier destination for mobility R&D investments in the Southeast by effectively coordinating and utilizing statewide research and industry assets to drive the future of connectivity, computation, power, and fuel.
Key points about TNGO:
- It is an economic development tool that leverages research and innovation assets across the state.
- The initiative’s primary focus is on positioning Tennessee as the top destination in the Southeast for mobility R&D investments.
For additional information or inquiries, please contact ECD.TNGO@tn.gov.
