Issuu

2022-2023

aug-jul

THE BOOK

THE BOOK: AUG 2022 - JUL 2023

The Book encapsulates the events and stories that define a specific community. Each issue of The Book depicts a moment in time: a visual retrospect of how we learned and grew – both personally and professionally. Compiled together, these stories form the historical record of the evolution of our incredible communities.

THE FOREWARDS As the chronicle of this past year materializes within the pages of The Book, we reflect on our diverse communities and their shared experiences and goals. This yearbook aims to capture the essence of our collective journey – a blend of fresh aspirations, unexplored objectives, and evolving behaviors in this changing era. The Book also symbolizes our unity, determination, and growth along the way, touting the countless moments, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped our path. And as we continue to curate a culture of curiosity and collaboration, we look forward to further enhancing these innovative ecosystems and embracing any new obstacles that come our way. Thank you for being an essential part of this meaningful narrative – and here’s to many more.

David Tyndall Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Collaborative Real Estate

2023 has ushered in an accelerated pace of innovation, fostering intense local, regional, and global collaboration. Focus on health, wellness, sustainability, and a need for adaptability in response to unexpected challenges is paramount, and our communities have risen to the occasion. You are shaping and defining what it means to be a 'citizen' of an innovative community, setting the stage for transformation in the years ahead. Being a citizen in today’s innovative environment requires unwavering creativity. Collaboration is critical, as the lessons learned from our recent past underscore the importance of working together to tackle global challenges. Across our communities, the exchange of content and ideas is significant, with students, faculty, residents, and industry leaders uniting to create a powerful platform for sharing knowledge and insights. Ideas flow freely and are shaped by the collective wisdom of participants who not only adapt but thrive in an ever-changing world. This collaborative spirit has catalyzed the creation of innovative companies that adapt and proactively address the needs of society. Emerging startups and entrepreneurial ventures exhibit resilience and contribute significantly to our ecosystem, and established companies embrace community engagement. Living and experiencing all that our communities have to offer over the last year has been exhilarating. These are places where collaboration, content exchange, the birth of new enterprises, and the constant generation of ideas converge to shape a bright future. We are eager to continue our investment in you and the entire ecosystem around your community, and look forward to the upcoming year.

Kevin Byrne President and Chief Executive Officer, The University Financing Foundation

WHAT IS COLLABORATIVE REAL ESTATE? Collaborative Real Estate is a full-service real estate firm specializing in innovation districts and university research parks. With our expertise in development, asset/property management, and community activation, we help innovative ecosystems truly thrive. We believe that a research building's greatest amenities are the tenants themselves, and that what happens inside a building is what matters most. Every day, we are creating spaces, communities, and programs to grow thriving innovation communities designed to inspire, connect, and support ongoing user success. And while buildings do set the stage for collaboration and collision, connecting people requires intentional programming. Our devotion to community building through collaborative programming focuses on the creative use of common spaces – both indoor and outdoor – that each property has available and utilizes multi-channel communications to connect entities, and more importantly, to connect people.

In order to foster interactions, we deliver a spectrum of thoughtful and innovative collaboration services aimed at breaking down natural barriers to interaction. We operate on the belief that collaboration space is wasted without the principal ingredient: collaborators. Collaboration does not come naturally, as humans often skew toward isolation, and participants need both constant reminders of why they located into a collaborative environment in the first place, as well as encouragement to be active members of the community. From acquiring new properties to further engaging our more seasoned and successful collaborative innovation districts, over the course of several years – through ample amounts of research, assessments, refinements, and iterations – we meticulously crafted and curated environments that allow communities that typically wouldn’t interact to feel connected and be part of a thriving ecosystem.

WHAT IS THE UNIVERSITY FINANCING FOUNDATION? The University Financing Foundation, known simply as “TUFF,” is a national non-profit developer whose core mission is providing facilities and equipment to institutions of education and research at below the cost of market. TUFF was founded in Atlanta, GA, in 1982, and celebrates 40 years of developing, financing, owning, and operating knowledge communities across the United States. TUFF has deep experience in the cultivation of ecosystems that match university and research institutions with government and private industry collaborators. After developing a portion of Atlanta’s Tech Square along with Georgia Tech and two private developers, Gateway Development and Kim King Associates, TUFF has operated the well-known innovation district for 20 years. Along with Collaborative Real Estate, TUFF owns and operates many of the properties reflected in The Book 2021, including Centergy, Tech Square Research Building, Bridgeside Point, and 250 East Ponce. TUFF faithfully sponsors Tech Square ATL and participates in all of the events as well.

TUFF fulfills the core mission of supporting education and research by actively building communities, fostering inter-disciplinary collaboration and nurturing and accelerating the ideas, innovators, and supporters who strive to make the world a better place.

WHAT IS TECH SQUARE ATL? For technologists, researchers, entrepreneurs, startups, students, and corporations who are seeking productive collaborations, Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) is a members-only community, led by Collaborative Real Estate, that provides a curated environment designed to foster growth and innovation. TSQATL is centered around cultivating data-driven connections and offering continuous support by providing access to a shared workspace, community events, custom programming, mentorship opportunities, and so much more. And as just one of the many entities that reside in Tech Square – the heart of Atlanta’s tech scene – it’s clear community and collaboration are key to supporting a thriving innovation district.

Located in Midtown Atlanta, Tech Square has the highest density of startups, corporate innovators, academic researchers, and students in the entire

THE TECH SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD

southeastern United States. Over 100 startups, five startup accelerators, 25 corporate innovation centers, seven venture funds, 10 research labs, 10 Top 10 engineering programs, one Top 10 MBA program, and over 2,100 Georgia Tech students call Tech Square home.

CENTERGY Centergy is a 12-story (with additional penthouse), 487,011 SF mixed-use complex serving as the premier hub for innovation, technology, and research. Offering unparalleled

THE TECH SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD

opportunity and access for today and tomorrow’s leaders to connect and collaborate, Centergy boasts an impressive array of companies and tenants paving the way for future transformations and advancements in our ever-evolving world.

INNOVATION ANCHORS AND VENTURE CAPITAL FIRMS

TENANTS

Accenture Innovation Center

Advanced Technology Development Center

BLH Ventures

(ATDC)

Delta Innovation Center

Collaborative Real Estate

Engage Ventures

Electric Cities of Georgia (ECG)

Home Depot Innovation Center

Georgia Electric Membership Corporation

International Paper Innovation Center

(GEMC)

Kinetic Ventures

Georgia Advanced Technology Ventures Inc.

Knoll Ventures

(GATV)

South Wire Innovation Center

Georgia Department of Economic

Tech Square Ventures

Development (GDEcD)

VOCAP Investment Partners

Georgia Power Georgia Tech Office of Industry Engagement Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) LA Fitness PNC Bank Quickstart The University Financing Foundation (TUFF)

TECHNOLOGY SQUARE RESEARCH BUILDING The Tech Square Research Building (TSRB) is a five-story (with additional basement), 208,649 SF world-class research facility. As the Southeast’s premier place for nextgeneration communications research, it houses seven cutting-edge research centers and two renowned educational programs. GEORGIA TECH TENANTS College of Computing Digital Media Electrical and Computer Engineering Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2) Georgia Electronic Design Center (GEDC) Graphics, Visualization and Usability Center (GVU) ICD Institute for People and Technology (IPaT) Interactive Media Technology Center (IMTC) SimTigrate Design Lab

WHAT IS BRIDGESIDE POINT I? Bridgeside Point I is a five-story, 160,000 square foot life sciences academic and research facility located on the banks of the scenic Monongahela River in the Pittsburgh Technology Center of Pittsburgh, PA. The facility features a mix of wet and dry labs, offices, and research and classroom space. Its purpose expands deeper than the physical building, with the goal being to introduce intentional facility-based programming and continued collaboration between tenant departments and the greater Pittsburgh area. This active innovation ecosystem provides meaningful value to those working there and brings people together to spark new ideas.

WHAT IS 250 E PONCE? Located five minutes from the main Emory University Campus and ten minutes from Midtown and Downtown Atlanta, 250 E Ponce de Leon Avenue is a nine-story, 145,000 square foot facility anchored by nationally topranked Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing. Occupying approximately half of the space is the School of Nursing’s new Emory Nursing Learning Center (ENLC), designed to enhance nursing education and teaching methods by embracing innovation and technology. The building also houses a mix of other innovative tenants in such fields as information technology, medical research, architecture, and media. More than a facility, the intent is to support the medicaleducational-industry innovation community as it continues to expand throughout Decatur, as well as to promote industry collaboration and public and private investment in business growth and infrastructure development.

THE ACTIVATIONS Activations are curated experiences thoughtfully designed to create unique conditions that strengthen the culture of our community. Our events foster more than a feeling of fellowship, they serve as a catalyst for pushing the envelope, expanding horizons, and nurturing growth. Through these carefully crafted events, we help our community members ignite thought-provoking questions, engage in stimulating conversations, and most importantly, form meaningful connections.

CURATED CONNECTIONS

And those connections are sparked by serving as a host for fostering

By joining a diverse group of like-minded

conversations with a unique blend of

individuals who share similar (or perhaps,

quirky and thought-provoking questions

vastly unique) interests, passions, and

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ambitions, you get so much more than

members of the community to connect

premier access to today’s elite movers

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and shakers. You get to experience an

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enhanced sense of support. You get to

forum for people to come together in a

form tighter bonds. You get to develop

small group, learn from each other, and

deeper connections.

gain a diverse perspective.

DATA-DRIVEN EXPERIENCES Each activation is themed, based on

Activations are designed to gather data

community data, and the types range

and test hypotheses about the

from randomly “popping-up” to a

community. Interactions are

scheduled, invite-only gathering – and

intentionally observed and time is

everything in between – with each

committed to developing and sharing

offering a different experience and

insights gleaned from each activation.

outcome to participants. Not only does the data we collect help No matter the size of the event or the

uncover expressed and latent needs of

amount of planning and promotional

our community members, but it also

materials, each activation is

helps depict what type of future

strategically organized and executed

engagements we implement. And most

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importantly, from all of this, comes our

insight into our community members,

stories – which are the catalyst for

and to also encourage collaboration

collaboration – and precisely what we

and connections that otherwise

do.

wouldn’t be feasible.

THE TALKS Coffee Talks, Cocktail Talks, Happy Hour, Beer:30, and Math + Mimosas are all what we’ve coined as “The Talks” – a great way to catch up with other community members. Attendees are invited to swing by for a minute (or an hour!) to discuss an interesting topic or question over some tasty refreshments.

HAPPY HOUR: LOCAL LIFE SCIENCES PROFESSIONALS GATHER TO LEARN THE LATEST AND MEET THE GREATEST

BRIDGESIDE

Always one to extend a warm welcome, we wanted to introduce our newest tenant to our Bridgeside community in hopes of sparking connections and cultivating culture.

So, we invited our members and prominent local leaders, executives, educators, and students to join us at Eliza at Hotel Indigo for a life sciences-focused happy hour, complete with delicious drinks, complementary cuisine, and numerous networking opportunities.

With Avista Therapeutics moving into the building in January 2023, we asked CEO, Rob Lin, to stop by to speak about the company and its mission to develop innovative gene therapies for retinal diseases. Prior to taking the stage, over 50 people gathered to catch up with familiar faces and meet new ones. Of course, always focused on fostering new relationships, we encouraged networking by asking attendees to answer our question in order to get a free drink: “If you could give a talk about anything you wanted, what would be the topic?” Academic research Ancient engineering Babies Banking Branding Cocktails Covid Cures for diseases Digital healthcare Golf courses Hobbies Legos Life sciences technology and tools Machine learning Music Neuroplasticity Orthopedics Pets Research training Space Student housing Synthetic biology Thank you notes The arts Travels Vintage bikes Work/life balance

The unique range of answers perfectly reflected our melting pot of a community, showcasing that our members have both very similar and vastly different interests. For instance, everyone in attendance was clearly interested in life sciences, as that was the theme of the happy hour. However, James Leslie, CFO for TrialSpark, listed his topic of discussion would be centered around rebuilding his Lego collection to share with his nine-year-old daughter.

Upon capturing participants’ responses around what they would discuss at their “TED Talk,” it was finally time to hear from our speakers that evening. Helping to kick things off was Amanda Weaver, Community Manager and Activation Specialist of Bridgeside. In addition to introducing herself to new attendees, she also thanked everyone for coming and shared some insight into her role and our community activations. “While I’m not a scientist, nor do I claim to even begin to understand the intricacies of lab work, my job is to get to know the people that do and to help form connections between such like-minded individuals.” Next up was Christian Manders, CEO of Promethean Life Sciences and Founder of BioBreakfast. A renowned public figure in the greater Pittsburgh area, Christian discussed the history of BioBreakfast and encouraged the audience to attend the weekly gathering of individuals in the life sciences sector every Tuesday morning. Christian was also a big component of planning this specialized happy hour and showed his appreciation for the Bridgeside owners, The University Financing Foundation and property managers, Collaborative Real Estate:

“They’re making a really big investment in Pittsburgh – it’s a huge deal. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the real estate sector is going to push the biotech sector forward. These guys want to build buildings, but they also play in politics where most life sciences companies don’t – and they know how to get stuff done. Pay attention to these guys and come to their events!” Then came the moment everyone was waiting for. Rob Lin informed everyone about Avista Therapeutics, a recently launched spinout of leading health system, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), and how they aim to develop innovative gene therapies for rare ophthalmic conditions. In order to create next-generation gene therapies for blindness, Rob spoke about how making the right tools and addressing issues with those tools is critical. Additionally, he touched on the importance of combating the high, unmet medical need in inherited retinal diseases in order to profoundly impact patients’ quality of life. Rob also proudly announced Avista’s recent partnership with Roche Therapeutics to develop novel adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors for the eyes and their upcoming clinical trials. He ended the evening by saying, “I moved to Pittsburgh for great opportunities like these and I look forward to [Avista] moving into Bridgeside very soon!”

The night continued with more networking and fresh ideas for future activations here at Bridgeside.

BRIDGESIDE

MATH + MIMOSAS: CHAMPAGNE PROBLEMS PERPLEX PITT STUDENTS

At Bridgeside, we know our University of Pittsburgh Physical Therapy (PT) and Occupational Therapy (OT) students are well versed in their respective studies, but how well would they fare when it comes to drinking? (Don't answer that, it's rhetorical.)

Trading in resistance bands for champagne flutes, we decided to put our community members to the test with our Math + Mimosas: Kitchen Conversions activation one early September morning.

Hosted on the first floor lobby, we invited our members to participate in some champagnethemed trivia, enticing them with complimentary doughnuts and mimosas. Of course, there was a catch – they had to scan a QR code and correctly answer five questions first. Fortunately for them (and their future patients), the majority of participants correctly answered each question:

Interestingly enough, at an event where the consumption of too much bubby can go to your head, and cause double vision, OT students were simultaneously conducting a learning exercise to see how people with sight, hearing, and breathing problems navigate through day-to-day tasks – drinking NOT included!

As the players reveled in their victories and enjoyed their refreshing reward, they hung around in the lobby to continue catching up and chatting with other community members – something we’ll always cheers to!

COFFEE TALK: HONORING NATIONAL PHYSICAL THERAPY MONTH WITH INDUSTRY TRENDS

BRIDGESIDE

With October being National Physical Therapy Month, it was the perfect time to host a Coffee Talk in the Bridgeside lobby to enjoy complimentary caffeine and doughnuts while discussing the latest and greatest trends in the industry.

As community members stopped by, they were instructed to scan a QR code to answer a few questions about physical therapy or their respective field. Interestingly enough, several of the responses collected aligned with a recent article touting the same subject. For instance, virtual reality (VR) was the most popular piece of technology that participants thought could help advance PT treatments. Some of the biggest challenges facing physical therapists included expenses, insurance requirements, and lack of awareness/access to care. And as far as some techniques that people can use at home to help reduce pain are breathwork, stretching, heat pads and even ice baths. Below is a deeper dive into the data collected that morning:

What kind of technology do you think could help advance physical therapy treatments (or the field you work in)?

What are some of the biggest challenges facing physical therapists (or your field) today?

What are some techniques that people can use at home to help with pain management (if applicable in your field)?

neurotechnology

assistive devices mechanical dynamometers virtual reality

s s e n e awar ce

n a r u s n i ty i l i b i s s acy advoc

acce

ing h c t stre

ice/heat therapy rk breathwo

n meditatio

e s i c r e x e 32

COFFEE TALK: DISCUSSING THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGY AT PROGRAMMING YOUR INDUSTRY EVENT

PONCE

On a Wednesday morning in mid-October, over 70 Ponce community members participated in our Coffee Talk: Programming Your Industry to discuss the impact of technology on our everyday lives over complimentary Chick-fil-A coffee and biscuits.

From devices to data storage platforms and everything in between, technology plays a huge role in many elements of our work days. As attendees with varying levels of tech experience stopped by, we gained a better understanding of how our colleagues and constituents in the tech realm have become digital pioneers – and how it affects everyone.

For instance, in a conversation with Dr. Jay Patel from Azura, we brainstormed ways that technology could positively impact the healthcare system. The primary example that Dr. Patel gave was an application/system that provides transportation to differently-abled patients. Meanwhile, Fatima Sallah, a student at the Emory School of Nursing, said "I live for new advances in technology and how to improve my day-to-day life.” Whether it’s MedTech, programming, or graphic design, for example, these areas all involve technology. So we asked our participants how they specifically use technology in their work lives and what areas of technology they are most interested in learning about:

g gin a im

m ar ke tion a c i tin n u comm g charting

online programming learning

ch r a e s e r l clinica

patient management

And it comes as no surprise that nearly the entire tenant population uses technology daily – in one way or another!

COFFEE TALK: CLOSING OUT THE YEAR WITH COCOA, CAROLERS, AND COMMUNITY GOALS

PONCE

As the end of 2022 came to a close, we got into the holiday spirit at Ponce, while also focusing on the future.

Over a loaded hot cocoa bar and holiday carols galore (thanks to Like the Dickens!), we invited community members to enjoy the festivities while also sharing their successes from the past year, current projects they’re working on, and what their goals are for the new year:

What accomplishment from 2022 are you most proud of? Balancing parenthood and work (+4) Being adventurous Buying my first car Getting into Emory Getting out of debt Getting promoted (+3) Joining The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Meeting goals at work (+6) Staying true to my goals What is one project you are working on now? Fitness goals Growing social media Increasing patient attendance Starting a business Testing automation Work-life balance What is one project you are working on now? Enjoy life Fitness Grow business Improve organizational skills New certification Parenting skills Promotion Travel

No surprise here that most of our community members had similar goals surrounding health, fitness, career growth, parenting skills, and enjoying life more.

COFFEE TALK: 2023 GOALS DISCUSSED AT BRIDGESIDE

BRIDGESIDE

The start of a new year typically goes hand-inhand with new resolutions as well. To capitalize on this momentum, we hosted a Coffee Talk: Who Will You Be in 2023? centered around defining goals – and actually sticking to them – throughout the year.

