Research & Policy Associate

Position
:
Research & Policy Associate

Location
:
Nashville, TN

Reports to
:
Chief Executive Officer

Supports
:
Organization-wide projects with an emphasis on commercialization and capital

Launch Tennessee (LaunchTN) is a 501c3 nonprofit partnership building an ecosystem of support for every startup and investor in Tennessee. As a public-private partnership, we are uniquely positioned to provide direct investment while also supporting collaboration among founders, investors, researchers, private-sector institutions, and government. We foster entrepreneurship, technology advancement, and workforce development by providing capital access, commercialization support, and connections.

• Go further through collaboration.

• Be driven to serve.

• Be accessible and inclusive always.

• Put people first in everything we do.

• Life is too short not to love what you do.

• We make it happen.

Launch Tennessee is seeking a strategic and data-driven Research and Policy Associate to evaluate and advance the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. In this role, you will analyze state and national startup data and metrics, benchmark and conceptualize Tennessee’s innovation policies, and use data-based findings to drive outcomes and support advocacy. By translating complex data into actionable insights, you will help inform state- and federal-level policy recommendations and support grant proposals that directly address barriers faced by technology-based startups and regional innovators.

Your findings will be compiled into compelling data visualizations, including but not limited to reports, graphs, and interactive dashboards, to be used by policymakers, funding agencies, and economic development stakeholders to help make Tennessee the most startup-friendly state in the nation.

We are looking for an ambitious, intellectually curious, and organized professional with strong verbal and written communication skills who can work independently with minimal supervision.

• Translate complex economic data into concise policy briefs, legislative memos, and executive summaries to support Launch Tennessee’s state and federal advocacy efforts (ex, synthesizing and disseminating potential impact and opportunity of quantum EO for TN)

• Keep leadership updated on national entrepreneurship support models, capital access policies, and commercialization trends. including responding to RFIs, tracking agency announcements, and federal policy changes

• Be able to clearly and concisely articulate opportunities for Tennessee founders that are based on data-driven knowledge.

• Draft high-visibility public reports, impact statements, and presentations that communicate the health and ROI of Tennessee’s innovation initiatives. – Specifically, LaunchTN initiatives, including InvestTN, SBIR, and TTAC.

• Deliver insights clearly and visually to diverse audiences, including state legislators, economic development agencies, university partners, and the board of directors.

• Support data and evaluation efforts and requests with strategic partners (TNECD) and vendors alike (RTI)

• Evaluate competitive landscapes and state-level policy incentives across the United States to ensure Tennessee remains a highly attractive environment for founders.

• In collaboration with the Data & Compliance Manager, use LaunchTN collected metrics to support data analysis and narrative. Support refinement and continuous improvement of data collected, review, and advise on metrics collected across existing and new surveys administered by LaunchTN.

• In collaboration with the Marketing and Communications Department, own the portfolio of LaunchTN advocacy materials, including…