LaunchTN and Pinnacle Financial Partners collaborate to boost entrepreneurship statewide

Nashville, TN — As LaunchTN works to promote and roll out its $70 million investment fund, a new partnership with Pinnacle Financial Partners means exciting educational opportunities for entrepreneurs seeking capital and other support.

“This investment is more than just money,” Bryan Bean, Executive Vice President for Corporate Banking at Pinnacle, said. “It’s time, talent, resources, energy. We are really asking ourselves, ‘How can we do more than just write a check?’”

Pinnacle is the first ever LaunchTN VISIONARY, which includes a $100,000 investment in LaunchTN. The strategic partnership will incorporate activities designed to build connections among Tennessee investors and entrepreneurs.

Pinnacle and LaunchTN will be hosting events in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and Nashville through summer and leading up to September’s 3686 festival, which is the state’s premier entrepreneurship event.

“Banks are all about building and growing economies,” said Terry Turner, President and CEO of Pinnacle Financial Partners. “We are Nashville’s largest bank by deposits and the number one small business bank in the state, because we lead with advice and can serve every need our clients have. That’s also what’s made us one of the top banks in the state. At Pinnacle, we always want to take everybody with us to make sure everyone has the opportunity to participate in the economies we support. This partnership will allow us to reach new clients and provide them with essential services.”

The collaboration will also yield content creation and the promotion of services, such as financial literacy support. It’s part of LaunchTN’s new effort to create meaningful, long-term relationships with financial supporters to yield higher engagement and benefits for everyone the nonprofit serves.

“My focus is on mission alignment,” LaunchTN Development Director Emily Masters said. “We are a statewide organization, and the partnership with Pinnacle reflects a shared passion for entrepreneurs and for bolstering Tennessee as a startup-friendly state.”

From a video series to social media content, the two organizations will also be working to tell stories that highlight small businesses and entrepreneurs.

Pinnacle has supported the work of LaunchTN since 2015, so becoming a LaunchTN VISIONARY is a step forward in a longstanding relationship.

About LaunchTN
LaunchTN is a public-private partnership that supports entrepreneurship and economic development with a goal to make Tennessee the best state in the country for startups. As a 501(c)3 nonprofit 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 through capital access, commercialization, mentorship, marketing and partnerships.

About Pinnacle Financial Partners
Pinnacle Financial Partners provides a full range of banking, investment, trust, mortgage and insurance products and services designed for businesses and their owners and individuals interested in a comprehensive relationship with their financial institution. The firm began operations in a single location in downtown Nashville, TN, in October 2000 and has since grown to approximately $42 billion in assets as of December 31, 2022. As the second-largest bank holding company headquartered in Tennessee, Pinnacle operates in 17 primarily urban markets across the Southeast.