Over coffee, hot chocolate, and doughnuts, attendees wrote down their 2023 goals on a sticky note and posted it for others to see, which sparked even further discussion on how they actually planned to achieve their ambitions.

From getting more sleep to spending more time with family and friends, below is the complete list the Bridgeside community created that early January morning! What are your goals in 2023? Be happy every day Create a good routine Crush anatomy and have fun Find a fitness routine that works for me Finish my qualifying exam Get enough sleep Get more sleep Get more active Get to know more tenants Have a better work-life balance Keep in touch with family and friends more Lose 40 pounds Make the most of my time at the University of Pittsburgh Make time for life outside of PA school Slow down and enjoy my work Spend more time with coworkers Stress less

CENTERGY

COFFEE TALK: THE HOME DEPOT’S AI-POWERED ROBOT DOG SPARKS MORE THAN INNOVATION

We kicked off February in full-force with an AI inspired activation right in the lobby of Centergy during lunchtime.

Our Coffee Talk: AI Robo-Dog invited The Home Depot innovation team, OrangeWorks (which resides in Tech Square!), to introduce their latest AI technology to our community. As members enjoyed complimentary Chick-fil-A, they also witnessed a demonstration from, funny enough, their robot dog, Demo.

Demo is a Unitree Go1 “dog,” which is the world’s first intelligence bionic quadruped robot of consumer level and can be used for a myriad of things. For OrangeWorks’ purposes, Demo is combined with laser technology to map warehouses and stores. As Demo did tricks and greeted patrons in the lobby, Amy Hayes and Kent McArther of OrangeWorks spoke with attendees about their use of the robot and also about their internship program, which currently boasts 30 interns from 12 universities, all working hard on software engineering solutions!

As conversations flowed, new connections formed. An employee from Joulea, a startup we’ve teamed up with several times, brought to the lobby their Mid-360 Livox LiDAR, which provides a 360, 3D live perception of a space for mobile robot use. This allows the robots to avoid obstacles and to map a physical entity, similar to the technology that is attached to Demo. It was exciting to uncover that two different companies in the same space had similar technology for similar purposes!

On a more human level, Wellstar employee Lauren Oyster had such a great conversation with Amy regarding robotics and internships that an upcoming Power Meal with both of them is being scheduled. Similarly, Red Bull is working on designing an internship and staffing program, so their conversations with Amy were also highly coveted. And coincidentally, the ATDC’s new group of robotics students happened to be visiting the building during this event, so they were beyond ecstatic to see a demonstration centered around their area of focus.

Of course, we also learned more about our community members as well, in regards to robots at least! Despite the majority of participants not actively working with robots, they did have a lot to say about what type of robot they would design:

MATH + MIMOSAS: PARTICIPANTS MASTER A MIX OF PUZZLES

BRIDGESIDE

Mid-May, as a mid-week mind bender and muchneeded break, we hosted a Math + Mimosas: Puzzle Master event to not only put our community members’ skills to the test, but to also celebrate National Mimosa Day (albeit, a day late)!

Hosted in the lobby of Bridgeside, a table was set up with fresh mimosas (and plain orange juice) and a QR code for attendees to play the four-question quiz! And as a community focused on collaboration and one filled with innovators, leaders, researchers, scientists, professors, and students, we thought puzzles would be incredibly appealing to such intellects. In fact, better collaboration is just one of the many benefits of puzzles. According to researchers at Yale University, they found that giving people the opportunity to work together on solving puzzles allowed them to improve relationships and their abilities to cooperate to finish a task. And while for this particular event participants worked individually, over 25 people attempted to solve the following puzzles:

1. Which figure (1-6) is not colored correctly? 1 2 3 4 5 6*

2. Which number should replace the question mark to form accurate equations, knowing that three numbers are shown per row (i.e. two

the

numbers

form

two-digit

number)? 3 15 6* 10

*CORRECT ANSWER 44

3. Which numbers should replace the question marks? 654321 156234 432156 563412*

4. How many triangles can you see?

23* 15 12 18

Interestingly, not a single person got all four puzzles correct!

However, majority still prevailed overall when it came to more correct answers versus incorrect for each puzzle:

Nonetheless, we deemed everyone winners that day. And in addition to the immediate reward of receiving and ice-cold beverages, participants also experience other benefits! For instance, math puzzles can test your brain and critical thinking skills, provide constructive and educational fun, and expose you to tangible examples of math lessons you'll actually use in real life, according to Reader's Digest.

Subsequently, research has shown that puzzles: Ameliorate short-term memory Reinforce connections between brain cells Boost mental speed Enhance mood Improve visual and spatial reasoning Provide stress relief Sharpen logic and reasoning

So, whether you’re a novice or a newcomer when it comes to playing puzzles, the benefits are still the same – so start strengthening that muscle sooner than later!

COFFEE TALK: BRIDGESIDE BUILDS CONNECTIONS AND THE ULTIMATE SUMMER PLAYLIST

BRIDGESIDE

Everyone has that one song that takes them back to a favorite summertime memory. In fact, memory recollection from music is a well-known phenomenon to brain researchers. And with the start of the new season rapidly approaching, we decided to make this summer memorable by curating the ultimate playlist.

Our Cocktail Talk, hosted in the lobby of Bridgeside, invited community members to catch up over complimentary beverages while connecting with others over a shared interest. And as participants swapped songs with one another, they also showed their competitive spirit by playing a giant version of Connect Four.

As the cocktails flowed, so did the conversations. In addition to the community sharing their favorite song for the summer (the full playlist can be found here!), they also discussed how they find out about new songs in the first place, which varied a decent amount:

On the other hand, it was unanimous amongst attendees that music impacts them both cognitively and emotionally – and there’s data to support those notions. For instance, in a study conducted by AARP, researchers found that “music can be good for your mind, heart, and soul,” adding that music listeners “had slightly higher average scores for mental well-being and slightly reduced levels of anxiety and depression compared to people overall.”

Harvard Health Publishing did a deeper dive into this same study, notating that “music has been shown to activate some of the broadest and most diverse networks of the brain.” More so, “music can activate almost all brain regions and networks and it can help to keep a myriad of brain pathways and networks strong, including those networks that are involved in well-being, learning, cognitive function, quality of life, and happiness.”

Whether it’s actively or passively listening to music, the benefits remain just as strong, so take a listen to our curated playlist today!

POWER MEALS

Power Meals are an hour to gather over food and have thoughtful conversation with other community members.

SUSTAINABILITY AND SUCCESS IS THE FOCUS AT CLEAN AND GREEN POWER MEAL

THE CLUBHOUSE

As pollen counts were at an all-time high, a small group of professionals gathered over complimentary lunch at The Clubhouse to discuss how to keep carbon emissions low.

Our Power Meal: Clean and Green Sustainability Social invited attendees with a wide array of sustainability knowledge to discuss the state of their specific industry to date:

Participants arrived at noon and immediately dove into breakoff discussions about current projects and opinions on new sustainability efforts while grabbing complimentary lunch. Soon after, host Alex Rhodeen, Supply Chain Catalyst at the ATDC, instructed everyone to take their seats so the conversation at hand could commence. At the table were notepads for each member and guest, with the question “What do you predict will be the largest sustainability project or initiative in 2023, and why do you think it will have a significant impact on the environment and society?” written on it. Alex leveraged this notion to start the dialogue, but put emphasis on exploring not only what we will see this year, but what we wish we would see. This led to a myriad of topics, each with profound insights and key takeaways:

ETHICAL SHOPPING When discussing everyday actions that can be taken, many spoke about reusable shopping bags. Charging for single-use bags was another idea mentioned, though everyone agreed that if we want sustainable choices to be utilized, they need to be affordable and convenient for all. Additionally, attendees discussed how significant of a change it is to shop locally, support farmers’ markets and local farmers, and to cook with the seasons. Foods being shipped across the country – or even from other countries – creates a massive (negative) impact on the environment that most people don't consider. Individuals then weighed in on how they’re each doing their part to help. For instance, Ramtin’s wife is a private chef and she exclusively shops at the Freedom Farmers Market at the Carter Center. Additionally, Frank is developing an app/web platform, eNZy, that gamifies sustainable shopping and rewards users for shopping at companies dedicated to making the marketplace greener. In fact, people can join the waitlist today in advance of the official launch! Meanwhile, Caroline mentioned she often uses meal kit services, which ship pre-portioned or precooked meals to your door, to help eliminate extra waste. Interestingly enough, this sparked a discovery that there are even more sustainable options for this as well, including meal kits that only distribute local produce or cosmetically unappealing produce that is perfectly fine to eat, but would typically be overlooked at the grocery store. TAKEAWAY: There is no right answer, and shaming people for how they shop isn't the solution. Making it affordable, convenient, and accessible to shop sustainably and ethically is the most important step.

CITY SCAPING In discussions around how green roofs have the potential to lower the carbon in our atmosphere, Joe mentioned the increase of white roofs in urban areas. It is well known that white roofs can lower building temperatures – but what does that do to the surrounding environment? According to this article, new research indicates that making surfaces more light-reflecting can have a significant impact on lowering extreme temperatures – not just in cities, but in rural areas as well.

Ramtin, Matt, and Jonathan also discussed how solar roofs are being used to produce electricity. For instance, solar roofs can sometimes produce more than a building needs and power companies will buy back the power. This initiative, as outlined in this article, is a great way to save money, help the environment, and directly support communities.

TAKEAWAY: Some sustainability projects take a bit of foresight, like how a building can benefit the community. There are many ways to do this, and some can be added after initial construction. Do research and find ways to help the planet, your budget, and your community directly!

CARBON NEUTRAL VS. NET ZERO Being carbon neutral and net zero is not the same thing. Carbon neutral means that any CO2 released into the atmosphere from a company's activities is balanced by an equivalent amount being removed. Meanwhile, net zero means that an activity releases net-zero carbon emissions into the atmosphere. To help with these initiatives, companies can choose to put money into carbon sinks (forests, ocean restoration, etc.) to remove as much carbon as their supply chains produce, which would lead to carbon neutrality. The same process is true for companies attempting to reach net zero emissions, but they also focus on other greenhouse gasses, such as methane, nitrous oxide, and more. On top of that, other companies go above and beyond by removing more than they produce, which is known as being climate positive. TAKEAWAY: You can strive for different levels of environmental impact, but ultimately making decisions that positively affect the world around you is what truly matters. You can start with a goal to be carbon neutral, and eventually push to be climate positive down the road!

SUPPLY CHAIN We’ve all heard of supply chain issues as of late, but what about its sustainability efforts? Caroline shared how Wahsega’s factory is in Alpharetta and all supplies for their hardware is sourced in Georgia and the United States. Essentially, there is no outsourcing, which avoids large carbon emissions for transporting goods entirely. Not to mention, all of their visual communications boards are energy efficient, which saves even more energy – and money. TAKEAWAY: Small choices in supply chain and business operations can make a huge impact on sustainability efforts.

MEASURING SUCCESS In terms of metrics to track success, the consensus was everyone wants them, but there’s often a struggle when it comes to an easy-to-understand, measurable way to truly showcase the impact of a product, service, or effort – for both investors and consumers alike. Some, however, are more obvious and available than others. Take property management and construction, for instance. Gallons of water and wattage used can be easily monitored. For Joulea, it's measuring the amount of energy leaking from a building envelope. For TCpoly, it’s seeing a reduced energy bill. Similar topics with these same companies were addressed in our building efficiencies brunch we hosted back in June 2022.

TAKEAWAY: The success metrics solution isn't always so cut-and-dry, and it can take a long period of time to truly see the benefit from some of the concepts implemented.

Concluding the Power Meal, participants then answered a couple of questions, keeping in mind what they just learned or discussed: What do you predict will be the largest sustainability project in 2023? Building engineering sustainability and using electric vehicles to power buildings Empty building space could be utilized more efficiently for things like verticle farming Renewed interest in nuclear power, particularly battery technology Energy storage/grid updates Fixing EV charging stations Attention! Everyone is in a battle for people's attention. It is a new currency. The climate crisis will in large part be solved by directing people's attention toward the importance and benefit of sustainability.

How does a growing population affect current sustainability challenges in Atlanta? A push for net zero buildings with green roofs and siding Food waste and shortages Sustainability in apartment buildings Energy deficiencies Goods/materials will become difficult to source due to scarcity We'll need to account for more cars on the road An increase in gentrification and disparity

All in all, the conversations had were insightful, eye-opening, and inspiring. The topic of a clean and green environment brought many sustainability professionals, who otherwise would not have met, together for a chance to share their work, research, and thoughts with one another. It was truly a great way to connect and collaborate on important issues at hand.

RECYCLE RIGHT POWER MEAL PROMOTES EFFECTIVE PRACTICES FOR A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE

THE CLUBHOUSE

On track with continuously honoring Earth Day each year, we once again hosted a themed event in celebration, this time aiming to raise awareness about effective recycling practices by featuring prominent speakers sharing their expertise and insights on the topic.

Organized in collaboration with Accenture, a global consulting and professional services company, their involvement underscored the significance of recycling practices within the corporate sector and their commitment to sustainable business operations.

Our Power Meal: Recycle Right invited community members to The Clubhouse to join a complimentary catered lunch while discussing best practices in recycling and improvements being made right here in Tech Square. The event, organized in collaboration with Accenture, a global consulting and professional services company, was a critical component, as their involvement underscored the significance of recycling practices within the corporate sector and their commitment to sustainable business operations.

While attendees dined on a mix of salads and chicken sandwiches, they also heard from local subject matter experts on a multitude of recycling-related topics: Kim Stahlman, a Sales Executive from Republic Services – a leader in making a “positive impact on people and the planet” – delivered a presentation on single-stream recycling facilities. She discussed the advantages of this recycling method, which allows for the collection of various recyclable materials, like paper, plastic, glass, and metal, to be collected together. Kim also highlighted Republic's commitment to sustainability and shared information about their new plastic recycling facilities, which are specifically designed to efficiently process and recycle different types of plastic waste, promoting a circular economy.ing-related topics: Jonathan Cornelius, Senior Property Manager at Collaborative Real Estate, piggybacked off Kim, enlightening participants about a similar single-stream recycling program implemented at Centergy. He emphasized the importance of recycling education and explained how Centergy has enacted effective waste management strategies, including maximizing recycling rates and minimizing waste going to landfills, which ultimately fosters a more sustainable community.

Miracle Wilson, a Business Development Representative from eWaste ePlanet, focused on electronic waste recycling. She provided insights into her company’s process for recycling electronic devices, distinguishing between data-bearing and non-data-bearing equipment. Miracle also highlighted the challenges and solutions involved in responsibly managing electronic waste and described the sophisticated facilities operated by eWaste ePlanet.

Equally as important as the topic itself was the notion that this Power Meal offered attendees the opportunity to learn about innovative recycling methods, gain insights from industry experts, and engage in meaningful discussions. The event fostered collaboration and knowledge sharing among professionals, encouraging the adoption of sustainable waste management practices. And hopefully, the recycling initiatives discussed left a lasting impact on the audience and will inspire them to take action toward building a more sustainable future.

FIRESIDE CHATS

Fireside Chats are panel-like discussions around a specific topic with three to five experts and a moderator in a public forum.

LOCAL SPEAKERS DISCUSS PIONEERING TECHNOLOGY TO CONNECT PATIENTS WITH WORLD-CLASS SPINE CARE

BRIDGESIDE

With over 72 million Americans suffering from chronic low back pain, it’s no wonder that spine pain and disability are costing businesses trillions.

To help combat this and learn how the future of spine care medicine can be dramatically improved by artificial intelligence and personal patient coaching, we hosted a Roundtable: Pioneering Technology to Instantly Connect Patients with World-Class Spine Care to discuss just that.

Over 65 attendees gathered at Bridgeside to enjoy an evening of networking, complimentary drinks and catering, and even a dance performance by Yulia Zhukoff and Koichiro Suzuki (Chewy) of PGH Tango Connection. First starting out on the fifth floor patio overlooking the Hot Metal Bridge and Southside Works, the scenic backdrop was the perfect setting for guests to mix and mingle before being ushered into the conference room for the main event. After the two beautiful tango numbers, none other than Victoria Chuah, a ballet dancer and recently-crowned Miss Virginia (and competing for Miss America in December!), took the stage to welcome everyone and thank the event sponsors, TUFF. and Collaborative Real Estate, for making such a wonderful evening possible. Next, she shared a brief video introducing APEX Health, an app that uses AI and 3D motion capture technology to track movements and correct bad posture to prevent an injury before it becomes a problem.

That’s when Kunal Gandhi, CEO of APEX Health, took the stage. Kunal, who is also a published author in stem cell biology and was named one of the top five founders under 25 in the Pittsburgh Business Times, shared some brief history about the company, what they’re currently working on, and of course, what the app does. Starting out first as a fitness and AI trainer as SimpL in 2018, the company evolved to EZPT in 2021, where they were helping physical therapy become more accessible to people through platforms like TikTok. Today, they are APEX Health, which “empowers clinicians to improve and expand access to musculoskeletal care. We use innovative and cutting-edge 3D motion capture technology that blends computer vision AI with neuroscience. We are on a mission to bridge the gap between in-person and virtual care, through seamless integration and a humancentered design. We believe patients should be able to access best-in-class musculoskeletal care anytime, anywhere.” APEX is also starting their clinical study with Dr. Arnold Milstein and Rothman Orthopedics at Stanford Medicine. Kunal explains, “What we’re looking to show is that we can reduce low back pain more quickly through patient engagement in a clinician-led telemedicine protocol. A lot of telemedicine to date have given patients access to content and technology, but we really believe that clinicians should be leading the charge when it comes to treating a patient.” In terms of specifics, one of the features of the APEX app and platform is implementing programs into warehouse cameras where there are workers present (places like Amazon fulfillment centers). Using the security cameras the warehouses already have installed, the app creates a “Personal Performance Companion” which views the workers’ range of motion to assess and prevent injuries before they happen. Another thing APEX can help with is filling the gap between care providers and patients. APEX can track a user’s movements during a workout, game, or dance practice and use the data to report to their clinician to make recommendations for changes to prevent injury.

But don’t just take Kunal’s word on it – other speakers took the stage that evening to share their personal involvement with APEX, why the technology is revolutionary, and how it's going to change how we think about healthcare and digital health. In terms of specifics, one of the features of the APEX app and platform is implementing programs into warehouse cameras where there are workers present (places like Amazon fulfillment centers). Using the security cameras the warehouses already have installed, the app creates a “Personal Performance Companion” which views the workers’ range of motion to assess and prevent injuries before they happen. Another thing APEX can help with is filling the gap between care providers and patients. APEX can track a user’s movements during a workout, game, or dance practice and use the data to report to their clinician to make recommendations for changes to prevent injury. But don’t just take Kunal’s word on it – other speakers took the stage that evening to share their personal involvement with APEX, why the technology is revolutionary, and how it's going to change how we think about healthcare and digital health.

