Mike Bradshaw is the new director of the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship after serving as the CIE’s first Entrepreneur-in-Residence since 2021. Photo by Angela Foster.
The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Gary W. Rollins College of Business has named Mike Bradshaw director of the UTC Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship.
The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) was established in 2018 to engage, equip and encourage UTC’s innovators and entrepreneurs. The Center supports the entire University community through cross-campus programming and initiatives and addresses UTC’s strategic goal to “Inspire, nurture and empower scholarship, creativity, discovery, innovation and entrepreneurial initiatives.”
Bradshaw has served the CIE as its first Entrepreneur-in-Residence since 2021. He has a long history with UTC, going back to his days as a graduate student in the Rollins College of Business—receiving a Master of Business Administration degree in 2008. He has been an adjunct faculty member since 2011 and is the director of the University’s Urban Vision Initiative—a program that supports disadvantaged individuals who are developing new businesses in underserved areas of Chattanooga.
“I am delighted that Mike is moving into the role of CIE director,” said Dr. Thomas Lyons, the Clarence E. Harris Chair of Excellence in Entrepreneurship and executive director of the CIE. “With his extensive entrepreneurial background and dedication to fostering innovation, he is poised to lead the CIE into the next phase of growth and success. I know he is already thinking about new ways to engage our students and to help them develop their entrepreneurship skills. I am also excited about the connections he brings to Chattanooga’s entrepreneurial ecosystem as we continue to build the CIE’s capacity to serve our community.”
Under Bradshaw’s leadership, the CIE will continue to:
- Foster a culture of innovation and entrepreneurial thinking across UTC’s campus.
- Expand cross-disciplinary collaboration to encourage the development of cutting-edge ideas and ventures.
- Enhance resources and support for aspiring entrepreneurs, providing them the necessary tools and guidance to succeed.
- Strengthen partnerships with local businesses, organizations and investors to create a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.
“I am honored to serve as the Center’s director,” Bradshaw said. “Building on CIE’s early successes, we are launching new programs to help students develop their business ideas outside the traditional classroom environment. Entrepreneurial skills will serve our students for their entire careers, whether they intend to start a business of their own. Creating innovative new products, or working with practicing entrepreneurs from the community, is a unique educational experience. I am excited to be a part of providing our students the opportunity.”
Bradshaw has helped build businesses in diverse industries—including startups in hospitality, software, digital publishing and high-speed Internet. He has previously held positions as executive director of The Company Lab, president of Trinity Communications, and executive producer and director of software development for The Learning Company—and led the rebranding and expansion of Jensen Hughes, an international safety engineering and consulting firm.
Bradshaw earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from UTC. He has also co-written and published several articles on entrepreneurial ecosystems.
To learn more about the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, click here.
