Daniel Hines

In a clinical immersions course at Tennessee Tech that paired students from across academic disciplines, Daniel Hines, cellular molecular biology ’21, discovered his own entrepreneurial spirit.

“That course integrated pre-professional and nursing students with engineering students in an interdisciplinary team to find problems within the healthcare setting and find solutions to those problems,” Hines said.

With another Tech student, Hines was able to pinpoint a problem within the intubation process in healthcare, and together they made a device designed to solved the issue. With their invention, they formed a company that could help them market their device, BrantleyMarie Medical Devices. Together, the team has won the $10,000 for their business venture in the university’s EagleWorks competition and went on to win another $10,000 in prize money from Launch Tennessee’s 36/86 Student Entrepreneur competition.

Although he and his partner were the driving force in creating this product, Hines says they could not have been successful without the support of faculty and the Cookeville Biz Foundry.

“They have all supported us and given us resources to excel in our work and have key impacts in helping us deliver this product to market and pitch it to venture capitalists that we can hopefully, one day get this product into practitioners’ hands,” Hines said.

Aside from his business efforts, Hines is also active on Tech’s campus. He is currently the student coordinator for the Office of New Student and Family Programs and serves as student trustee on the university’s Board of Trustees.

Hines wants to continue to participate in many other clubs and organizations at Tech so that he can help make an impact on future students’ lives at Tech. 

“Seeing how [the board of trustees] all work together to make a better impact on students with introducing a new curriculum, hiring different administration for the university, and making key impacts on budget decisions has been the coolest part in seeing how the top part of the university runs.”

Hines plans to grow awareness about his new device and its effectiveness while wrapping up his undergraduate work at Tech. 

After graduation, he’ll attend medical school, and although he is excited to start his new journey, he remains thankful for his experiences at Tech.

“[I have met] so many friends and faculty mentors, and staff on campus that have not only developed me as a person but as a student and as a leader to take into my future job as a physician or entrepreneur.

“Tennessee Tech has become a home to me, and I love how easily I was able to get involved within the University, but it is not just the University but the city that makes it home.”