How Nashville, TN, is Shaping the Future of Healthcare

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Nashville’s roots as a health care epicenter date to the 1960s when Hospital Corporation of America opened its doors, followed by General Care Corp. and Hospital Affiliates International. Today, Tennessee boasts a robust health care ecosystem, fostering innovation and driving the future of care. 

A Hub for Healthcare Innovation and Entrepreneurship

With the nation’s largest concentration of health care companies, Nashville is home to more than 900 health care businesses that annually contribute nearly $68 billion to the local economy and $97 billion globally. 

“Nashville’s unique combination of industry expertise, innovation and collaboration has made it a powerhouse in health care,” says Apryl Childs-Potter, president of the Nashville Health Care Council. “By focusing on business growth, talent development and promoting Nashville’s health care legacy, we are committed to solidifying Nashville as the Health Care City.” 

A commitment to innovation shapes this work. Childs-Potter says that the council creates fertile ground for entrepreneurship and startup ventures by nurturing a vibrant ecosystem where emerging companies can connect with experienced leaders, access resources, and gain exposure to potential investors. 

A catalyst for driving the industry forward is the council’s Nashville Healthcare Sessions, a dynamic week of events convening great minds, decision-makers and change-drivers in the industry and sparking innovation and connection. The council also hosts a Crucial Conversations series, diving into health care’s most urgent challenges. 

“This series ignites powerful discussions, fosters connection, opens dialogue and innovative thinking,” she says. “Though based in Nashville, our membership spans a national footprint with a global impact.” 

August Bioservices: A Leader in Sterile Injectable Medications

August Bioservices, a Nashville-based contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) focusing on sterile injectable medications, is part of that Nashville health care ecosystem. 

Established in 2020, it quickly became a world-class drug manufacturing facility and a hub for research and development. 

“We saw the city’s potential to support the establishment of a company like ours and were impressed by the rich health care and life sciences community that is well-established here,” says Jenn Adams, CEO. 

“We also felt that Nashville would be viewed as an attractive place to live by many who currently work in biotech hubs on both coasts and would help us attract the technical talent a business like ours requires. We are proud of the role we play in our community as we introduce job opportunities to the region, collaborate with local colleges to foster innovation, and contribute to building a thriving pharma ecosystem in a new location.” 

Adams says the company received “a warm welcome and a wealth of resources” through local organizations like Life Science Tennessee and the Nashville Health Care Council. In less than four years, the company has doubled its manufacturing capacity and headcount twice. 

“We plan to double both again by 2026,” Adams says. “The local environment fosters a culture of innovation and supports cutting-edge technology, all while enabling us to grow rapidly in a way the community can sustain.” 

Hashed Health: A Venture Studio with a “Zero Zeros” Approach

Hashed Health, a health care-focused venture studio, began in 2016 with a focus on blockchain, sometimes known as Web3, and health care. 

“After working for several years with health care enterprises on Web3 strategy and product development, we saw an opportunity to launch a new startup,” says Hashed Health founder and CEO John Bass. “We build tech and tech-enabled services startups using a process that is designed to validate and de-risk the company-building process.” 

Bass says the company focuses on health care problems and solutions. Its process serves to ensure that “we have an incredible founder, a validated business and technical architecture, proof of customer interest, and demonstrated investor interest before we spend a lot of time and money building the company,” he says. 

Of the six companies launched to date, Bass says two have been acquired, three have raised seed rounds from outside capital, and one is currently raising a seed round. 

“We have a ‘zero zeros’ approach to building companies, which is unique in a world where nine out of 10 startups fail,” Bass says. “We are entering a golden age of innovation in health care. This is a unique moment in time resulting from escalating costs of care combined with new, enabling technologies and business models.”