Joining the stage next was Harris Ferris, Former Executive Director of the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater and Certified Hanna Somatic Educator. Harris talked about the importance of companies like APEX in regard to ballet dancers, mentioning that being able to help dancers with preventative measures before a serious or career-ending injury is extremely beneficial, health-wise, and cost-effective – not only for the dancer, but the dance company.

Emily Rager, National Director, Market Access – IDN Strategy and Business Development, Cognoa, spoke next about athletes and sports medicine. According to her, you can use the app to track rehab and pre-hab, share notes from the physical therapist with a surgeon, and ultimately streamline the process of physical therapy, surgery, caregiving, etc.

“Data doesn’t lie, but you can’t report what you’re not measuring,” stated Dr. Chris Bise, Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Therapy, University of Pittsburgh. He continued, “Via APEX, we now have a proactive mechanism to track data in patients that have both normal movement and abnormal movement patterns. Typically, when an injury occurs, we wait to address the dysfunction. With APEX, we can report in real time the data from those movements with a simple smartphone.”

On the opposite side of the spectrum was Steve Putterman, FSA, MAAA, Partner, Mercer Health. “I deal with the healthcare side of the equation,” he remarked. “And the healthcare people don’t usually talk to the risk people, which is unfortunate, because they need to be more connected. APEX is looking to make the connection between providers, payers, and patients.”

Colleen Murphy, Consultant and Owner, Chadvisory, added additional color to the consumer side of healthcare, discussing the changes that were brought about because of COVID-19. “We're talking about a system of care – providers, hospitals and insurers – and they're struggling right now,” she revealed. “Coming out of the pandemic, the consumer has different expectations today because of our phones, companies like Amazon, and having easy access to things quickly online. Now there is a willingness to interact with the consumer differently and digital health apps like APEX are helping bridge that gap between provider and consumer.”

Of course, the incredible insight shared by the panelists weren’t the only learnings from that evening. We also discovered the following from our attendees:

What Problems Do You Think Digital Health and Technology Address?

s i s o n g a i d d e c n a y t i v l i b data sharing ad a d r o ff a

accessibility alth e h e v i t n preve

remote treatme nt

How Likely Are You To Use An Exercise App? Not Likely 10.2%

Very Likely 30.5%

I Already Use One 23.7%

Somewhat Likely 35.6%

Which Fitness App Do You Currently Use?

The evening wrapped up with a few closing remarks from Kunal: “This is just the beginning, we're going to keep the community together and keep growing and really make an impact on patients lives around the world.”

Fireside Chat Dives Deep Into The Current State of Robotics Investment

THE CLUBHOUSE

In a remarkable gathering at The Clubhouse, the stage was set for a captivating Fireside Chat, delving deep into the realm of robotics investment.

Attended by illustrious groups such as TSQATL, the Atlanta Robotics Meetup, Cosmos Robotics, and the ATDC, this event brought together the finest minds in the field to discuss the intricacies at hand.

Hosted by esteemed professionals Brad Pruente, Partner at Prime Movers Lab, and Sebastian Arias, Co-Founder of Cosmos Robotics, our Fireside Chat: The Current State of Robotics Investment invited local community members to explore the multifaceted landscape of investment opportunities in robotics. After brief introductions were made, the discussion started immediately, with the conversation drawing intriguing parallels with the journey undertaken by startups and entrepreneurs. However, one notable avenue mentioned that differs was the prospect of securing funding through academia or obtaining state funding and grants.

When the question of academia-sourced funding arose, Brad voiced his insights, emphasizing that while academia offers access to cutting-edge technology, one must exercise caution not to become ensnared in the allure of technology itself. It is crucial to keep the customer's needs at the forefront, for it's all too easy to construct a solution for a nonexistent problem, ultimately leading to a product with no market. Contrasting this, outside academia, the threshold for robotics investors' interest typically lies in the realm of game-changing ideas with an incredibly high valuation, such as $10+ million, in Brad’s opinion. In a moment of contemplation, Parker Laue, Technology Strategy and Advisory Consultant at Accenture posed a thought-provoking query, seeking to identify industries that yearn for robotics solutions the most, but receive scant attention. The realms of logistics, space exploration, deep-sea exploration, and agriculture were brought into the spotlight, but the underlying message remained constant: every domain harbors unanswered questions and challenges awaiting innovative solutions. Embarking on the journey of addressing these challenges, the starting point lies in conducting customer discovery, to identify pressing needs and lucrative opportunities. As Sebastian astutely noted, the initial step in this process can be as humble as pitching to friends and family – it doesn’t really matter how you begin, but rather that you actually take that first crucial step.

Intriguingly, an attendee questioned the suitability of Prime Mover Labs as an investor, which sparked a positive response from Brad. Actively encouraging such inquiries, he revealed the significance of comprehending one's potential investors, as it enables entrepreneurs to tailor their pitches to the investors' preferences. For instance, Prime Mover Labs specifically seeks out serial entrepreneurs, but this criterion might not hold true universally. Moreover, Brad highlighted that Prime Mover Labs is committed to being genuine partners to their entrepreneurs, boasting a dedicated talent resource to aid in staff acquisition and a marketing team to refine media and marketing strategies. Ultimately, the litmus test for any entrepreneur considering an investor should be the question, "If things go awry, can I trust this person?" And the answer must unequivocally be a resounding "yes."

As the evening continued, the notion of the power of community – something we pride ourselves on here at TSQATL – resonated profoundly. Brad drew attention to how the pandemic had propelled many into remote work, highlighting the indispensability of a supportive community, especially when it comes to pushing individuals toward greater levels of success. He shared, “When you work in an area with lots of other entrepreneurs, you build a support system and see what other people are doing. You see people set a high bar and get to see what's really possible. I think it's really important for an ecosystem as they grow to see others set higher and higher goals.” And it’s this mindset and environment that really drives our purpose and culture here at Tech Square.

With the conversation drawing to a close, anticipation for future events and collaborations continued to pervade the space, leaving attendees eager to witness the continued evolution of robotics and its profound impact on our world. In fact, many participants stayed long after to network and talk further with other like-minded individuals.

This came as no surprise to us, though, as robotics garners fervent interest in general in our community, with numerous Tech Square Research Building (TSRB) members being actively involved in the field. And to ensure this momentum continues to accelerate, an upcoming robotics conference with ATDC is in the works! After all, we want to position Tech Square as a thriving hub for robotics innovation while simultaneously underscoring our commitment to fostering groundbreaking advancements in the field.

Women Empowerment is Praised and Practiced During Uplifting Fireside Chat

THE CLUBHOUSE

With TSQATL’s unwavering commitment to innovation and transformation, we are continuously celebrating success of all facets within our thriving community of entrepreneurs, researchers, leaders, and educators.

But on a warm Thursday afternoon in late June, we joined teams with Humans Doing to specifically showcase the power of women in the corporate world.

The Fireside Chat invited Tech Square community members and other local professionals to The Clubhouse witness an extraordinary panel of three influential female speakers, each one leaving an indelible mark on the audience:

Mary Ford Chief Marketing Officer, Centegix Mary Ford is the Chief Marketing Officer for Centegix, a fast-growing internet-of-things (Iot) company that innovates technology to empower and protect people. Her career in technology has included progressive roles in various functional areas, including product, engineering, operations, HR, and marketing. She has deep community experience in non-profit board work and serves as a mentor through several programs. .

Allyson Plosko Principal, Springtime Ventures Allyson Plosko is currently a principal at SpringTime Ventures, a firm focused on Seed-stage investments in companies building software-based solutions tackling issues within health, fintech, logistics/supply chain, and marketplaces. Over the last nine years, she has held various roles within the ventures ecosystem but actually started her career in a university biomedical engineering department working to support the department chair on a number of different projects and initiatives.

Christy Brown Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Noze Best Christy is the Chief Executive Officer of Dr. Noze Best, a babytech brand creating products for modern parenting. Her focus on scaling a brand for health and wellness solutions has been her north star. Christy’s career has been vast and wide anchored around the scale and exit of four previous companies, a venture capital fund, an angel investor, and an advocate for women and underserved founders. Christy is an advocate for women businesses and focuses strongly on serving on boards in non-profit related to her passions as well as for profit companies with a focus in bettering financial standards and social impact

Prior to the panelists joining the stage, attendees networked and engaged in meaningful conversations, accompanied by refreshing drinks and complimentary catering from Moe's. The ambiance was charged with anticipation and excitement for the forthcoming discussion and soon enough everyone was invited to take a seat so the session could commence.

Maija Ehlinger, Editor in Chief at Hypepotamus, moderated the discussion, first introducing each of the esteemed speakers before diving right in. She kickstarted the conversation with a series of thoughtprovoking questions, each designed to delve deep into the experiences and perspectives of these remarkable women. From defining powerful women in the workplace to discussing steps for encouraging women in various industries, the panelists offered invaluable insights drawn from their rich and diverse careers.

For instance, Allyson, in an enlightening moment of reflection, shared her advice for her younger self, emphasizing the importance of self-advocating, seeking help when needed, and being upfront about challenges. “When I think back to earlier in my career and some of the missteps and hurdles I had, the common thread across these was that I was not advocating for myself. I wasn't asking for the help that I needed, and subsequently, I was setting myself up for failure. Looking back, I'd advise myself to be more open when I see early warning signs of trouble and be upfront when I wasn't given enough resources to accomplish a goal. Yes, that can be a vulnerable position, but if you don't speak up, no one will know there is an issue until it's too late to correct.”

Additionally, when asked how she balances her time, Christy revealed her time-management secret, the “rule of threes,” which balances diversity and prevents an overwhelming schedule. For example, she joins three non-profit boards per year, she chooses three paid associations to join per year, and so on. She also said that she heavily values others' opinions and experiences when deciding how to invest her time. In fact, Christy joins a weekly mastermind call with three other women in completely different industries, citing that she learns more from those individuals than ever imagined. Mary had some helpful tips to share as well, eloquently outlining five indispensable “power tools” that propel success in the workplace: 1. Communication Skills 2. Data 3. Get Stuff Done (GSD) 4. Problem Solving 5. Emotional Quotient (EQ) This quintet, as Mary asserted, serves as the foundational building blocks of power, showcasing one's capability and awareness to harness their influence. The ability to communicate effectively, substantiate goals with data, execute strategic plans, navigate challenges adeptly, and foster positive emotional dynamics are essential attributes in this empowering toolkit. Before wrapping up, all three panelists took questions from the audience.

Following the fireside chat, Josh McAfee, Founder and Managing Partner at Humans Doing, thanked not only the audience for coming, but also his team for producing such an influential event. A poignant moment arose when he emphasized the need for men to participate in these conversations, underlining the importance of supporting and empowering women in the workplace. His resounding appreciation for his colleagues putting this event together only further proved his point and spoke volumes about the extraordinary impact that men can have as allies in promoting gender equality.

With a reverberating sense of empowerment and camaraderie, the event concluded, leaving the attendees inspired and eager to continue their journeys as pioneers in their respective fields. The lasting impact of this gathering will undoubtedly resonate within the tech community and beyond, serving as a powerful reminder of the transformative potential that lies in encouraging women in the workforce.

The evening was clearly a remarkable success, fostering a strong sense of acceptance and belonging and as TSQATL continues to drive innovation and progress, it will continue to be a beacon of support for all members.

POP-UPS

Pop-Ups are more casual, unannounced experiences around a specific topic that raises interesting questions or promotes a unique activity.

STARTING A NEW SEMESTER WITH A BACK TO SCHOOL AT BRIDGESIDE POP-UP

BRIDGESIDE

What better way to start the new semester than to meet fellow students with similar interests over complimentary coffee and pastries? So, we hosted a Back to School at Bridgeside Pop-Up in the first floor lobby to get to know our community members a bit better.

Complete with fresh cups of Joe and treats from local favorite, Peace, Love & Little Donuts, we greeted our tenants as they came in that morning, welcoming them back to the building and introducing ourselves. And in exchange for the morning pick-me-ups we were offering, we asked them to share some information about themselves as well. After all, we’re here to spark connections and curate activations that are of interest to our members.

As expected, a myriad of responses came flooding in, but being the data divers we are, we picked up on a few trends, including: Animals Biology Coffee Cooking Sports And in terms of the types of activations our community would like to see more of, we heard: Competitions Fitness classes Food-focused events Happy hours Tours with other departments

Now armed with a plethora of insight into our community, we’re looking forward to the new school year and upcoming activations.

BRACKETS BUILT TO PREDICT WORLD SERIES CHAMPS

CENTERGY

Saturday, November 5 will be game six of the World Series between the Phillies and Astros and even though our fearless Braves didn’t reign as NL East division champs, we’re still watching with bated breath.

Prior to all this, the Braves were in the first round playoffs and we at TSQATL wanted to cash in on the excitement in the air. So, we popped up in the Centergy One lobby on Tuesday, October 11 with doughnuts in tow to ask our members their predictions for the winner of the World Series.

By filling out the bracket provided, attendees were competing for a chance to win a prize – a $100 gift card – which will be provided upon the final game of the World Series. No surprise given our loyal fanbase, but the majority of people predicted the Braves to win it all.

Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on our side this season, but we’re already looking forward to what next year brings!

PONCE PITCHES THEIR BEST SHARK TANK IDEAS

PONCE

Over complimentary coffee and breakfast, 250 E Ponce community members gathered in the lobby to share their best "Shark Tank" pitches. From nurse robots to showerproof headphones and everything in between, the innovations shared were inspiring and the discussions that followed were equally as interesting.

The early-morning pop-up invited attendees to share their best invention idea via Kahoot, a global, game-based learning platform used as educational technology. No surprise here, nursing students have been heavily relying on simulation experience since the beginning of COVID-19, so there was a plethora of discussion around how technology can help make those processes better. More so, those who didn’t have a specific idea in mind were very open to collaborating with others in order to “invent” something. Below are all the amazing ideas our community members came up with and all we can say is, the Sharks may want to get their money ready for some future investments! 24-hour nursing robot Aesthetically-pleasing hearing aids Alternative fuel sourcing technology Antibacterial scrubs Dissolvable bandages Heated medical gloves Home health robot Infant twin carrier IV insertion machine More effective breast pumps Pre-threaded needles Self-cleaning bed pans Self-turning beds Showerproof headphones Stress tension-reducing chair Stroller and bike combo Wand ECG device

STUDENTS AND FACULTY LEARN THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE PERFECT POUR-OVER WHILE GOAL-SETTING

TECH SQUARE RESEARCH BUILDING

Fresh off the heels of the GVU Center’s two-day event celebrating their 30th anniversary, we wanted to capitalize on all of the activity happening in TSRB as of late.

Students, professors, and researchers gathered early November to enjoy a warm cup of fresh coffee while being shown each step that it takes to produce the perfect pour-over and the tools needed, such as a bean grinder, electric scale, temperature reading kettle, and a glass pour-over system!

Following the demonstration, we asked attendees to share both their independent and collaborative goals for 2023: What are your 2023 goals?

What are your 2023 goals in collaboration with others?

Graduate

Build more community

Have better coffee

Collaborate with other universities

Have multiple publications

Create a startup in consumer tech

Journal (x2!)

Efficient parenting

Make more money

Find better travel reimbursement methods

sleep

Group research Learn a new research method Start a business Talk to more people Understand machine learning (ML)

Whether it’s focusing on major milestones, like graduating, or simply enhancing your circle by engaging with more people, it’s always a good idea to put to paper your future goals and ambitions – you’re much more likely to meet them that way!

FUTURE GOALS FROM HEAD TO TOES

PONCE

Right before finals were to take place for the Emory School of Nursing students, we popped up in the lobby of 250 E Ponce with coffee and doughnuts in tow to learn about their latest projects and goals for the upcoming year.

As students – even those who are normally virtual – became trickling in for their finals and Head-to-Toe tests (exams that must be completed prior to moving on to their practical nursing programming), we greeted them with Revolution Doughnuts and hot cups of Joe. While sipping and snacking, we got the inside scoop on their current curriculum, study habits, and even the online learning experience for those attendees that were typically remote-only.

When polling participants, we learned the students were going interested in a variety of different healthcare fields:

100

And when it came to technology surrounding their future professions, we asked them what they were most interested in learning more about:

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TSRB TALKS TOOLS AND TERMINOLOGY FOR 2023

TECH SQUARE RESEARCH BUILDING

In honor of welcoming the new year and the first week back to school, we hosted a Pop-Up at TSRB centered around our members’ focus for the new year and the tools they would need in order to succeed.

Filling up on coffee, doughnuts, and Cliff bars, participants gathered in the TSRB lobby to tackle 2023 head on by choosing a word to describe their intention for the new year and also sharing what tools they would require to be successful.

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The top three responses for their word of the year – collaboration, consistency, and success – made perfect sense for our community of PhD students and researchers, which also seamlessly aligned with “funding” as the top tool needed in order to achieve success.

With research topics including self-driving cars, designing integrated photonics systems, and light signal data entry for silicon chips, it’s no wonder their focus for the future is all about joining with others and doing whatever it takes to reach their goals in 2023.

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PONCE PARTAKES IN COMPUTER HISTORY POP QUIZ

PONCE

January 24 marked Macintosh Computer Day, which celebrates the same day in 1984 when the very first Macintosh computer, the predecessor of today’s Apple computers, was introduced to the public.

To honor such as occasion, we popped up in the Ponce lobby early that morning to invite members to play some computer history trivia over complimentary breakfast.

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Over 65 community members stopped by to participate, with the instruction of scanning the QR code provided in order to partake in a four-question quiz: WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING WORD PAIRS BEST SYMBOLIZES THE ONES AND ZEROS IN BINARY CODE? SIGHT AND SOUND YES AND NO* RED AND BLUE WANT AND NEED WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING TERMS BEST DESCRIBES THE AVERAGE COMPUTER BUYER IN THE 1960S (BEFORE APPLE)? SMALL BUSINESS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LARGE ORGANIZATION* AMATEUR HOBBYIST HOW WAS THE APPLE I DIFFERENT FROM THE FIRST MACINTOSH? IT WAS DESIGNED FOR USE BY CORPORATIONS IT WAS DESIGNED FOR USE IN PEOPLE'S HOMES* IT ALLOWED USERS TO COMMUNICATE WITH ONE ANOTHER ONLINE IT COULD PERFORM MORE COMPLEX MATHEMATICAL CALCULATIONS WHAT IS ADA LOVELACE KNOWN FOR? INVENTING THE COMPUTER INVENTING THE CALCULATOR WORKING WITH HERMAN HOLLERITH BEING THE WORLD'S FIRST PROGRAMMER*

*CORRECT ANSWER

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We then collected and reviewed their submissions, seeing how, as a whole, they fared in answering the four questions correctly:

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Interestingly, the percentage of correct answers declined with every question asked. Nonetheless, attendees enjoyed the pop-quiz and the opportunity to not only learn something new, but meet someone new as well!

