TTAC Travel Grant Program

TTAC Travel Grant Program

Supports Tennessee innovators with travel assistance for networking, industry events, and commercialization partnerships.

Eligibility · United States · US-TN

The TTAC Travel Grant Program is a rolling micro-grant administered by Launch Tennessee, funded through a state of Tennessee grant contract, that reimburses up to $2,500 in travel costs for Tennessee-based small businesses and researchers to attend commercialization, entrepreneurship, industry engagement, customer discovery, and partnership development events. Covered expenses include airfare, lodging, and conference or event registration fees. Applications must be submitted at least three weeks before the travel event date; late applications are not accepted. There is no annual cycle or funding cap published at the program level — funding is available on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Eligibility is dual-track: Tennessee-based small businesses commercializing innovative technology are eligible, as are faculty, researchers, and students affiliated with Tennessee research institutions. For-profit small businesses and academic researchers can both apply, but nonprofits are not eligible. If the travel is connected to an invention disclosure, applicants are required to complete a LaunchTN consultation before submitting. Applications are submitted via Airtable and must include a narrative explaining how the event aligns with the applicant's commercialization or research goals, institutional approval documentation, and the LaunchTN consultation confirmation if applicable.

The Travel Grant is intended to lower the barrier for Tennessee technology entrepreneurs and researchers to attend events where they can demonstrate their technology, meet potential customers or partners, or advance a federal grant application. While the $2,500 ceiling makes this a micro-grant, it can be particularly useful for researchers and early-stage companies with limited travel budgets preparing to pitch at national conferences or SBIR workshops. Launch Tennessee can be contacted at info@launchtn.org or 615-991-2809 for questions about event eligibility or the application process.