Eric Mathews

Eric Mathews works to change entrepreneurship and community engagement in cities. He is the founder and co-president of Start Co. a venture creation organization to support entrepreneurial action. Prior to these endeavors, Eric was the Associate Director of Corporate Research and Development at the FedEx Institute of Technology. There he grew research programs and lead economic development activities including growing strategic business relationships with Fortune 500 companies. Eric's career has been dedicated to various stages of business development, including founding, directing, and developing of businesses in the fields of technology, manufacturing, and consumer products. Prior to all these efforts, he founded and/or directed academic technology research labs that worked on healthcare technologies, sustainable building, and artificial intelligence, among others. Eric has a B.S. in Chemistry from Rhodes College, and an M.S. in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Memphis where he studied artificial intelligence. Over the years, FedEx Corp, Brother Industries Ltd, University of Memphis, and the State of Tennessee called upon Eric to consult on innovation and commercialization. He has been quoted over 200 times in various media outlets including the Financial Times, NPR, and Agence France Presse on the use and influence of innovation in business. With a passion for supporting the emerging creative class, Eric currently serves on the following boards: BalletMemphis and Project:Motion (all 501c3). As an advocate for technology advancement in educational institutions, Eric also serves on the Rhodes College Leadership Council. As a voice for change in economic development policy, Eric serves on the Center City Development Corporation Board.