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PI DAY POP-UP TURNS POETIC

CENTERGY

At TSQATL, we’ll pretty much use any reason to host a themed event, but honoring Pi Day warranted no excuses necessary, as our community of innovators, entrepreneurs, technologists, and researchers are the perfect audience for such a celebration.

To commemorate the occasion, we popped-up in the Centergy lobby with all things Pi and pie-shaped: circle balloons, round Post-its, and even the sweet treat itself, direct from Kenny’s Great Pies – a local fan-favorite.

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As the lunch crowd passed by, we asked participants to write a pi-ku in a 3-1-4 syllable structure (which is a spin on the traditional Japanese haiku, a 5-7-5 structure) in exchange for their very own personal pie!

Attendees from Home Depot, Accenture, ATDC, Wahsega, Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute, Allianz, Georgia Power, and more excitedly accepted the challenge at hand and got their creative juices flowing right away. And while the topics were mostly centered around pi(e), a few tenants got some extra attention. Not to mention, Tech Square’s very own property manager and interdisciplinary engager, Collaborative Real Estate, and their Director of Marketing and Communications, Lorin Willen (who wasn’t even in attendance!), got a special shout-out:

Wahsega

Hey Lorin!

loves

Soon,

A-T-D-C

Club holograms. Free lobby Pie Collab, the best!

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In general, this was a perfect activity for all of our community members! Several of our tenants who focus on aerospace and other aviation engineering use Pi regularly. Meanwhile, others mentioned they hadn't had a chance to use the creative side of their brains recently and they enjoyed the change of pace.

Tastefully I Bow down to pie

Apple pie Good Ice cream better

I like tech But Pi(e) is better

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Pie for free? Yes! My day is made

Love Pi Day At Tech Square Today

Tuesday blues Are Better with pie

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CELEBRATION OF ST. PATRICK’S DAY SPARKS DISCUSSION OF HOW MEMBERS INVEST THEIR GOLD AT AFTERNOON POP-UP

CENTERGY

It’s no surprise blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and non-fungible tokens (NFTS) are consistently hot topics here at TSQATL.

From discussing recent economic impacts to meeting entrepreneurs in the biz, several of our events are centered around this fascinating world. And with March 17 being St. Patrick’s Day, we thought it was a perfect time to celebrate the holiday while simultaneously uncovering how our community invests their “gold.”

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Friday afternoon we popped up in the Centergy lobby with green beer and brownies in tow, asking passersby to share the wealth – and confide in us on their investment strategies.

We had quite the international presence that day, with participants spanning from local ATDC startups, like Matmerize (which combines AI, data science, and plastics) and StradosLabs (who offer real-time, accessible respiratory systems), to team members of Accenture visiting all the way from Italy (would have been too on-the-nose if it were Ireland)!

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Despite the geographical differences, there was definitely commonality in how people invest their coin:

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Hopefully the luck of the Irish is with us all and we continue to see growth in our investments – and in the new connections formed at this chance encounter we hosted!

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TECH SQUARE RESEARCHERS SHARE CURRENT PROJECTS IN HONOR OF NATIONAL ROBOTICS WEEK

TECH SQUARE RESEARCH BUILDING

National Robotics Week (RoboWeek) aims to “inspire students in robotics and STEM-related fields and to share the excitement of robotics with audiences of all ages.”

And since many of our researchers, scientists, professors, and students at the TSRB are involved in the industry, we wanted to celebrate the occasion with some cookies – and questions.

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Right around lunch, we popped-up in the lobby of TSRB to greet members as they entered and exited the building, enticing them to commemorate the holiday with some sweet treats while sharing if they are currently working with robotics and what they think will be the biggest advancement in the field in 2023.

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And while we uncovered that majority of the participants were not currently working with robotics, nearly a quarter were – and another near-fourth wanted to! However, those that were shed some insight on their fascinating work and projects:

Arianna Mastali, a PhD student from the Animal-Computer Interaction Lab, is working on WAG’D – Wearable Activity and Gait Detection for canine athletes. This project aims to track the performance of dogs through a wearable device, similar to a harness, which will collect vitals in order to

The Contextual Computing Group (CCG),

provide health assessments.

which creates wearable and ubiquitous computing technologies using techniques from artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction (HCI), is working on indoor localization using a single anchor. This will allow for language data to be turned into usable information, which allows for more human-like conversation with AI.

And Claire Stricklin from the Digital Media program has created the Party Mascot, which “is designed to “flicker” between social, gameplay, and fictional frames of interaction. Taking the form of a talking mechanical

Meanwhile, Supratim Pait, a

raven, the Party Mascot extends

Computer Engineering student at

audience participation on the Twitch

Georgia Tech is working on a

platform from its native chat interface

“thermal painting” robot while

to the physical play space.”

Lane Lawley, a Postdoctoral Researcher from the Teachable AI Lab (TAIL), is working on a Verbal Apprentice Learner (VAL), which focuses on natural language instructions.

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As we wrapped up the event, it was inspiring to hear about all the work happening in robotics and STEM – especially since these advancements are being made right in our own community!

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CELEBRATING 54 YEARS OF LUNAR TRIUMPH: A DAY OF DISCOVERY AND DEBATE

THE CLUBHOUSE

Thursday, July 20, The Clubhouse buzzed with intellectual curiosity and a touch of nostalgia as we commemorated 54 years since humankind's maiden steps on the lunar surface!

To celebrate, we hosted an out-of-this-world pop-up, complete with themed activities, sweet treats, and of course, deep [space] conversations.

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Set with a celestial ambiance, we invited community members to stop by and engage in advanced space exploration discussions and collaborative construction via building block kits – one depicting an astronaut and the other, a towering rocket. Moon pies, reminiscent of the moon's craters, and hot coffee were also served while the conversation blasted off! Discussions first centered around the legitimacy of the moon landing. While some attendees defended the historic event with unwavering belief, others posed thoughtprovoking questions, giving voice to doubts that have been present for decades. As one community start-up member, Pruitt Martin of 404 DAO, aptly noted, “Our generation doesn't know the difference between what's real and what's not real! It's because of AI and social media.” Space exploration back then versus now (and the future!) was also a topic of discussion that day, unveiling a collective yearning for the excitement of the past, juxtaposed against the practical realities of modern space endeavors. Three other trivia-style questions were addressed that day, with the majority of respondents not getting the right answers, shockingly! 1. Which Apollo mission went to the moon on July 20, 1969? a. Apollo 11 (20 percent correct) 2. Who was the President of the United States in 1969? a. Richard Nixon (40 percent correct) 3. What was the first animal in space? a. A dog (50 percent correct) The last question was more openended, asking attendees how much they thought a ticket to Europa, Jupiter’s moon, would cost. Majority answered billions of dollars, but even more interesting was that according to past events we’ve hosted, like our Fireside Chat: Space Soirée, that’s the number one place expert panelists would pick if they could go anywhere in outer space!

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GRILL AND CHILLS

Grill and Chills are larger, typically seasonal, productions that are centered around bringing people together via complimentary food, drinks, games, and more.

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GRILLING OUT AND GOAL SETTING AT TECH SQUARE

TECH SQUARE COURTYARD

As the end of the school semester starts to wind down, many are gearing up for summer – a time typically synonymous with relaxing, traveling, or disconnecting from the everyday grind.

But being the overachievers we are at TSQATL, we thought we’d do the opposite and start goal-setting proactively! So we took to the Tech Square courtyard to host a community cookout centered around connecting with others and sharing current ambitions for the upcoming season.

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Though not officially summer yet, we sprung into action a bit early with our Grill and Chill: Byte into Summer event, where we invited our members to enjoy barbecue essentials while conversing with others about their upcoming plans and goals.

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While munching and mingling, participants from the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), the ATDC, the TSRB, Georgia Power, Delta, and Accenture all shared their focuses for the summer:

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So, while many may be operating at a slower pace for the next few months, TSQATL community members are hitting the ground running and getting ready to take on the summer – and their goals!

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PONCE

CONNECTIONS CELEBRATED AT COMMUNITY COOKOUT

Students, faculty, staff, and employees of 250 E Ponce came together on the first day of June to celebrate camaraderie and connections at a community cookout!

The event, set out to bring together diverse cohorts, helped forge new bonds and strengthen existing ones over complimentary food and fun. Attendees indulged in light-hearted competitions that afternoon, adding an extra dash of excitement to the gathering. From the strategic maneuvers in Connect Four to the tosses and throws in Cornhole, and the careful balancing of Jenga blocks, the friendly rivalry was evident (and enjoyed!) that afternoon.

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But it wasn't all play and no purpose. Amid the mingling and enjoyment, students in particular seized the opportunity to share valuable feedback with one another, exchanging tips on managing workloads and how to create a strong support system at school.

As the mid-day festivities continued, the sense of community remained palpable and showcased that moments like these were essential for mental rejuvenation, offering a momentary escape from the responsibilities of academia and work. And in the wake of the pandemic's challenges, the event only further proved that the significance of networking and community building was on the rise. It also touted the resiliency of our community members as well – highlighting the continued yearning for meaningful connections and the excitement of coming together in a shared space.

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MIND OF A MAKER

Mind of a Maker is a demonstration, workshop, or creative activity with community members.

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THE CLUBHOUSE

COMMUNITY MEMBERS FLOCK TO PARTICIPATE IN PARLIAMENT OF OWLS PARADE

In order to highlight creativity and connect community members from all over Midtown and the greater Atlanta area, Chantelle Rytter created the Parliament of Owls lantern parade back in 2016.

Described as “elegantly weird,” the event is a black and white owl-themed community lantern parade featuring a Second Line Band and parade-goers marching down Peachtree Street at night. Not one to miss out on the fun – or a chance to spark connections – we invited Chantelle to The Clubhouse to assist members in making lanterns of their very own.

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The Mind of a Maker: Parliament of Owls Lantern Building activation – which focuses on a demonstration, workshop, or creative activity with community members – welcomed attendees from all over to learn more about the history of this de-light-ful event and show off their crafting skills. Six years ago, Chantelle started this project as a way to repay Midtown for providing her with studio space, stating that “supporting local artists is the best way to get more art in your community.” And from there, it took flight! In fact, one of our community members, Caroline Dunn, shared that she had attended a few of Chantelle's parades in the past and that she even hosted a lantern-making party for the last one!

Chantelle’s purpose, as shared on her personal website, touts the “need for recurring occasions that value individual creative expression, where a community experiences its illuminated self. As traditions, participatory creative celebrations reinforce our belief in the extraordinary nature of our collective character. I strive to create platforms for this experience.” And she doesn’t take this lightly – exclaiming “We need traditions to remind us that we have capacity for collective joy, because we forget.”

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Riding her coat-tails (sort of – really trying to play up the owl theme here), we also asked participants a similar question: “What traditions bring you joy?”

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All in all, participants enjoyed the midday break from their typical Monday routine and vocalized their interest in attending future activations that are similar in nature!

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MENTAL HEALTH FOCUSED MIND OF A MAKER FEATURES FURRY FRIENDS

PONCE

As we closed out August and prepared for the start of a new season, we thought it was a paw-fect time to check in with our community members and share some much needed selfcare and mental health tips and tricks.

And what better way to increase serotonin levels than to include puppies, pet portraits, and more?

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Our Mind of a Maker: Coloring Outside the Lines activation invited our 250 E Ponce community members to gather in the courtyard to explore non-traditional methods such as art and pet therapy to better take care of one’s mental health. Hosted by Robyn Patterson and PAWS Atlanta, the two teamed up to inform attendees about the benefits of both, sharing that art can be both therapeutic and meditative. Creating art can be a time fully focused around what you’re working on and you can even set a positive intention to keep in mind as you do your art of choice. A suggestion of doing your art project outdoors was also mentioned, as it’s a way to simultaneously get some fresh air and vitamin D! As for the benefits of puppies, well that kind of speaks for itself. Ravenclaw, Lo, Play-Doh, and Angeline were a hit and they even sparked interest in adoption and fostering amongst our members. This came as no surprise, of course, as PAW Atlanta’s mission clearly states that they believe “people and pets bring out the best in each other” and they work hard at building a community of caring via “people helping pets and pets helping people.”

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And if that wasn’t enough to put a smile on your face, we had an added bonus of surprise guest and wellness coach, Tracy Hall, share even more tips for improving mental health! Tracy, who hosts a women's mental wellness meeting once a week, spoke a lot about meditation and group therapy. She even had participants set positive intentions for selfcare and made a vision board out of it, featuring the following: I Intend To: Enjoy the present moment Honor 'me' time Laugh more Meditate and communicate with my future self to seek direction for my current self Fully release old resentments Live with more zest Release what no longer serves me Be me Piggybacking off of that, we asked what methods of self-care our community members are currently utilizing:

x i l e f d k t a i e e h N r cuddle pets singolf g run

paint

draw video games rock climbing soccer bike vent dance

watch television cry

gy shop sleep m

take a bath me dit at e

yoga therapy

bouldering 139

listen to music craft

It was truly heartwarming (and mood-boosting!) to see how our members interacted with the hosts and puppies, and to also see the numerous ways in which they practice self-care. We’re hopeful they’ll take their new positive mindset into the next month and will continue to feel focused and refreshed.

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BRAINS IN A BAR

Brains in a Bar is an invite-only gathering where individuals come together over cocktails to discuss a brainy topic. Plot twist: Attendees must first correctly solve a few puzzles before the secret speakeasy location is disclosed.

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PONCE

HEALTHTECH CONNECT

In an effort to continuously improve the $2 trillion healthcare industry, Health Technology (HealthTech) is being optimized and utilized across all fields and all systems.

The impact of such implemented tools and software is ever-evolving, so we decided to host a Brains In A Bar event to further discuss the matter.

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In order to receive a personal invite to the undisclosed location, 250 E Ponce community members first had to solve a puzzle regarding a patient's fluid intake and output during a nurses' shift in a specific scenario. For lunch your patient drank an 8-ounce glass of orange juice, 240cc of coffee, and a 12 ounce can of Sprite. He also drank half of his 1600mL pitcher of water during your shift. He voided 3 times (350cc, 600cc, 725cc). Calculate the Intake and the Output in mL (cc) during your shift.

Volume 1 L = 1,000 mL 1 qt = 32 fl. oz. = 2 pts = 4 cups 1 pt = 16 oz = 2 cups 1 cup = 8 oz = 240 mL 30 mL = 1 oz = 2 tbsp = 6 tsp 1 dr = 4 mL = 60 minims= 60 drops (gtts) 15 ml = ½ oz 1 gtt = 1 minim 1 tsp = 5 mL 4 qt = 1 gal = 128 oz = 3,840 mL 1 cc = 1 mL 1 tbsp (tablespoon) = 3 tsp (teaspoon) = 15 mL

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Which of the following is correct? Intake: 1,675 mL; Output: 1,640 mL *Intake: 1,640 mL; Output: 1,675 mL (correct answer) Intake: 1,710 mL; Output 1,650 mL Intake: 1,640 L; Output: 1,675 L Out of the 32 responses, 28 individuals selected the correct answer and 16 of them participated in the in-depth discussion that was held at Brick Store Pub in downtown Decatur. No strangers to this topic, attendees from Utility, iResearch, and Emory were present that afternoon, ready to engage in some enlightening conversations surrounding the importance and impact of HealthTech. Over complimentary appetizers and adult beverages, subjects discussed included correlations between tech researchers and healthcare workers, improvements in body-worn cameras, and cross-pollination in different industry verticals.

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In general, the consensus was that these HealthTech advancements in devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures, and systems are all significantly helping to solve healthcare problems and improve quality of lives – and that’s something everyone can rally around, regardless of their profession.

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UNLIKELY CONNECTIONS FORMED OVER METEORS AND MARGARITAS AT BRAINS IN A BAR

TSQATL

With Cinco de Mayo happening on a Friday this year, we thought it was the perfect occasion to host a Brains In A Bar event, where select community members are invited to a secret location to discuss a specific topic with other like-minded individuals over a complimentary cocktail – but only after they correctly solve a puzzle!

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Aptly titled “Meteors and Margaritas,” we asked participants to complete the following puzzle from The Astronaut Selection Test Book:

*CORRECT ANSWER

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Sixteen TSQATL members accepted the mission and only three answered incorrectly:

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So that Friday afternoon, attendees launched into a deep discussion regarding various interests and relationships to space, historical triumphs of the past, and where they think the future of space exploration lies. Throughout the conversations, we also uncovered some interesting similarities amongst our community members:

Parker Laue, Technology Strategy and Advisory Consultant at Accenture, shared that his grandparents worked for NASA and he got to tour their facilities and see launches when he was younger. His uncle also worked on the James Webb Space Telescope, which launched in December 2021.

Caroline Dunn, VP of Marketing at Wahsega, revealed that her boss' daughter-in-law is a current NASA astronaut.

The unlikely connection between two community members who were strangers prior to this event only further showcases how our focus of bringing like-minded individuals together is fruitful, and how you just might have more in common with someone you pass in the halls than you think!

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RECESSES

Recesses are interactive community gatherings centered around wellness, health, and fitness.

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WELLNESS COACH TEACHES TECHNIQUES TO PREVENT STRESS AT JOURNALING RECESS

CENTERGY

As a community filled with entrepreneurs, innovators, and researchers, stress can often be associated with such career paths. As a way to help negate this detrimental response – and edify productivity – we sought to arm our members with beneficial techniques via our Recess: Journaling Workshop.

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Hosted in the lobby of Centergy One in late January, our event centered around an interactive community gathering focused on wellness invited attendees to join our journaling stations to create their own vision journals for 2023 while also gaining tools to calm the nervous system and reduce stress hormone levels. Equipped with blank notebooks, pens, crafting supplies, poster boards, motivational stickers, and sheets of photos with themes such as financial growth, traveling, mental wellness, and fitness goals, participants were educated by Wellness Coach Tracy Hall on how journaling can be used not only to manage stress, but to prevent it. One surefire way is to focus on small, consistent steps to manage stress levels, as it’s a more much effective means than attempting large shifts or goals right away. A “brain dump” is another technique to help alleviate stress and create a journaling habit. As one member used the analogy of cleaning out digital space on your computer or phone instead of buying more space to store your files, a brain dump helps clear out the clutter that resides within versus trying to hold onto so many thoughts and fears. Tracy then dove straight into the activity at hand, sharing the following prompts: 1. What is the one thing I want to experience in this lifetime? 2. What am I grateful for that I want to expand? List everything that comes to you. 3. What does loving my body look like? How do I dress? What about my body am I most grateful for? What is my body asking for from me? Or is it telling me something? 4. What does connection look and feel like to me? Who am I attracting into my circle energetically? What/who am I letting go of or move away? What does collaboration with others look like? 5. What does abundance look like for my future life? Does it present in the form of time, health, money, love, all of these? What does this flow feel like? Am I open to receiving more? Does it feel uncomfortable or even scary? 6. What are the ways I want to enrich my self-care this coming year?

