Nashville Innovation Alliance

Civic Tech Jam

Connecting researchers with civic challenges

Civic Tech Jam is the Nashville Innovation Alliance’s collaborative program that brings Metro Government and university researchers together to solve real-world civic challenges through technology. As part of the Nashville Tech Studio, the program helps transform ideas into pilot projects that improve the lives of Nashvillians.

Meet the inaugural award winners →

Group photo of the inaugural Civic Tech Jam awardees, Metro Government partners and Nashville Innovation Alliance staff recognized at the Alliance's 2026 Annual Forum.

The inaugural Civic Tech Jam cohort was recognized at the Alliance’s 2026 Annual Forum after five pilot projects were selected for Nashville Tech Studio funding. (Joe Howell)

How It Works

Metro identifies challenges

Metro departments bring forward real operational challenges aligned with city priorities.

 

Researchers build solutions

Faculty from colleges and universities across Middle Tennessee form collaborative teams and develop proposals.

Tech Studio
launches pilots

The strongest proposals receive pilot funding and support to test solutions alongside Metro partners.

The inaugural Civic Tech Jam

The Alliance launched the inaugural Civic Tech Jam in 2025 to bridge local government and academia around real-world challenges. Metro departments identified pressing needs, faculty from across Middle Tennessee formed collaborative teams and 13 proposals were submitted across five university partners and six Metro department challenge areas.

Participants listen to presentations during the inaugural Civic Tech Jam, where Metro Government representatives and university researchers explored technology solutions for Nashville's civic challenges.

Metro Government representatives present a civic challenge during the inaugural Civic Tech Jam, inviting researchers to develop technology-based solutions.

Participants continue conversations following presentations at the inaugural Civic Tech Jam, discussing potential collaborations between Metro departments and university researchers.

2026 awarded projects

Following review by an evaluation committee of academic, technology and innovation experts, five projects were selected to receive Nashville Tech Studio pilot funding:

AI-Assisted Survivor Narratives

  • Metro Department: Family Safety Center
  • Partner: Middle Tennessee State University

Using AI to streamline documentation and strengthen support for survivors

Lower Broadway Dashboard Improvements

  • Metro Department: Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure
  • Partner: Lipscomb University

Enhanced LiDAR and real-time traffic analytics to improve pedestrian safety

Pinpointing Intersection Bottlenecks

  • Metro Department: WeGo Public Transit
  • Partner: Meharry Medical College

Data-driven analysis of traffic signals and bus performance to boost transit reliability

Real-Time Multilingual Technical Code Interpretation

  • Metro Department: Metro Codes
  • Partner: Tennessee State University

Live language interpretation for building code and zoning questions

LiDAR Data-Driven Digital Twins for Real-Time Traffic Congestion Control

  • Metro Department: Nashville Department of Transportation and Multimodal Infrastructure
  • Partner: Vanderbilt University

Digital twin technology to better understand and manage congestion

Program Partners

Civic Tech Jam is supported through the Nashville Tech Studio by Vanderbilt University and Launch Tennessee. Additional support from Amazon Web Services provides resources across the inaugural cohort, while Mortenson is helping advance the AI-Assisted Survivor Narratives pilot project. As the Tech Studio continues to grow, the Alliance will continue building partnerships that help expand research collaborations and pilot projects addressing citywide challenges.

 

Launch Tennessee logo

 

Amazon Web Services logo

 

Mortenson logo

 

Vanderbilt University logo

Participants pose for a group photo during the inaugural Civic Tech Jam, which brought together Metro Government representatives, university researchers and community partners.

Looking ahead

Civic Tech Jam is one part of the Nashville Tech Studio’s growing effort to connect research, local government and industry around real-world civic challenges. Future cohorts will continue building on the success of these inaugural projects while creating new opportunities for researchers, students and partners to help improve Nashville through technology.

QUESTIONS?

Find quick answers on our FAQs page, or reach out to one of the contacts below with additional questions.


Steve Lopez, Mayor’s Office of Performance Management, steve.lopez@nashville.gov​

Colleen Herndon, Metro ITS, colleen.herndon@nashville.gov​

Allie Padgett, Nashville Innovation Alliance, apadgett@hraadvisors.com​

GET UPDATES

Missed out on the 2025 Civic Tech Jam? Interested in finding ways to partner with Metro to work on real-world challenges? Drop your contact info here and we’ll send you updates on future opportunities.

 

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