Music Council partners with Entrepreneur Center; Join Technology Council at 105 Broadway
Mayor Karl Dean and the Nashville Music Council have formalized an agreement with the newly launched Nashville Entrepreneur Center. This powerful partnership between the Music Council and the NEC will provide unprecedented direct support to local start-ups in digital media and entertainment —taking ideas in their infancy to robust reality.
The 50+ member strong Nashville Music Council, dedicated to cultivating and advancing the ever expanding local music community, together with Mayor Karl Dean have formalized an agreement to work in tandem with Nashville Entrepreneur Center to further nurture and support business ideas with the potential to impact the digital media & music entertainment sector.
To begin, the NEC will hold events for the Music Council. These programs will feature business plan presentations and will enable entrepreneurs to have executive level interaction and feedback. This initiative will have positive impact in both directions—providing productive feedback from industry veterans to the protégées and giving the Music Council access to potentially successful innovation within the industry.
Launched officially in the summer of 2010 with support from private and public funding, and led by Vanderbilt faculty member and accomplished business leader Michael Burcham, Nashville’s Entrepreneur Center is an incubator for ideas and business start-ups targeting four distinct areas for local growth: Healthcare, Technology, Social Enterprise and Digital Media & Entertainment. With over 8,000 square feet of physical space and a staff of successful industry leaders, NEC is the “front door” for new entrepreneurs helping them to navigate the available options and resources. Vetting
hundreds of local business plans at various stages of development, the NEC mentors and provides office space. To a select few, the NEC pairs entrepreneurs with those who can offer term sheets and funding.
Additionally the NEC will sponsor a formal mentoring program for the Music Council that will pair an industry leader with a start-up(s) venture. Each mentor will participate in a comprehensive training program and then will be paired with protégées who possess significant potential. ASCAP president Tim DuBois and former Chairman of Sony Music Nashville Joe Galante have been elected to kick-off the official mentor program Mayor Karl Dean applauds the partnership and adds perspective, “Cities seeking to grow and prosper in the 21st century have to support innovation and entrepreneurism in key industries. The music industry in particular is ripe for new ideas and new business models that will help shape its transition into the digital age. This partnership between the Music Council and the Nashville Entrepreneur Center will help ensure that the future leader and leading ideas of the music industry are being cultivated right here in Nashville.”
On behalf of the Music Council members MaryAnn McCready adds, “The music and entertainment industry is an entrepreneurial business. It makes complete sense for the Music Council to support its local entrepreneurs and the EC is a great vehicle for doing this.”
Michael Burcham, President of the Entrepreneur Center concurs, “We are delighted to announce this partnership with the Music Council. Nashville has a rich history of innovation and leadership in the Music Industry. We look forward to working with the Music Council to help nurture and grow the next generation of music entrepreneurs.”