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As members manifested their visions for 2023 and worked on their journals, they also mixed and mingled with one another, discussing related topics such as what they wanted their life to look like a year from now, the steps they’d take in order to make it happen, and any support they might need along the way:

Similar themes were present amongst the participants, which is no surprise when it comes to a community that connects like-minded individuals seeking productive collaborations to a curated environment that fosters growth and innovation. If you’re reading this and not yet a member, visit our website to join and be part of something great!

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The event concluded with Tracy sharing some final tips on how to keep up the practice of journaling: Keep a list of go-to prompts Start with a scribble if nothing comes to you right away You don’t have to use a paper journal, you can use your computer or phone Pretend you are writing to someone you trust If you have writer's block, write about gratitude Make your journal personal and messy Use your journal for stress management Keep your journal for your eyes only Let go of expectations To get the full benefits of journaling, be honest Make journaling a habit

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When you are ready: Close your eyes Take one or two deep breaths Move your attention to a place inside of your body, away from your mind Now write what comes to you Don’t overthink Enjoy the process

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UNEXPECTED COLLABORATIONS CAUSE OUTPOUR OF DONATIONS AT BLOOD DRIVE

THE CLUBHOUSE

April marked not only the start of a new season, but also National Volunteer Month! And despite the influx of pollen – much to our dismay – we at TSQATL are always in full spring, ready to team up with a great organization and help save the lives of other local community members!

The first Friday in April, we once again joined forces with the American Red Cross to host a Recess: Blood Drive in The Clubhouse. Participants of all ages stopped by (some waiting hours to donate!) to give the gift of life. In fact, we had our highest attendance to date – prepared to receive around 16 units of blood, we actually had to turn away donors because supplies had run out!

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Word is that despite the desire to do a good deed, a big draw was the collaboration with Peanuts creator Charles M. Schulz. Those that donated received a “Be Cool. Give blood.” Snoopy t-shirt, which went viral on TikTok and actually increased donations by more than 40 percent! As big proponents of the benefits of collaboration – and something we continuously strive to embed in our culture at TSQATL – it was rewarding to see the positive impact of an unexpected collaboration come to life. Speaking of rewards, donors also were entered into a raffle for a threenight trip to Sonoma County, California, for a special tour of the Charles M. Schulz Museum.

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Always focused on an educational angle, we also learned quite a bit about our community and blood donations in general. For instance, some of our participants were first-timers, while others have donated over 40 units of blood in their life! And the majority of blood collected that day was O positive, which is the type given to patients more than any other. Meanwhile, every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood and red blood cells must be used within 42 days (or less).– so the demand for blood is always dire.

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All in all, our own collaboration with the American Red Cross produced 19 units of blood that day and we’re proud to be a continued partner of such a great cause!

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SHOWCASES

Showcases are interactive community gatherings highlighting a member's interesting work.

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THERMO FISHER HOSTS TWOSESSION SHOWCASE AT BRIDGESIDE

BRIDGESIDE

As a mid-week break from the status quo, Thermo Fisher, a world leader in scientific products and services, invited members of the Bridgeside community to attend a two-part showcase around digital PCR (dPCR) and High Content Cell Analysis.

Starting promptly at 11 a.m. in the fifth floor conference room, Jeffrey Muller, Sr. Genetic Systems Representative, Thermo Fisher gave an informative presentation around PCR basics, differences between dPCR and qPCR, applications such as rare target detection and quantitative experiments, and an overview of the Applied BiosystemsTM Absolute QTM system.

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For those not as well versed, digital PCR is a nucleic acid quantification technique that allows absolute quantification without the need for standard curves. According to Jeffrey, “The Applied BiosystemsTM QuantStudioTM Absolute QTM Digital PCR System integrates all the necessary steps for dPCR – digitization, thermal cycling, and data acquisition – into a single instrument. Simply pipette the reaction mixture into the microfluidic array plate (MAP) as you would for realtime PCR, and the platform will take care of the rest.” Immediately following was a Q&A session and then attendees headed out into the warm sunshine for complimentary lunch from Olympia Gyros and dessert from 412 Ice Cream.

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The second session started at 1:00 p.m., with Brent Samson, High Content Analysis, Thermo Fisher, leading the group into a deep dive around High Content Cell Analysis. During this technical seminar, attendees further examined how CellInsight HCA platforms enable robust automated image acquisition and analysis of 2D and 3D use cases. Additionally, Brent showcased how Thermo Fisher’s high-content screen platforms were designed to “provide exceptional resolution for subcellular detection, automated detection, and phenotyping with intact, fixed, or live cells.”

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Attendees left the two sessions feeling more informed and educated and look forward to future interactions with such prominent companies like Thermo Fisher!

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AGING INSTITUTE WELCOMES BRIDGESIDE COMMUNITY AT OPEN HOUSE SHOWCASE

BRIDGESIDE

At the start of the new school year, the University of Pittsburgh’s Aging Institute welcomed students and trainees from both Technology Drive and main campus to discover what’s new at the facility, learn about training opportunities, and even get a tour of the space.

Hosted by Dr. Toren Finkel, Distinguished Professor of Medicine at the Aging Institute, the Open House Showcase brought together over 40 community members to connect with their classmates and educators. Attendees gathered on the fifth floor to network and also view the current research of several professors.

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For one, Dr. Aditi Gurkar has a lab that aims to identify fundamental mechanisms of aging that can potentially lead to novel strategies to delay the rate of “biological” aging. Another, Jay Tan, Assistant Professor of Cell Biology, studies cellular principles of aging with the goal of developing more effective therapeutics for age-related diseases.

Dr. Finkel then led the group on a tour of the fourth and fifth floor labs, highlighting the high throughput screening (HTS) platform equipment: “We have four independent platforms, each of which does slightly different things. The platforms are fully automated, so once set up, we don’t need to do anything but wait. Currently, we can screen roughly 25,000 compounds/drugs per day. We have an in-house chemical library of nearly 300,000 potential drugs and access to a larger library of over 1,000,000 compounds. Using these chemical libraries and this HTS platform, we are currently working on novel drugs to treat multiple age-related diseases.” Another thing that is so special about the HTS platform equipment is that it was pieced together from items bought off of eBay and other similar sites and cannot be re-created – it's a one-of-akind piece of equipment!

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Concluding the lab and facility tours, members stuck around to continue chatting with each other while enjoying a complimentary charcuterie and wine happy hour.

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SHOWCASE REVEALS STRATEGIC STEPS TO CLINICAL AND REGULATORY SUCCESS

BRIDGESIDE

Hosted on the fifth floor of Bridgeside, current and new Pittsburgh chapter members of Women in Bio (WIB) came together to network over drinks and small bites while enjoying a presentation by organization sponsor, Clinical Research Strategies, about the lifecycle of products in healthcare.

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Featuring Clinical Research Strategies employees Julie Cramer, PhD, MS, Director of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs and Parul Nisha, PhD, Senior Director, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs, the life sciences consulting firm specializes in the following, making them a great source of insight for our community: Innovation Regulatory sciences Policy and reform in the US and EU Quality, clinical, regulatory, and safety over the life cycle of a product Helping a device or drug navigate through the proper FDA, EU, or Rest of the World (ROW) regulations to bring it to market The evening started with attendees noshing and networking over complimentary catering from Community Kitchen Pgh (who is also hosting an event in early November!) on the beautiful outdoor patio before the two WIB sponsors took the mic.

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Dr. Cramer and Dr. Nisha dove right in, recognizing first that not all innovators or companies have the same needs that apply to medical devices and drugs/biologics. For instance, some companies may be in search of the right regulatory strategy for a medical device while others are focused on a drug or biologic that needs regulatory-clinical trial lifecycle management. Despite these differences, there are clinical and regulatory strategies that can be tailored to meet any objective, and they shared a few examples of how these strategies were implemented. Lastly, they touched on the many roles needed to support the various stages of development and also shared personal stories and experiences: “We are very involved in our community here in Pittsburgh and across the region. We know it takes a village to have Pittsburgh rise up in the life sciences industry and we pride ourselves on being involved in the community.”

— Julie Cramer

Following the presentations, the evening concluded with questions from the audience and additional networking opportunities.

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STUDENTS SHARE ERGONOMIC TIPS AND TRICKS AT PT OPEN HOUSE

BRIDGESIDE

As National Physical Therapy Month came to a close, we squeezed in one more PT-related activation hosted by the very students who are studying the subject at hand.

Our Showcase: Physical Therapy Open House invited Bridgeside community members to learn more about what's happening in the University of Pittsburgh’s Department of Physical Therapy, uncover how to manage lower back pain, and discover the numerous benefits of PT!

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Hosted on the second floor, students provided free, individualized ergonomic desk setups, shared information on the benefits of physical therapy, and distributed resources on “How to Find a PT Near You” for building tenants, faculty, and staff! Below are some helpful tips to set yourself up for better posture and reduced pain. 1. When working at your desk, it’s best to have your wrist and elbows level so there isn’t strain on your wrists, which can lead to carpel tunnel syndrome. 2. If possible, have a standing desk so that you aren't in the same position for long periods of time. Get up and move throughout the day! 3. Place your monitor at eye level so that you aren't looking up and down frequently. For additional resources, check out The Pitt 3 video produced by the DPT back in 2020 to learn a few simple stretches that will help combat stiffness.

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GT GRAFFITI HONORS GVU CENTER’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY WITH INTERACTIVE ART INSTALLATION IN TECH SQUARE

TECH SQUARE COURTYARD

As part of the GVU Center’s two-day event celebrating their 30th anniversary, GTGraffiti, the first graffitipainting robot system that mimics the fluidity of human movement, set up their pulley-operated spray painting machine in the Tech Square courtyard as an interactive art exhibit, encouraging community members to stop by and participate.

On a slightly windy early November day, attendees were invited to join GTGraffiti for an interactive, high-tech art installation showcase by drawing on an iPad and seeing the “GraffitiBot” (as the team calls it) bring their artwork to life on a 10' x 8' steel framed canvas.

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As participants engaged with the robotics they also learned more about the system and how it uses “motion capture technology to record human painting motions and then composes and processes the gestures to program a cable-driven robot that spray paints graffiti artwork.” The creators involved in making this exhibit – Gerry Chen, Juan-Diego Florez, Frank Dellaert, Seth Hutchinson, and Sang-won Leigh – chose graffiti in particular because it’s an art form accessible to almost everyone. It is creative and simple, and being as easy as drawing on a tablet makes it even more so. Following the event, we sat down with Tim Trent, Research Technologist at the GVU Center, and discussed how GTGraffiti picked their setup spot and how this demonstration compared to previous ones in terms of both performance and location. For historical reference, Tim shared this album of photos and videos taken during some equally windy times. As told by Tim: In each of the videos/photos, you can see the tarp or plastic blowing around, indicating these were windy days. In each of the videos/photos, there is no evidence at all of overspray, with the spray painted lines going down very solidly, and the tarp/plastic completely free of any paint. The tarp/plastic in these videos is not as comprehensive as I would do at TSRB, since that site was not as concerned about overspray, but you can see in the photo a more representative way that I would shield the TSRB area from paint, which I think is pretty secure. It covers the full back, and 2.5 feet out on the bottom, left, and right sides. In the 1:11 long video, you can see at the 0:06 mark that there is a gust of wind so violent it shakes the entire 150 pound steel frame. Although the robot is not painting at this exact moment, there are similar gusts throughout the painting session, but it’s unclear whether the frame shakes are caused by the wind or the robot, so it’s harder to tell how strong exactly the wind is. In the “GT” videos, you can see a wider spray nozzle which is more likely to have overspray. Finally, although it’s not really visible due to resolution, during the cleanup of each paint session I inspect the tarp/plastic and the areas surrounding for any very fine overspray only visible up close, but never observe any (aside from the places on the plastic where I intentionally paint the plastic to check the nozzle isn’t clogged).

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Next, Tim shared his thoughts on how previous sessions compared to the event in the Tech Square courtyard, with the following being his analysis of the results of his anemometer readings: Note: today was relatively still wind. The highest wind areas around TSRB that I noted (from measurements) were on the bridge near Square on Fifth (SQ5) and under the breezeway near the stairs leading towards the parking at 2 m/s peak and 1.8 m/s peak, respectively. Readings at the sidewalk were also notably high in the 2 m/s range for peaks. By comparison, in the courtyard in front of the Centergy sign and near the TSRB sign, I noted only about 1.1-1.5 m/s peak and, when on the benches at the West side of the courtyard, could not get any noteworthy readings Based on the above, the least windy area in the courtyard would be oriented E/W near the center of the courtyard. I also took readings at Acuity brands plaza where the researchers had the installation last week. These peaked around 1.1 m/s, roughly the same readings I was getting near the Centergy sign.

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Lastly, he shared his overall conclusions and recommendations: When comparing the two courtyards together, the center of Centergy courtyard and the center of Acuity Brands plaza are not significantly different during the same conditions. Based on the level/direction of wind today, the installation would be best suited to setup facing East near the benches along the West side of the Centergy courtyard. My readings today are not absolute. The weather varies day-by-day and, while today was relatively still, there could be stronger gusts in any area based on the overall wind strength or the differing direction. The data supports my hypothesis: the courtyard is the windiest where there are relatively open areas for wind to enter, but sturdy barriers to concentrate the gusts. The bridge is open N/S and from the East, so wind can blow through, but then it hits the bridge/covering itself and gets concentrated. By comparison, the courtyard near the benches is blocked on the N/W/E by buildings and the wind that comes in from the South is able to blow through the trees and lose speed. As you get closer to the Centergy building, more of the wind bounces off that building and we have more noticeable gusts. I propose that we keep an eye on the wind and make sure it's not gusting significantly the day of the event. In the event of rain or high wind, we will cancel the demonstration. I will recommend to the researchers that we have a wind meter on hand and keep an eye on things, ideally with more tests done beforehand to determine the level of air velocity that would lead to known failures. Ideally I'd grab the speed of a spray can and figure how fast those droplets move to give a firm number but, generally speaking: if the distance of spray can from the canvas is three inches, then as long as the aerosol from the can is faster than the wind, the paint will not travel more than three inches out of line before it hits the canvas. This is a simplification of the full situation, however.

We at TSQATL were ecstatic to be involved in an event where a community of researchers are advancing globally-focused computing solutions and it was clear our participants were as well, based on the smiles on their faces!

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UNCOVERING PATHWAYS OF POSSIBILITIES AT SHOWCASE CENTERED AROUND CHALLENGING DISEASES

BRIDGESIDE

Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company located in Bridgeside, the premier hub for bustling life sciences and research activity in Pittsburgh, is making groundbreaking strides in their efforts to transform the way challenging diseases and conditions are treated.

To shed some light onto their recent advancements – which was only made possible by being part of the Bridgeside community, we hosted a Showcase so other tenants could learn more about the pioneering activity happening right in their building.

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Pathways of Possibilities - The Unprecedented Healing Potential of ST266 was an interactive session inviting tenants and local community members to learn about ST266 – a first-of-its-kind, multi-targeted, non-cellular novel biologic – and its potential to improve patients' outcomes. At the start of the afternoon, attendees enjoyed an array of complimentary refreshments and beverages while networking with new and familiar faces on the fifth floor of Bridgeside, which overlooks the north side of the Monongahela River. Shortly thereafter, the moderator of the evening, David Tyndall, Founder and CEO of Collaborative Real Estate guided guests into the boardroom so the presentation could commence. Once participants were seated, David launched into a brief introduction of Bridgeside’s owners, TUFF, and Collaborative Real Estate, sharing that they “feel like the value of our buildings is not the building, it's the other people in the building. You maybe don't appreciate how inspirational that can be to some of your neighbors, so we like to gather people together to highlight just that.”

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He then went on to speak about the host of the event, Larry Brown, ScD, Research & Development Executive Vice President/Chief Scientific Officer, Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc.: Dr. Larry Brown serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer of Noveome Biotherapeutics, Inc. in Pittsburgh, PA. He obtained his doctorate in Biochemistry and Bioengineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under Institute Professor, Dr. Robert Langer. He trained in the Surgical Research Department laboratory of the late Dr. Judah Folkman of Boston Children’s Hospital. Previously, he served as VP of Research at Baxter Healthcare Corporation and has held scientific leadership roles at several startup biotech companies such as Alkermes focusing on diverse areas of drug delivery for therapeutic proteins, monoclonal antibodies, nucleic acids, and transdermal delivery. He maintains strong academic collaborations with MIT’s Deshpande Center for technological innovation. “Larry was kind enough to join us tonight,” continued David, “because I've heard some of the story that Larry is going to tell and I know that part of the magic of Noveome is its incredible broad-based potential.” Larry then took the stage, launching immediately into his presentation. He started by acknowledging Dr. David Steed, former Chief Medical Officer (now retired), who gave the name ST266. “It's obtained from the placenta, and the normal gestational period of a human fetus, as we all know, is nine months – but turns out it's 266 days on average.”

He went on to discuss his first contribution to the company, which was the idea of intranasal spray delivery. “ST266 can be delivered directly to the central nervous system and optic nerve using a targeted intranasal spray device that employs a non-invasive, nose-to-brain route of administration – successfully bypassing the blood-brain barrier in the process.”

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The complete presentation dove into the following topics further: Inflammation “Inflammation is the biological response to harmful stimuli, such as a wound or disease or injury, and results in vascular permeability. Normally, blood flows through a capillary and exchanges oxygen and other nutrients with the tissues. However, in response to injury and disease, there are multiple responses that occur – all with the goal of countering the disease and inflammation in cells,” informed Larry. He continued, “ST266 contains multiple components containing hundreds of growth factors and cytokines, each at very low physiological concentrations, which together we found work in concert to induce antiinflammatory activity, healing, tissue regeneration, and anti-apoptosis that keep cells alive.” ST266's rational The Rationale for ST266 is to mimic natural healing and to use biology's pathway to protect the fetus and support development. Manufacturing of ST266 Noveome collects and grows placenta-derived amnion cells to produce ST266 in a GMP manufacturing process. Pre-clinical studies in various animal models Pre-clinical studies found that ST266 could locally reduce vascular permeability in response to various inflammatory molecules, reduced inflammation following Penetrating Ballistic Brain Injury (PBBI), that ST266 can bypass the blood-brain barrier through targeted intranasal delivery (Larry's first contribution to the company) and intranasal delivery of ST266 restores visual acuity in multiple sclerosis mouse models of optic neuritis. Clinical trials The first study showed an unexpected observation in one patient who had lost her taste after having COVID-19 and suddenly gained it back after the trial. According to Larry, “This was evidence that the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory nature of intranasally administered ST266 could have a significant effect on treating the optic nerve.” The second study found that ST266 reduced Persistent Epithelial Defects (PED). Twelve individuals received ST266 eye drops four times a day for 28 days. The results showed that all 12 eyes decreased PED area and five closed completely. “This points to the fact that ST266 and its ability to reduce PED's can also enhance healing of epithelial cells,” shared Larry. The third study conducted found that ST266 reduced UV light burn inflammation and reduced DNA damage. Clinical trials found no drug-related serious adverse events and no safety concerns from FDA or IRBs. “We believe this is because the concentration of the individual components of the drug is low and working in concert the same way it's protecting the fetus during development. It's doing the same when we're administering them in these preclinical and clinical studies,” Larry noted.

