Richlyn Marketing

Yes, many people still see information technology in Middle Tennessee as being an almost accidental offshoot to our massive hospital dominated health care sector. But there has long been a vibrant and varied local cadre of entrepreneurs building tech companies serving industries of all stripes. And it didn't take long for us to findworthy candidates for our first Tech 25 listing.

The food and music businesses? Check. Finance and legal applications? Got 'em. Old-school systems integration and the new world of mobile apps? Covered. Sure, our list also includes the region's largest tech employer, HCA, and a number of other big established health care names. Their efforts to keep advancing the business of health care combined with the innovation from newer players such as Metova and Splother paint a promising - and balanced - picture for Nashville's tech scene.

Splother

David Durocher, Founder

Commercials need songs. So do T.V. shows. Artists need exposure. And money.

While music is easier to share than ever before, the sheer amount of it can make it difficult to connect artists and end users. Centuries of intellectual property law has produced an unwieldy and frustrating licensing system. Splother seeks to fix that and advertises itself as the music industry's first "click to pay" music licensing service.

Independent artists and record labels can post their material for sale to music supervisors and brand managers in need of the right song.

The six - employee shop, which opened its doors less than a year ago, also pitches itself as a "natural matching process" for artists and brands looking to reach specific audiences.