LAST WEEK, a young Nashville-based industry association registered with the Tennessee Secretary of State to change its name to Greater Nashville Private Capital Association (GNPCA).

Simultaneously, the independent 501(c)(6) nonprofit shed its short-lived original name -- Greater Nashville Venture Capital Association -- under which it was born 18 months ago.

Today, via a press release and its updated website, GNPCA formally announced both its name change and the 35 private-capital-oriented members it has thus far recruited to GNPCA membership.

The group's beachhead membership drive continues under Executive Director Judith Byrd, with active backing by GNPCA founding board members and others.

In this morning's press release, Chairman Bruce Evans and Byrd provided the rationale for GNPCA's repositioning:

Judith Byrd

Byrd said, "As a new association, it became clear there was untapped potential to serve and support even more economic growth in the market. Widening our scope provides increased opportunity to move our growing private capital market forward as angel, venture and private equity investors collaborate on deals and thrive."

Bruce Evans

Evans said, "There is an increasingly diverse scope of investment activity in Middle Tennessee--including angel investment, venture capital, growth equity, private equity and family office investments--and we are evolving at this early stage of operation to better represent the full spectrum of private capital stakeholders in the ecosystem." Evans is a former co-managing partner of Summit Partners and continues to serve as chairman of the board of trustees of Vanderbilt University, of which he is an alumnus.

In addition to listing investment types that Byrd and Evans cited above, the GNPCA site provides membership information for corporate venture units; universities, endowments and community partner organizations; and, industry sponsors.

This morning's rebranding announcement comes ahead of GNPCA's "State of the Market" event, April 24 at Hilton Nashville Green Hills, 4:30-7 p.m.

The evening's panelists: Cambridge Associates Managing Director Michael Larsen and Raymond James Financial Senior Managing Partner Jeff Maxwell. Moderator: Stuart McWhorter, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD).

The event at Hilton Nashville Green Hills is sponsored by three GNPCA members -- Holland & Knight, LBMC and Pinnacle Financial Partners.

As VNC previously reported, the birth of GNPCA was propelled by a three-year commitment of seed-stage funding and in-kind support from the Vanderbilt University Administration.

Earlier VNC coverage of GNPCA/GNVCA. VNC

.last edited 1756 8 April 2025