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Rare diseases Defined as affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the United States, there are over 7,000 rare diseases that affect 25-30 million Americans and cause a $ 1 trillion annual economic burden. Many are fatal to premature infants or early childhood and more than 90 percent of rare diseases do not have an FDA-approved treatment. Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC) A devastating gastrointestinal disease affecting three to nine percent of all premature infants and has a 30 to 80 percent mortality rate. NEC accounts for 20 percent of all neonatal intensive care expenditures in the United States, totaling $5 billion+. There have been no NEC treatment advances in 40 years. ST266 treatment ST266 treatment reduced NEC piglet mortality from 38 percent to nine percent. It also significantly reduced the NEC severity score of inflammatory cytokines and established gastrointestinal membrane integrity. As the formal presentation concluded, a Q&A immediately followed. In regards to connecting with the right people (something we’re all about!) who have different perspectives on research, Jordan Peterson, Chief Property Operations Officer, asked “I was struck by the point in the story where you described your first contribution to Noveome’s scientific journey and I think it was the point where you realized the lack of success in the early studies was not a dead end, but rather, it was a challenge of ‘how do we deliver ST266 across the blood-brain barrier?’ So, it strikes me that in this decade-long journey, how important is it to find the right person with the right perspective at the right time? And as you look forward for Noveome, do you know what that expertise is that you're going to need tomorrow or the next year – is it just some random luck sometimes?”

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Larry responded, citing “I think it is some sort of luck, but part of it is, having been exposed to so many different research opportunities, reading the literature. Part of it really is knowing what other people have done and how that might affect your work.” Another member of the audience, Ande Marini, PhD Candidate in the University of Pittsburgh Bioengineering Department, was also really engaged in the session. Ande shared that she is studying how stem cell products can be utilized to improve treatment of cardiovascular diseases, so this discussion was very informative and valuable to her. For those that didn’t ask Larry a question specifically, they still interacted with the topic at hand by answering a few questions:

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As the evening came to a close, Larry shared one final thought with attendees. “While there is no treatment for NEC, I think the door might open for a variety of new indications. It will certainly clearly establish the safety and efficacy in a serious disease that has a lot of things that go array.” And luckily for the Bridgeside community, we get to be privy to this exciting journey – and look forward to learning more pathways of possibilities in the future.

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EXPERIMENTS

Experiments are activations that do not fall into any of the existing categories and are intended to test hypotheses about emerging needs and community personas.

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MEMBERS OF THE PONCE PAGE TURNERS MEET FOR THE FIRST TIME

PONCE

The fourth Wednesday of August 2022 marked a very special occasion – the inaugural meeting of the Ponce Page Turners, a book club specific to the 250 E Ponce community that’s designed to invite people of all backgrounds and interests to come together and catch up over complimentary beverages, and of course, and books.

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The first book to be digested and discussed by our members was the innovative and inspiring novel, The Rebel Nurse Handbook. Upon distributing the book to all attendees, we asked participants about their goals and reasons for wanting to join our book club. All of the members mentioned they wanted to feel a deeper connection with their community and to meet people in other industries. Others shared they signed up in order to strengthen or rekindle their love of reading. A select few even divulged that this was their first time joining a book club or even reading recreationally at all! Interestingly enough, a handful of attendees had no affiliation with nursing, despite that being the nature of the first book. Nonetheless, they were still excited to learn more about the topic and were also looking forward to future picks. As the conversation and cocktails flowed, we also asked attendees about how any books they’ve read so far this year:

30+ 16.7%

0-9 50%

20-30 16.7%

10-20 16.7%

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TECH SQUARE HOSTS HOME GAME TAILGATE FOR GEORGIA TECH

TECH SQUARE

Saturday, September 10 marked the first home football game of Georgia Tech very own Yellow Jackets. As such an integral part of Midtown, we at TSQATL wanted to support our community and players by hosting a rooftop tailgate to cheer on the team!

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Coming off a previous first-game loss, the city was still abuzz with vibrancy, excitement, and black and gold everywhere. And we’re no fair-weather fans either – so despite a little bit of rain, we still lugged up hot dogs, burgers, refreshments, and more to the eighth floor of the Centergy Parking Deck. There, members (such as Accenture and GATD), students, family, educators, professionals, and more showed up spirited and ready to root for the home team. “Even though I can see the football field from my apartment, I still love the energy and atmosphere that tailgating brings,” shared Caroline Dunn, VP of Marketing at Wahsega. “It makes me feel more in touch with my community and it serves as a way for me to support the team.” Other attendees shared similar sentiments and stories, too. In fact, one Georgia Tech fan revealed that they never actually studied at GT, but their grandma used to drop them off at the stadium on game days while she ran errands and they’ve been a fan ever since. Despite this being a home game versus Western Carolina University, we were still curious who everyone was rooting for. And to no surprise, we uncovered over 95 percent of those polled were cheering on the Yellow Jackets!

As the festivities continued, participants continued to play games, enjoy complimentary food and drinks, and even forge new connections they wouldn’t have otherwise made.

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PONCE PUTS THEIR MIND TO THE TEST WITH MEMORY SCREENING STUDY

PONCE

After months of planning, iResearch Atlanta and the Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation (GAP) invited 250E Ponce’s community members – age 50 and older – to participate in a complimentary cognitive screening and learn some tips and tricks to strengthen their memory.

As part of GAP’s work, they boast the GAP Network (GAP-Net), a group of research centers that are part of the global, patient-centric, nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating the delivery of innovative therapies for neurological disorders by reducing the duration and cost of clinical trials. Also involved in this prestigious network is iResearch Atlanta, a multi-specialty clinical research center that focuses on Alzheimer's disease (in addition to many others).

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So, in order to obtain subjects for a new clinical trial, the two companies set up shop on the eighth floor to conduct a study that included both oral and written components. Nearly 20 community members stopped by to participate, with the youngest of them being 55 years old. And while the findings of the study were private, we did learn that 50 percent of those that participated also chose to move forward with the complete research trial! Following their memory screening, attendees also learned about resources that could strengthen their memory and/or quality of life. This is where MapHabit, an ATDC company that was introduced to iResearch and GAP during our Power Meal: Mapping Memory Loss back in July, came into play. Their integrated system provides users the tools and knowledge needed to promote independence, organization, and habits – something extremely helpful for those suffering from memory loss or Alzheimer's.

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COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER TO BUILD DRONES WITH JOULEA

CENTERGY

Once again, we at TSQATL teamed up with Joulea, a software platform that uses drones to reduce energy costs and consumption in commercial buildings, to host a hands-on activation that took participants to new heights.

Hosted in the Centergy One lobby, community members were invited to join the ATDC startup in building their own drone! Equipped with kits to completely assemble and operate a mini drone, student and professional attendees with all levels of mechanical engineering experience put their skills to the test!

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Team members from Joulea, who are no stranger to working with us on previous activations, like our building efficiency Power Meal and drone technology Pop-Up, were available to answer any questions and share some insight into their cutting-edge work. And as participants worked on building their drone, they interacted with one another, sharing their unique backgrounds and uncovering their various levels of familiarity with the topic, company, and activations in general. For instance, SQ5 resident, Grayson Epps, is studying mechanical engineering and thinks that drones could be used to assess plane damages. Balamurugan, a Georgia Tech student, knew Joulea very well, as he actually interviewed with them in the past. Even a couple of people from Kemira at TEP drove over to Tech Square to participate. On the other hand, Jasia Robinson, who works in marketing at Accenture, did not have any experience with drones, nor had she been to any of our activations. So it was a really robust group of members that came together that afternoon! Upon completion of the activity, attendees tested out their drone in real-time. As they flew them around in the Tech Square courtyard, we asked them how they could use drone technology in their career/field of study:

From content creation to regulation to research, there seemed to be a multitude of ways that drones could be used in a variety of fields.

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Across the board, members vocalized their interest in participating in more hands-on activities, so be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and check out our events calendar for the latest happenings in Tech Square.

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BRIDGESIDE ENJOYS BREWS AND BITES FROM NEIGHBORING BUSINESSES

BRIDGESIDE

In the spirit of connecting local companies with our Bridgeside community members, we hosted an afternoon of food and beverage tastings from neighboring small businesses.

Hosted in the fifth floor boardroom by Melanie Knapp, Catering and Events Coordinator with Community Kitchen Pgh and Barb Hartman from Hazel Grove Brewing, our Brews and Bites event invited tenants to enjoy a sampling of delicious delicacies and drinks – perfect for catering an upcoming meeting or gathering!

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As attendees taste-tested, they also learned more about the two entities. For instance, Community Kitchen Pgh is a non-profit organization that “uses food as the foundation to change lives and strengthen communities.” According to their website, they offer training programs, transitional employment opportunities, apprenticeships, and job placement services that are designed to meet participants where they are and connect them with stable, higher-than-entry-level positions in culinary and adjacent industries.” Those who want to get involved can do so at no cost, which means there are no financial barriers to helping individuals reach their full potential in the workforce. As for Hazel Grove Brewing, their focus is on creating an environment that is welcoming for all. With an approach centered around creating a menu that is approachable to everyone, customers can enjoy low-alcohol light ales and lagers to darker stouts to interesting Belgian styles to hoppy IPAs and everything in between!

The festivities served as a nice break from the day and encouraged people to not only connect with other members in the building, but also those of the neighboring community!

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TENANTS JINGLED AND MINGLED AT TECH SQUARE HOLIDAY PARTY

TECH SQUARE

In early December, as a way to wrap up (see what we did there?) the end of the year, we hosted our annual Tech Square holiday party for all of our community members and tenants as a small token of our appreciation.

Our Jingle & Mingle winter wonderland was the perfect way to spread some holiday cheer while attendees enjoyed a live quartet, a 360-video booth, seasonal sweets, festive libations, and a hot chocolate and mac and cheese bar!

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Guests were able to galavant all over Tech Square too, as the activities were happening at both the Centergy lobby and The Clubhouse. There was even themed trivia made possible by Kahoot, a platform we learned about at our TEDxGeorgia Tech Open Mic Night earlier in the year. Participants were able to choose from three different themes and then the results were displayed in real-time on our large projection screen for all to see.

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No surprise to us, as we’ve hosted a few different music-focused events like our Peer Check-In: Making More Than Music, Cocktail Talk: The Ultimate Tech Square Playlist, and TEP Tunes: The Formative Years, our community members did best in the “holiday music” category:

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And for anyone interested, below are all of the questions and correct answers: HOLIDAY MUSIC TRIVIA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS And for anyone interested, below are all of the questions and correct answers: Q: WHO SINGS THE CHRISTMAS HIT “ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS YOU?” A: MARIAH CAREY Q: ARRANGE THE WORDS TO REVEAL A CHRISTMAS HIT! A: RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER Q: WHICH CHRISTMAS SONG IS WHAM! KNOWN FOR? A: LAST CHRISTMAS Q: IN THE DREIDEL SONG, WHAT MATERIAL IS THE DREIDEL MADE OUT OF? A: CLAY Q: WHAT IS THE CORRECT NAME FOR THE CHRISTMAS HIT SUNG BY ELVIS PRESLEY? A: BLUE CHRISTMAS Q: WHO ORIGINALLY SANG 'WHITE CHRISTMAS'? A: BING CROSBY Q: WHEN WAS 'HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS' RELEASED? A: 1944 Q: TRUE OR FALSE: “FELIZ NAVIDAD” IS A FAMOUS CHRISTMAS SONG WHICH HAS BOTH ENGLISH AND SPANISH LYRICS. A: TRUE Q: WHICH CHRISTMAS HIT BEGINS LIKE THIS: “SLEIGH BELLS RING, ARE YOU LISTENING?” A: WINTER WONDERLAND Q: TRUE OR FALSE: ADAM SANDLER WROTE A HANUKKAH SONG AND PLAYED IT ON SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE. A: TRUE Q: WHAT IS THE FIRST LINE OF NAT KING COLE'S “THE CHRISTMAS SONG?” A: CHESTNUTS ROASTING ON AN OPEN FIRE Q: FINISH THIS SONG TITLE: “I SAW MOMMY KISSING…” A: SANTA CLAUS ULTIMATE HOLIDAY TRIVIA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q: THE CHRISTMAS TRADITION OF DECORATING TREES CAME FROM WHERE? A: GERMANY Q: IN SCOTLAND, NEW YEAR’S EVE IS CALLED WHAT? A: HOGMANAY Q: ALL OF THESE ARE WINTER FESTIVALS EXCEPT WHICH? A: CHUSEOK (KOREAN) Q: WHAT DID MY TRUE LOVE GIVE TO ME ON THE 11TH DAY OF CHRISTMAS? A: 11 PIPERS PIPING Q: WHAT DOES THE WORD "HANUKKAH" ACTUALLY MEAN? A: DEDICATION Q: WHAT HAPPENED IN BOSTON FROM 1659 TO 1681? A: CHRISTMAS WAS COMPLETELY OUTLAWED Q: WHAT ARE THE COLORS OF THE BERRIES ON A MISTLETOE PLANT? A: WHITE

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WINTER TRIVIA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS Q: ACCORDING TO PEW RESEARCH CENTER, OUT OF 10 PEOPLE, HOW MANY AMERICANS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS? A: 9 Q: IT WAS THE ____ SETTLERS WHO BROUGHT THE SANTA CLAUS TRADITION TO AMERICA. A: DUTCH Q: WHAT TYPE OF PLANT IS THIS? A: MISTLETOE Q: WHERE IS TODAY'S SANTA'S HOME SAID TO BE? A: NORTH POLE Q: THE NAME OF THE BIG JEWISH FESTIVAL THAT IS CELEBRATED AROUND DECEMBER IS SPELLED AS…? A: HANUKKAH Q: TRUE OR FALSE: IN RUSSIA, SERBIA, AND SOME OTHER COUNTRIES CHRISTMAS IS CELEBRATED ON JANUARY 7. A: TRUE Q: HOW MANY DAYS DOES KWANZAA CELEBRATION LAST? A: 7 Q: PUT THESE REINDEER IN THE ORDER THAT THEY ARE MENTIONED IN THE SONG "RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER." A: PRANCER, VIXEN, CUPID, DONNER Q: DURING THE CELEBRATION OF LAS POSADAS, THESE ARE SET UP OUTSIDE. A: LUMINARIAS Q: HOW MUCH DO AMERICANS SPEND ON HOLIDAY SHOPPING ON AVERAGE (NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION)? A: $900-$1000

The celebrations continued all throughout the evening, making it a not so silent night.

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NURSE A COCKTAIL NETWORKING FORMS NEW CONNECTIONS

PONCE

Emory nursing faculty, alumni, students, and Decatur community members gathered at a favorite local watering hole, Brick Store Pub, late January to discuss their career paths, education, and how they would like to impact their fields and communities.

Our Nurse a Cocktail event invited over 30 individuals with various involvement in the field of nursing to come together and share their stories, struggles, and successes. Since our purpose at Ponce is to build culture and cultivate engagement within our community, we thought a gathering outside the building would be the perfect place to create some serendipitous collisions – and hopefully form new bonds within our facility.

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To help facilitate new interactions amongst attendees, we created connection cards that participants had to fill out (by meeting someone they didn’t know!) in order to receive a complimentary cocktail. From there, we were able to uncover quite a bit about our community and a few common themes throughout the evening: SCHOOLING AND SPECIFIC STUDIES A majority of Emory students (and especially those present that night) tend to move toward the Doctor of Nursing Practitioner (DNP) degree, which can actually cause issues with the limits on how many students can participate in these programs. Emory alumni, Jasmine Ryans, said that she got to take one simulation lab at the new 250 E Ponce space and said that the experience was "luxurious" compared to her other lab experiences. OPPORTUNITIES AND OBSTACLES Emory alumni, Noelle Pruitt, spoke with a current nursing student, Isabel Rumsey, about the importance of experiencing different hospitals and healthcare systems to be prepared for all opportunities. Most nursing students that evening want to work at Grady Memorial Hospital, because of its Level 1 Trauma status – which is great for a resume. However, what they are not told is that nurses have to work for two years prior to being able to transfer to Level 1 Trauma and even then they have to have certain scores in order to be considered for the transfer. Nurses are facing certain challenges in obtaining the score due to technology issues that are not in their control. For example, nurses have a “scan score” which has to be a certain percentage (approximately 98-99 percent) when scanning prescriptions prior to administering to patients. The issue is that the scanners are not working sometimes and therefore they are unable to scan, which lowers their score.

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP Bryanna Marshall, an Emory graduate who went on to start her own company shared that “it's so hard to break into the tech world with a healthcare background, but I'm excited to be on this journey.” Chelsea Shakleford, the Director of Alumni Engagement at Emory, has her own hot sauce company. The following were answers to the connection card question: “What would your startup be?” A school/program for educating the underserved Business for vulnerable populations Cats + Hats Coffee shop Eco tour Ecotourism/travel Entertainment venue Health coaching Hot sauce Med spa Parent coaching Physical restraints for autistic patients

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We also learned that several Emory faculty members were so appreciative of the evening’s festivities, as they feel there isn't a great opportunity to connect with one another, or the community. So, cheers to fostering even more connections in the future – and to our amazing nurses who do so much!

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BRIDGESIDE

COMMUNITY MEMBERS CONNECT OVER CABERNET AND CARDIOLOGY

In honor of February being American Heart Month, and with a community filled with individuals in the health and life sciences fields, we decided to put their heads (and their hearts!) to the test.

Our Cabernet and Cardiology event invited community members to catch up over complimentary red wine and light snacks while testing their cardiovascular knowledge. And for those that RSVPed ahead of the event, they were entered into a raffle to win a basket of heart-healthy treats! Our winner, as pictured above, was Chris McFarland, Research Coordinator for Pitt's School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences.

