Innovation Resources in Georgia

Over the last two decades, metro Atlanta has reinvented itself as a technology hub, evolving from its traditional finance, professional services and industrial roots. Our thriving innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems continue to drive the region's transformation. Recent tech company locations and expansions solidify the metro’s position as a digital leader as corporate powerhouses - from the likes of Google and Microsoft to BlackRock and Honeywell - locate their newest, most technologically advanced business units to Atlanta.

• Thriving innovation & technology ecosystem
• Top location for corporate innovation centers
• Strong corporate and academic R&D activity
• #6 state for venture capital

Curious and Inventive Spirit

Atlanta is a place of "firsts" for global brands. Minds craft next-generation products and services here. Atlanta invented the 24-hour news cycle when Ted Turner launched CNN and the region also introduced us to the first internet bank (Security First Network Bank). Atlanta gave the world a Coke, the first conceived headache tonic, and started the "do-it-yourself" revolution with the Home Depot. Now these minds are setting-up shop together in places like Georgia Tech's "Tech Square" to innovate and learn from each other.

Notable Technology Companies Founded in Atlanta:

• AirWatch (now VMWare)
• Internet Security Systems (now IBM Internet Security Systems)
• Ionic Security
• MailChimp
• OneTrust
• Pardot (now Salesforce)
• Pindrop Security
• Silverpop

Recent Technology Announcements:

• Accenture
• Facebook
• GE Digital
• Google
• Honeywell Home & Building Technologies
• Keysight Technologies
• Microsoft
• NCR
• PagerDuty
• Sage
• Salesforce

Innovation Centers

Corporate innovation centers provide highly accessible entry points for early stage companies to form customer relationships. Most innovation centers are concentrated at Georgia Tech’s “Tech Square” in Midtown Atlanta, taking advantage of the synergy between business and students on the college campus. A sampling of the region's corporate headquarters with innovation centers include:

• Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz USA) Lab 1886 USA
• Delta Air Lines "The Hangar" Innovation Center
• Georgia-Pacific Point A Center for Supply Chain Innovation
• NCR Innovation Lab
• thyssenkrupp Elevator Americas Research Innovation Center

Atlanta Corporate Innovation Centers List (Metro Atlanta Chamber, June 2020)

Strong R&D Activity

The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) supports the state's tech industry through research funding. Founded in 1990, the GRA has generated more than $4 billion in public and private investment and helped launch more than 150 companies statewide.

In Atlanta, you are also near leading research universities. Regional institutions collectively attracted $2.5 billion in research funding in 2017, with several schools among top funding recipients.

• Georgia Tech ranks 2nd for engineering R&D funding nationally and has seen a 36% uptick in engineering R&D funding since 2010
• Emory University is a top recipient of federally-funded medical research dollars, ranking among the top 15 universities nationwide

Accelerators & Incubators

More than a dozen business incubators offer nearly half a million square feet of space to emerging businesses across the region. Two of the region's largest include:

Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech

• Recognized by BusinessWeek and Forbes magazines as one of the nation’s top nonprofit incubators
• Churned out 170+ tech companies and has helped raise nearly $3 billion in funding since 1986

Atlanta Tech Village (ATV)

• Village startups have raised more than $500 million since inception
• Notable exits include: Bitpay, SalesLoft and Yik Yak

Venture Capital Activity

As startup activity continues to accelerate, the region attracts more funding, investors and opportunities to connect with other entrepreneurs. Notable rankings include:

• Approximately 80 emerging technology companies across Georgia
• Venture capital investment in Georgia reached $1.1 billion in 2019
• 90 venture capital deals were made in Georgia in 2019
• 34 VC firms headquartered across metro Atlanta

Atlanta is home to several venture-backed startup companies that have reached the $1 billion valuation mark, including: Kabbage, GreenSky, Rubicon Global and Sharecare.