Entrepreneurship

Lynn Youngs (Prospective Candidate)

University of Tennessee Lecturer and Executive Director of the Anderson Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Entrepreneurship

This seasonally adjusted metric evaluates the rate at which new businesses were formed between 2015 and 2017. TN ranked 33rd in 2018 and 32nd in 2019. Idaho had the best business birth rate in 2019. 

Action Plan

Plan to increase Entrepreneurship in TN

Low Tax Burden

Prospective Candidate

A good candidate will advocate for low taxes across the state.

Low Tax Burden

This metric measures total state and local taxes – including corporate income, personal income, sales and more – as a percent of total state income. TN ranks #8.  At less than 5 percent, Alaska has the lowest tax burden, followed by Florida

Action Plan

Plan to keep tax burden low.

Patent Creation

John Wood

Owner of Wood Patent Law and experienced Silicon Valley Patent Attorney, now residing in Johnson City, TN.

Patent Creation

This measures the number of utility patents – or patents for invention – the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office grants annually by state. States were ranked on the average number of patents granted between 2014 and 2016 per million residents (based on the three-year average by population). TN ranked 37th in 2018 and 38th in 2019.

Action Plan

Plan to improve Patent Creation in TN

Top Company Headquarters

Candidate

Leader with expertise in attracting headquarters to TN

Top Company Headquarters

This metric calculates the number of the top company headquarters per million residents in each state. U.S. News also uses data from Fortune 1,000 and U.S. Census Bureau to help pull the top companies from each state. TN ranked 19th in 2018 and currently ranks 13th in 2019.

Action Plan

Plan to attract more company headquarters

Venture Capital

Grady Vanderhoofven

CEO of Three Roots Capital

Venture Capital

This measures venture capital dollars invested in each state per $1,000 of nominal state gross domestic product in 2016.  TN ranked 20th in 2018 but currently ranks 33rd.  California and Massachusetts hold the top two spots.

Action Plan

Working with Opportunity Zone Funds across the state to attract new capital investment and match entrepreneurs with capital.