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At the actual event, attendees were greeted with a variety of red wines and snacks and were asked to cast their vote on the question “Is red wine (in moderation) good for your heart health?” – but not before they answered five heart-related trivia questions: 1. High blood pressure can hurt your health in many ways. Which of these organs can be affected by the condition? a. Brain b. Heart c. Kidneys d. All of the above* 2. Why is high blood pressure sometimes called the "silent killer"? a. High blood pressure makes it difficult to talk b. High blood pressure usually doesn't have any symptoms* c. High blood pressure doesn't make any loud noises 3. "_________" happens when plaque builds up in the arteries and limits how much blood can get to your heart.

a. Arrhythmia b. Atherosclerosis* c. Atrial fibrillation 4. Which of the following is more likely to contribute to your high blood pressure? a. Physical activity b. Salt/sodium intake* c. High cholesterol level d. Ice cream 5. How much physical activity is enough? a. 20 minutes every day b. 90 minutes a day once you are in shape c. 150 minutes per week* *CORRECT ANSWER

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Speaking of questions, they shared their daily average step count and their thoughts regarding the topic of if red wine is healthy, in moderation, for your heart and all agreed it was. Cheers to that and all the healthy hearts that make up our Bridgeside community!

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Not surprisingly, given the participants’ background (and their research partnerships with other fields, like cardiology), they all correctly answered the first three questions! And majority fared well on the additional two questions.

10,000+ 14.3%

1,000-5,000 57.1% 6,000-10,000 28.6%

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SCIENCE SHEDS LIGHT ON THE IMPORTANCE OF A FIRST IMPRESSION

BRIDGESIDE

According to research published by Willis and Todorov, it only takes 100 milliseconds exposure of a face to make a judgment on attractiveness, likeability, trustworthiness, competence, aggressiveness, and more.

With this in mind, we decided to merge the worlds of art and science and host an event, The Science Behind a Good Headshot, to not only educate attendees about the importance of a perfect picture, but also provide them with a fresh one!

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Megan Yelley, a local Pittsburgh photographer, set up a studio on the fifth floor of Bridgeside to capture our community in their best light, while also discussing the intricacies of the industry. And as Megan snapped photos, she also shared some incredibly helpful tips: Practice posing before your professional headshot. It might seem silly, but practicing in the mirror can help you fine-tune your best headshot poses. Make sure to pose straight on, left profile, and right profile to maximize your best angle! Do your best to take direction. You are working with a professional who wants you to look and feel your best. Sit on the edge of your chair to have better posture. Laughter is key – it makes your smile more natural! And with the artistic component covered, we also wanted to shed light on the scientific side. According to researchers at the Department of Psychology at the University of York, a study was conducted where 1,000 images of faces were analyzed in order to understand the specific features that help make a good first impression. The research revealed there are 65 different features that could affect one's perceptions, including the curve of a nose, the position of a cheekbone, and the general head area. More specifically, they found that each of the features could have an effect on three distinct dimensions: 1. Approachability – "Does the person want to harm me?" 2. Dominance – "Can this person help or harm me?" 3. Youthful attractiveness – "Might this person be a good romantic partner or a rival?"

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The importance of a first impression, in the form of a headshot, was incredibly helpful for our participants to know, since majority of them had never had one taken. And to no surprise, the majority also planned to use their new photo on LinkedIn.

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TECH SQUARE TAKES ON TRIVIA NIGHT AT THE CLUBHOUSE

THE CLUBHOUSE

The second Wednesday in April boasted the first of a new recurring series TSQATL will be hosting. Tech Square Trivia Night invites members and the local community to join in on an evening filled with complimentary refreshments, coolprizes, and of course, a chance to put your brain to the test!

While majority of those who gathered at The Clubhouse that night already had teams of five in place, several attendees arrived solo, but were quickly welcomed into an existing team. The groups enjoyed pizza and drinks while mingling, then took to Kahoot – a platform we learned about at our TEDx back in 2022 – to go head-to-head in trivia.

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The competition was fierce and further fueled that evening by a team named “NotHere” who seemingly hacked into the game and played remotely. They stayed in first place the entire time, but we believe they may have been a bot:

Therefore, the real first-place winners were the team members of “Startup Exchange (SX)” (not to be confused with “Better SX” and “Best SX”) who took home the grand prize of Braves tickets to an upcoming home game!

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“ChaoticPhotons,” a group of PhD researchers from the Ultrafast Optical Communications Lab (UFOCL) at the Tech Square Research Building, placed second, earning them each a gift card to Momo Cafe, a local favorite made recently popular by TikTok.

More important than the prize though is their work with photonics in silicon chips. However, not all of their research is the same. One team member, Arjun Khurana, is working on chips that are actually able to emit light to communicate data. Meanwhile, others in the group work with fiberoptic cable to communicate information between computers, chips, and lasers. Another team present that evening is also doing big things in the HealthTech space. The ATDC’s Strados Labs, playing as “Stradosphere,” provided an innovative solution to help save lives by using leading-edge reparatory technology to remotely monitor lung health and relieve hospital congestion during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, others in the group work with fiberoptic cable to communicate information between computers, chips, and lasers.

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Clearly, prizes weren’t the only driving factor of engagement, as many of the groups asked to continue playing even after the event was over. Another interesting note is the type of trivia the players enjoyed – a curated mix of pop culture, space, science, food and beverage, geography, entrepreneurship, and even Georgia Tech themes! In fact, several participants shared that they preferred the less academic or challenging industry questions, as it was a nice reprieve from their day-to-day activities.

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IDEAS IGNITED: TECH SQUARE SUMMER INTERNS SHARE EXPERIENCES

CENTERGY

With a focus on cultivating connections designed to foster growth and innovation, we at TSQATL were ecstatic when one of our tenants requested a “meetand-greet” style event where interns of all the amazing companies in Tech Square could get to know each other and learn more about the exciting work that’s happening within our buildings.

After all, that’s what we’re here for – helping to facilitate interactions that otherwise wouldn’t occur!

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Our Innovation, Ideas, and Interns stemmed from the request of Maddie Harper, the Go-to-Market Program Manager at Engage, a corporate innovation venture platform designed to support startups and a byproduct of the ATDC here at Centergy. With our shared goals of building a stronger sense of community, and uncovering what each company’s internship program offers, we set up in the lobby during lunch to help form these serendipitous collisions. Over complimentary catering from Chick-fil-A, attendees mixed and mingled while sharing their experiences thus far and projects they’ve been working on. It was inspiring to see interns from Engage, TUFF, Tech Square Ventures, Delta, Southwire Spark, and Georgia Tech’s MARGA Labs all interact with one another, with the hopes of actually sparking connections that would withstand beyond the duration of their internships:

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We also got to learn more about the intricacies of a few particular participants:

Manu Gummaraju An intern at Engage, Manu helped organize an executive reception for Independent Sales Organization (ISO) people.

Taylor Hicks An intern at Engage, Taylor is working on graphic design this summer.

Joseph Covington A finance intern at TUFF, Joseph is researching universities and research parks this summer. He is a finance major at Georgia State University and would like to go into wealth asset management after graduation.

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Chinar Dankhara Chinar is doing his summer internship at Delta. A student at the Georgia Tech College of Computing, he is working on state-of-the-art artificial intelligence models during his internship. He is also completing a software engineering internship at NCR this summer.

Following the event, contact info was swapped and promises were made to stay in touch and continue doing great work!

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TAKE TWO OF TECH SQUARE TRIVIA NIGHT UNITES MINDS AND SPARKS CONNECTIONS

THE CLUBHOUSE

Tech Square’s trivia series strikes again, garnering another evening of fueling curiosity and inspiring a quest for knowledge. Hosted at The Clubhouse in the heart of Atlanta’s tech scene, four teams were ready to square off, putting their skills to the test and forging new connections as well.

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Brimming with enthusiasm, the June edition of Tech Square Trivia Night filled the 9,000 square foot facility with an electric atmosphere on a warm summer evening. And representing some of the sharpest minds within Tech Square, teams from TSRB, Centergy, Create-X, and some local startups came together to kick off the night with mingling, drinks, and bites. Conversations buzzed with excitement and laughter, setting the stage for an unforgettable – and competitive – evening. Soon after, the teams took their positions at the various modular seating and table arrangements, their eyes fixed on the big screen where the battle of wits would unfold. A wide range of challenging questions from various topics kept everyone on their toes, but most of the questions garnered correct answers from each team:

This came as no real surprise to us, despite the variety of topics. Equally as non-shocking was the participant’s knowledge of cutting-edge gadgets, which was evident when the question about Apple's virtual reality/augmented reality (AR) headset, the Vision Pro, surfaced. With its hefty price tag making waves in the tech world, the community demonstrated its awareness of this revolutionary device that aimed to bridge the digital and physical realms through VR and AR technology, just like we’ve done at previous events like our Showcase: Explore the Metaverse with Meta. However, in a surprising twist, none of the teams claimed to be an Atlanta Hawks fan, as they faltered when asked about the team's official slogan, “True to Atlanta.” It was a friendly reminder that even in the tech world, there's always more to learn beyond our specialized domains.

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Regardless, the camaraderie was palpable, and the competitive spirit ignited as each team vied for the coveted title of trivia champions. However, only one could reign victorious. TSRB’s team, “Chaotic Photons” who came in second at the last trivia event came back with a vengeance and secured first place. Their elation soared as they uncovered the grand prize were tickets to the highly anticipated Atlanta Summer Beer Fest at Historic Old Fourth Ward. It was a surprise delight for the team, who confessed they had never planned to attend the festival otherwise. But as fate would have it, their triumph led them to an unforgettable experience.

Speaking of those in attendance, among the fresh faces gracing the event was Derrick McElroy, the visionary founder and CEO of MentalFit, an app dedicated to tracking and enhancing mental wellness. His presence added a touch of innovation to the already tech-infused ambiance, and it was evident Derrick quickly found his tribe, joining forces with an Accenture and Wahsega team – and forming connections that transcended the boundaries of the event. And Derrick wasn’t the only one! One of the highlights of the night was witnessing several groups form from newfound connections, proving that attending the event didn't require pre-existing friendships or affiliations. It sent a strong message to the rest of the community, encouraging everyone to take part, meet new people, and dive into the spirit of camaraderie that Tech Square ATL is renowned for.

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Tech Square ATL's Trivia Nights have become a regular series, instilling a sense of consistency and excitement among the community members. Not only does it offer an opportunity to test their mettle in the quiz arena, but it also serves as a platform for showcasing team members and celebrating the triumphs of the winners. As the night drew to a close, the laughter and conversations lingered, signifying yet another successful gathering in the books. The Tech Square Trivia Night series has instilled a sense of consistency and excitement among the community members, not only offering an opportunity to test their mettle in the quiz arena, but also serving as a platform for showcasing team members and celebrating the triumphs of the winners. Beyond igniting a spark of curiosity and camaraderie, the event left everyone eager for the next chapter and with each installment, the community's thirst for knowledge, connections, and unforgettable experiences only grows stronger.

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ATLANTA’S CLEANTECH COMMUNITY CONNECTS AT THE CLUBHOUSE

THE CLUBHOUSE

Clean technology, or CleanTech, is a hot topic as of late, with Atlanta setting its sights on becoming the next hub. And with a growing focus on the EV ecosystem, we invited local innovators and experts to help spread the word and share their insights.

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Our ATL CleanTech Connect event, hosted at The Clubhouse, gathered community members, partners, and other locals interested in sustainability and technology to discuss the current state of CleanTech in our city and how we need to collaborate to become a hub. In addition to helping organize this meetup, complimentary bites and beverages were also provided by the following sponsors: TEQ Charging Metro Atlanta Chamber Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Sustainable-X Create-X While attendees networked and discussed ways to reduce negative environmental impacts, a few representatives took the stage to share how they’re helping this initiative: Mark Wasiele, Chief Executive Officer, TEQ Charging Dorrier Coleman, Founder, President, and Chief Technology Officer, TEQ Charging Cynthia Curry, Senior Director, Smart Cities & CleanTech Ecosystems, Metro Atlanta Chamber Allen Fox, Director of Small Business Outreach, Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). In general, the speakers shared their enthusiasm for the work happening within Georgia. According to the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Georgia is the #11 top city in the country for percentage of green office space (37%), #7 in the country for solar energy production, and has the #1 greenest film studio in the United States. As far as local impact goes, one example is that the TEQ Charging technology was recently implemented in the Centergy Parking Deck. The technology can be used on any charger, as they retrofit existing stations to maximize efficient usage, and on average, users see an 80 percent cost reduction per station! Others joined in on the conversation as well, sharing their work and interest in the topic. While some participants who had yet to work on a CleanTech project found new opportunities to get involved, others shared the successes they have already found in the field. For instance, Alex Edquist, Founder and CEO of Good Agriculture, aims to support farmers in scaling their business in regenerative agriculture. And Thad Oviatt, Founder and CEO of ParkENT Cycles, developed his e-bike charging technology right here in Tech Square!

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Additional responses of attendees surrounding what they’re doing to help make Atlanta a CleanTech hub included building DC fast charging stations and software solutions, installing e-bike charging stations, supporting industry startups, and hosting networking events to engage the community, attract others to join, and help spread the word overall.

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Speaking of local gatherings, take a peak at all the action during our ATL CleanTech Connect event:

And while there is so much happening already to be excited about, everyone also acknowledged how much there is left to do. Cynthia Curry said it best – "collaboration is Atlanta's superpower” – and that’s exactly what needs to happen in order to foster CleanTech growth.

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CENTERGY

PROFESSIONAL PERCEPTIONS REFINED, ONE SHOT AT A TIME

At TSQATL, we’re all about putting our best face forward, in everything we do. And what better way to encourage other community members to emulate than to host an event inviting people to receive a new professional headshot? After all, a picture says a thousand words.

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Our Resume Revamp: New Headshots event, photographed by local professional Corryn Goldschmidt, was more than just a typical photo shoot – it was also representative of a journey of self-presentation, empowerment, and a dash of creativity.

Hosted in the Centergy lobby, the pop-up photo studio invited local community members and guests to spruce up their online presence and revamp their professional image. The event drew a diverse crowd from various domains, too – from Georgia Tech students to the innovators of Home Depot to the pioneers of 404 DAO. Additional attendees included individuals from Wahsega, Create-X, GTRI, Accenture, and StethX Microsystems Inc. as well. Participants reveled in the spotlight, enjoying the process of curating their digital personas. With the opportunity to take five different shots, some opted for a touch of playfulness, adding some personality to their professional outlook.

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Amy Hayes and Courtney Matheson, both representing Home Depot, shared their trials and tribulations of getting the elusive perfect headshot, taking every opportunity they could to get a new photo. Meanwhile, Caroline Dunn, VP of Marketing at Wahsega, added a twist to the narrative, shedding light on the power of technology in this particular situation. In fact, she wrote an entire article regarding her experience of taking matters into her own hands and attempting for AI to generate her professional headshot. Although an intriguing concept that many have seemed to try as of late, her cautionary tales of misfires and surreal outcomes served as a complete reality check.

While the camera clicked, we also asked participants a few questions surrounding when they last had a professional headshot taken and where they will use their new one:

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Interestingly enough, four individuals stepped into a new era by declaring their intention to feature their headshots on personal websites. Even though the majority still planned to use their photo on LinkedIn, this signaled a paradigm shift, replacing traditional resumes with dynamic visual portfolios. Atlanta performer, Evi Yang, exemplifies this fresh approach, as showcased on her website. As the event concluded, the power of a compelling headshot still lingered. This opportunity also served as a testament to TSQATL’s unwavering dedication to fostering member growth. It wasn't about flattery, but rather, about celebrating self-improvement, especially in a world where professional landscapes constantly evolve. Check out some of the final headshots of our community members below!

AMY HAYES: PATRICK YOUNG:

PROJECT MANAGER

COO AT SELLRAZE

AT HOME DEPOT ORANGEWORKS

LARRY MCHUGH: FACILITATOR,

MITSUKO ITO: WELL-BEING

MENTOR,

ACTIVATOR AT

VOLUNTEER

GEORGIA TECH

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PARTNERS Whether it’s aspiring young industry leaders, seasoned entrepreneurs, or dedicated civic boosters, with Tech Square ATL as the conduit, our student and professional partners organize speaker events, workshops, and hackathons that challenge the community’s thinking and develop impactful, real-world solutions. Partnering with these entrepreneurial groups to co-create programs allows us to create new connections between high-value talent, startups, and corporations within the neighborhood.

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EMORY SCHOOL OF NURSING HOSTS TWO-DAY STUDENT ORIENTATION AT 250 E PONCE

PONCE

In order to commemorate both the grand opening of the Emory Nursing Learning Center and to welcome the incoming class with open arms, we joined Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing two-day celebration filled with food, fun, and other festivities.

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Around 800 new students, faculty members, and staff gathered in the Learning Center's atrium to enjoy an exciting, interactive orientation complete with a tour of the new state-of-the-art simulation labs and classrooms, 3D photo ops with new classmates, complimentary pizza and King of Pops, and even a 150-year-old Emory tradition of participating in the infamous Coke Toast! In fact, on June 2, 1982, over 2,000 community members of Emory University came together and broke the Guinness World Record for the largest non-alcoholic toast in Guinness history. Part of the festivities also included a raffle with some amazing prizes: Four $15 gift cards to The Deer and the Dove/ B-Side Coffee Shop Two $20 gift cards to J Christopher’s Two $25 gift cards to Leon's Full Service Two $50 gift cards to the Castellucci Hospitality Group (Iberian Pig, Bar Mercado, Cooks & Soldiers, Double Zero, Sugo, Mujo) The excitement was palpable as attendees mixed and mingled all afternoon. And while our community members got acquainted with their new home-away-fromhome and their fellow peers, we invited participants to share why they decided to go to nursing school in the first place:

Career opportunities 5% Their calling 5.9% Under-served/under-representated communities 4%

Children 8.9%

Helping others 63.3%

Family 7.9%

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No surprise here that the majority responded with “helping others,” though it was heartwarming and inspirational to hear specific responses from our community members: “[I decided to become a nurse] due to my own experiences as a patient and the impact nurses have made on my life.” “My aunt and grandmother are both nurses and have been truly inspirational. Growing up they told me many stories that excited me about my future as a nurse.” “I chose nursing because of my journey through pregnancy when I was a patient. A nurse held my hand gently as I went through labor – she was my inspiration of excellent patient care and why I chose nursing. I want to provide the same care to my future patient.”

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And they made the right choice coming here. The Emory School of Nursing is committed to continuously setting the standards of excellence and creating an environment designed to enhance nursing education and teaching methods by embracing innovation and technology. Only made possible by Emory and building owners, TUFF, the Experience Emory activation was a complete success – and a great way to kickoff the new school year.

ABOUT EMORY UNIVERSITY’S NELL HODGSON WOODRUFF SCHOOL OF NURSING Emory University’s Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is a global leader in nursing education and leadership. Located in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s a school where lines between classroom and career begin to blur, where attendees will grow from a student into a leader, and where they’ll learn to make a difference for patients today, tomorrow, and every other day.

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STARTING THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH SQUARE ON FIFTH

THE CLUBHOUSE

Late August means more than the (to some, early) arrival of all things pumpkin and other fall flavors. It’s also the start of a new school year (and football!). And while our recent activations have proved otherwise, the summer is typically a bit slower with the absence of students bustling around Tech Square and The Clubhouse. So, we were beyond excited to team up with local student housing, SQ5, so they could use our nine thousand square foot facility as the check-in site for new residents.

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As fresh faces filed into The Clubhouse to move in, we joined fellow TSQATL members, Accenture, and setup shop to introduce students to the amazing access and amenities they receive while living at SQ5. True to form and forever-curious, we spoke with the students, gauging their excitement for the upcoming semester, informing them about what TSQATL is and does, and also asking them about their future goals. Since Accenture was there promoting their internship program, we asked participants: “What’s your dream internship?”

While some people shared specific companies (with Google being the top contender!), others shared specific fields, such as engineering, software development, biology, and computer science. No surprise there was a STEM-focused theme throughout, as the GT reported that 48 percent of undergraduate students received an engineering degree in Spring 2021.

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As nearly 400 people settled into their new digs over the course of four days, we were excited that our partnership with SQ5 allowed these students to redeem a TSQATL membership completely free of charge. With access to The Clubhouse, community events, our proprietary networking database, The Weekly newsletter, and so much more, the opportunities for engagement and new connections is endless!

ABOUT SQUARE ON FIFTH Located on Spring Street, with a front door on Fifth and just steps from Georgia Tech’s campus, Square on Fifth is a 25-story student-living community – the only one located in Tech Square. In addition to its unequaled location and top notch amenities, SQ5’s partnership with TSQATL means its tenants are also given exclusive opportunities to connect with Tech Square startups, corporate innovators, and community leaders.

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CODE FOR ATLANTA HOSTS FIRST IN-PERSON CIVIC HACK NIGHT SHOWCASE SINCE 2020

THE CLUBHOUSE

After a several-month hiatus to allow leadership the opportunity to focus on organizational strategy and vision, Code for Atlanta was back with a vengeance – and in-person! And we at TSQATL were honored that The Clubhouse was the designated choice for the group to host their first public gathering since early 2020. Immediately following was the main attraction – AKA the formal presentation! First up was Civic Tech 1010 with Tyrek Shepard. This topic served as an introduction to Code for Atlanta and the work that they do. They covered the definition of civic tech, the operating principles of the organization, recent community projects, and briefly touched on the Code for America Brigade community.

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Next to take the stage was Shaun Mosley, who discussed #reprojectatlanta, Code for Atlanta's internal initiative to strategize before their inperson return. This included the group setting a new vision for the social-good tech work and redesigning how their organization operates and views leadership. Two upcoming projects that will begin on September 12 (at The Clubhouse) were also mentioned!

The showcase concluded with a Q&A, but the event was far from over! While attendees soaked in all the information, we also had them answer the question “What is one thing you learned tonight?” Some of our favorite responses around what they uncovered that evening included the following: “Code for Atlanta is responsible for providing valuable solutions for real problems in the city. Moreover, I learned that I can leverage my expertise to contribute to these solutions, which is great!” “Code for Atlanta and Code for America are using tech in a way to help the community and people for civic good.” “Civic tech looks to benefit the community rather than ‘spit out’ a product for a consumer. What civic tech is and the difference between it and gov tech.” “The new process for vetting projects, which I love.” “About several past projects for Code for Atlanta. The project that helped people with financial education and free accounts was particularly cool for me.” “About the current projects Code for Atlanta is working on. I’m interested in seeing how the one with ‘Open Maps’ goes.” “The potential for tech to help our government better serve.” “That Civic Tech 101 is a real thing and there are organizations doing it around the country.”

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Additional socializing and networking helped wrap up the evening, with many new community members sharing their excitement for the next event and how they look forward to starting on some projects!

ABOUT CODE FOR ATLANTA Code for Atlanta is a brigade of Code for America. They partner with local organizations and governments on civic-minded projects that make metro Atlanta more inclusive, diverse, equitable, and accessible.

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Tech Square Goes Toe to Toe in FIFA Tournament

THE CLUBHOUSE

For six hours on the last Saturday in August, AXR Edge hosted a FIFA '22 1v1me Tournament at TSQATL's 9,000 square foot venue, The Clubhouse, for an afternoon of gaming, competition, prizes, and more.

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Over 40 participants joined the Clubhouse Cup to enter into a head-to-head bracket-style challenge, each vying for the chance to be named victor. With each round of eliminations, the competition grew more fierce and then stakes became higher. Meanwhile, spectators cheered on their peers while enjoying complimentary lunch from Chick-fil-A, adult beverages, and networking with other likeminded individuals.

Additionally, we asked attendees two different questions relating to the event’s theme:

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No surprise here, given this particular community, that both playing video games and PlayStation were the top responses. As the tournament wrapped up, guests stayed around to congratulate the winner while the raffle was announced. And even though not everyone walked away with a prize in hand, all attendees were winners in our eyes. After all, as the great Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take” – and we’re proud of everyone’s participation that day.

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ABOUT AXR EDGE AXR Edge is a social, interactive entertainment and event studio for video games and esports. AXR Edge brings together the next step in experiential innovation by bridging the gap between virtual and live experiences.

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Bits of Good Hosts Private Launch DaY at The ClubhousE

THE CLUBHOUSE

On Tuesday, September 6, one of our proud student partner groups, Bits of Good (BoG), hosted a private launch day at The Clubhouse to welcome current members and recruit new GT students as well.

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In additional to presentations from executive members and pizza for all, invite-only attendees gathered to learn more about the organization that believes in empowering non-profits and democratizing technology for social good. Founded in 2017 by Rhea Chatterjee, Bits of Good is home to engineers and artist who aim to empower the nonprofits and democratize technology for social good by developing real-world applications and promoting learning and mentorship at all levels — both from team members of diverse skill sets and from the close-knit, passionate club community.

Organized into project teams of diverse skill sets, student developers, designers, and project managers within each team work together to build software, websites, and mobile apps as solutions for the nonprofit organizations. And as BoG’s venue partner, TSQATL supports them with space for team meetings and project launch parties. And on November 15, their official Demo Day will launch, showcasing the projects they’ve worked on throughout the semester. Click here to read about past initiatives and check our activations calendar for upcoming events.

ABOUT BITS OF GOOD Bits of Good is home to engineers and artists. They believe in empowering the non-profits and democratizing technology for social good. Their organization develops real-world applications and promotes learning and mentorship at all levels, both from team members of diverse skill sets and from the close-knit, passionate club community.

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Code for Atlanta Discusses Mitigating ML and AI Bias at Showcase

THE CLUBHOUSE

In recognition of the Day of the Programmer, we teamed up with one of our student partners, Code for Atlanta, to host an informative evening filled with a special presentation and conversations related to mitigating bias within machine learning and AI.

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As attendees, including graphic designers, real estate professionals, software engineers, and coding novices trickled into the 9,000 square foot facility, we asked them “What brought you to the event?” The following were just a few of the responses captured: 1. Being involved 2. The Meetup website 3. Eliminating bias in data 4. Code for ATL, Meetup, and free food 5. The universe and wanting to help the Atlanta community any way I can 6. Build my portfolio, meet folks, and give back to Atlanta 7. Curiosity and interest in meeting new people with similar hobbies 8. Community and working on some cool projects 9. Interest in being involved with Code for Atlanta 10. Leveraging tech for good The session had members and guests discussing the benefits of AI/ML technologies and how they have transformed society. They also reviewed case studies that have created disparate outcomes. Other topics included: How the data used in AI/ML tools can create biased results in society How open data is used across the world through organizations like OpenStreetMap Why it is important to have proper gender and racial representation present when creating AI/ML tools to have proper gender and racial representation present when creating AI/ML tools

The evening wrapped with continued connection-making and conversations around how people could come together to solve problems for their community.

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Blockchain at Georgia Tech Hosts Cross-Border Payments Showcase at The Clubhouse

THE CLUBHOUSE

Student group Blockchain at Georgia Tech partnered with us here at TSQATL to invite members and the local community to gather at The Clubhouse and learn about all things crypto, with a focus on the transfer of funds across separate territories. Hosted by Luther Maday, Head of Fintech Strategy and Innovation for MoneyGram, the Showcase: Cross-Border Payments featured an evening filled with industry networking, complimentary dining, and of course, an informative presentation.

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An hour later, Luther took the stage. Moderated by Pruitt Martin, Preside of Blockchain GT, he had Luther first share a bit about cross-border payments, which simply put, means making payments or transfers of funds across borders and territories. Luther also explained how it worked, citing that cross-border payments do not involve the use of the conventional and physical mode of transfer of currencies. Luther then discussed the role MoneyGram is now playing in the world of digital payments and how cryptocurrency is disrupting international payments. MoneyGram lets users swap USD Coin for cash, anywhere in the world, for zero fees. This effectively lets you move money anywhere without spending a dime. He also informed the audience that MoneyGram recently launched a service in partnership with the Stellar blockchain to allow individuals to send the USDC stablecoin anywhere in the world for free, so that international US dollar payments can be made for free through MoneyGram. Programmable money is seen as the next evolution for digital currency, so it made sense that Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) was also a big focus of the evening. Interestingly enough, CBDCs do not have to be built on top of a blockchain, but they can be. However, CBDCs have major privacy concerns for individuals, with the main challenge for government implementation being the interoperability between each nation's CBDC.

As the showcase wrapped up, Luther took the time to meet with audience members individually, answering any questions they had or discussing crypto and cross-border payments even further.

ABOUT BLOCKCHAIN GEORGIA TECH

Blockchain Georgia Tech is a student-run organization that empowers its members with educational resources and opportunities within the evolving world of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and web3.

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TEDxGeorgiaTech Takes the Stage Again for Open Mic Night

THE CLUBHOUSE

On the last Thursday of September, TEDxGeorgiaTech (TEDxGT) hosted their first event of the semester, Open Mic Night, at TSQATL's very own Clubhouse. Complete with a variety of acts and complimentary snacks, 14 performers took the stage to share their talents with the local community.

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Hosted by Ali Cumberledge, Executive Director of TEDxGeorgiaTech, the following individuals took time that evening to inform others of their interests and passions: Rebecca Fisher Donald Gee Josie Kwan Krishna Pusuluri Harshita Yepuri Keyson Dingle Darshleen Kaur Harita Yepuri Race Williams Cris Mateo Sreenivas Yellayi Gabby Lee & William Tang Kya Stutzmann

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Evoking feelings ranging from intimate to casual to inspiring and everything in between, the evening’s entertainment included singing, standup comedy, poetry, meditation, and more. Some takeaways from the talent included that grief is a commonly shared experience. The poem about losing a grandmother struck a nerve with the entire audience. Additionally, it takes a lot of strength and self-motivation to overcome life's obstacles. The motivational speakers shared that it takes hard work to make yourself a better person. Inner strength and growth were also showcased that night when the final performer spoke about her battle with self-image and stage fright. We also uncovered a few things from our audience as well when it comes to collaboration and future goals:

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Based on the responses we received, the number of participants in the Showcase, and the amount of audience members, it’s clear that our community is keenly focused on connecting with others, pursuing passions, and continuously aiming for success, no matter the field or topic.

ABOUT TEDXGEORGIATECH

TEDxGeorgiaTech is an independently organized TEDx event in Atlanta, Georgia. Run entirely by student volunteers, their goal is to showcase ideas from their own community that inspire change on Georgia Tech’s campus and beyond. In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, selforganized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection.

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SUMMER SIMMERS DOWN WITH STREET FESTIVAL CELEBRATION

BRIDGESIDE

PTCA

To celebrate the end of summer, the Pittsburgh Technology Center Association’s (PTCA) hosted the first-ever PTC Street Festival Happy Hour – an afternoon filled with live music, food trucks, local vendors, and more!

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Made possible by Collaborative Real Estate, Burns & Scalo, and the Hotel Indigo, members of the Bridgeside community joined tenants from other buildings on Technology Drive at the Eliza to enjoy the beautiful weather and have a chance to connect with faces new and old over complimentary snacks and adult beverages, like their signature Apple Cider Mimosa – a perfect way to start the autumn season.

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As attendees mixed, mingled, and listened to the celebratory sounds of Jay Scholl & Seth Ferry Acoustic Duo, they also strolled by the booths of local vendors Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, City Grows, Heinz History Center, Eliza Bistro, and Scentual Relaxation Candles & Creations while enjoying delicious dishes from 412 Ice Cream Truck and Main Squeeze Juice food trucks.

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ABOUT PTCA The Pittsburgh Technology Center Association maintains the property at the Pittsburgh Technology Center. Comprised of building owners and managers, the PTCA

PTCA

comes together twice a year to discuss property needs and vote on future changes.

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Stord Founder Shares Startup Story with Student Group

THE CLUBHOUSE

Long-time student partner of ours, SX, invited members and guests to hear from local entrepreneur, Sean Henry, on his startup story and founding Stord, a supply chain software company.

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Hosted at The Clubhouse, Isaac Altman, Development Lead at SX, led the discussion with Sean, Founder and CEO of the cloud-based supply chain management software and logistics network, around how he got into startups in the first place, how he built key relationships that helped his business succeed, the challenges currently facing Stord, and where he sees the company going in the future. Founded alongside Chief Technology Officer, Jacob Boudreau, Stord came out of Georgia Tech's CREATE-X incubator for students and recent graduates in 2015 and has been succeeding ever since! In fact, in 2021, Stord became the fifth Atlanta startup to reach a $1 billion valuation, as supply chain technology investments have reached a record high. The evening concluded with a Q&A session and networking amongst attendees!

ABOUT STARTUP EXCHANGE

The Startup Exchange community is comprised of students of all years, all majors, all different backgrounds. This student-run organization promotes entrepreneurship education at Georgia Tech by organizing speaker events, workshops, and panels for students. Startup Exchange connects students with startups through their network of fellow students, founders, and mentors. Their mission is to foster a group of people who support and help each other reach new heights.

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Exploring the Metaverse with Meta and GTXR

THE CLUBHOUSE

In late October, our newest student partner group, GTXR, teamed up with Meta recruiters and engineers to host an evening filled with a panel discussion, networking, and even exploring the Metaverse with VR headsets at The Clubhouse.

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The Showcase: Explore the Metaverse with Meta invited community members and students to learn more about what Meta is working on, future opportunities, and to experience the Metaverse firsthand! Right away, Meta speakers Syleste Davis, University Recruiter, and Hongbing Hu, Software Engineer, took the stage with GTXR students Akash Mahesh and Aditya Shukla to join in a panel discussion. After sharing some background information about their roles and future job opportunities, they dove into deeper conversations around the current progress of virtual and mixed reality and how Meta is shaping the future of the Metaverse.

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Speaking of, attendees were able to explore the Metaverse via the Meta Quest 2 VR headset. And while our TSQATL community members are no strangers to VR, part of the goal of the event was to allow novices to see how it feels for themselves! Check out our YouTube video to get a further glimpse into the evening’s activities.

The evening concluded with complimentary pizza, drinks, and more networking! ABOUT GTXR GTXR is a student organization aimed at making Georgia Tech a nationwide leader in the XR space. They host interactive events with experienced professionals and speakers, engage with the community to expand its presence, and work on signature projects in virtual, augmented, and mixed realities to learn and increase knowledge in the field.

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First-Ever Web3 ATL Hackathon Hosted in Tech Square

THE CLUBHOUSE

The first weekend in November, Blockchain at Georgia Tech hosted a three-day premier Web3 conference at The Clubhouse for attendees to explore, network, and compete for prizes!

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The weekend marked the very first Web3 ATL Hackathon, an event aimed at onboarding technical talent into the Web3 space. As part of the larger Web3 ATL conference hosted by 404 DAO, a nonprofit in Georgia focused on making Atlanta a Web3 hub, the three-day event boasted over 60 speakers and 400 attendees. A kickoff party at The Clubhouse to welcome and thank all the sponsors jumpstarted the festivities, with other gatherings happening around Tech Square and the Georgia Tech campus all weekend.

As for the main attraction, the hackathon consisted of four problem sets provided by the following company sponsors: 1. Chainlink is a decentralized oracle network that is critical to providing truthful information to smart contracts on blockchains. Participants built projects that utilized data feeds, verifiable randomness, automation, and API calls to modify the state of the blockchain. 2. Forta protects Web3 through their network of detection bots. Participants developed solutions using Forta's SDK to deliver protection or detection value through bots, libraries, or data insights. 3. Ocean Protocol democratizes data through the tokenization, trade, and analysis of data in an open marketplace. Participants built predictive modeling tools to publish data models on the Ocean marketplace. 4. 404 DAO is a non-profit in Georgia focused on making Atlanta a Web3 hub. 404 DAO sponsored a Solidity Sprint, which was a competitive programming competition to help teach and motivate hackers to learn solidity. Participants raced to solve a series of increasingly complex problems involving solidity and smart contracts.

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Each problem set had a prize pool of $2,500, distributed to qualified teams who completed the problems or placed in the solidity sprint. An astounding 20 teams submitted projects across the four problem sets, with the following reigning supreme: First Place : Sea Ray Hung Aditya Singhal Thanh Trinh Second Place Team: Outliers Yuma Tanaka Jongwon Park Third Place Team: Something Cool Thinh Vu Jacques Dilla Additionally, there were three workshops to help teach students about developing in Web3: 1. Web2 vs Web3 Development Stack taught by Matt Wyatt from Nucleo Showcased the differences between the traditional Web2 tech stack that students were familier with and the Web3 tech stack. 2. Solidity Crash Course taught by Josh Weintraub from Revest Finance Taught students the basics of Solidity, the programming language for Ethereum Smart Contracts, in order to prepare them for the Solidity Sprint. 3. OpenZeppelin Defender Workshop taught by Emanuel Solis from Forta Showcased the applications of OpenZeppelin's security incident response automation system and tools.

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Students from all over, including Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, NC State, Emory, Georgia State, and Morehouse participated, with several applying to jobs at the sponsor companies, only further showcasing the rising interest among students to work in Web3. More so, Web3 developers had a chance to connect with faces new and old, further increasing collaboration amongst those in the industry.

The hackathon was a complete success and we’re so proud of our student partners for pulling off such an occasion!

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XR Couch Talk Showcases Local Entrepreneur’s Journey to Success

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GTXR was back at it again in The Clubhouse, fresh off the heels of their evening of exploring the Metaverse, but this time hosting a more intimate gathering. Their XR Couch Talk invited community members to converse with star speaker, Aditya Vishwanath, Founder and CEO Inspirit, Forbes Under 30, Ex-Google, Georgia Tech Grad, Stanford PhD, and Stanford Knight-Hennessy Scholar.

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The discussion included a recap of Aditya’s journey of coming from Georgia Tech and getting into MIT, Harvard, and Stanford for his PhD. He also shared how building connections in the San Francisco area helped him to build his company, which is backed by Meta, Coursera, Oculus, and Duolingo, to name a few. Aditya also suggested pathways each of the attendees could take in order to achieve their dreams in the XR (extended reality, such as virtual, augmented, and mixed) space. The Couch Talk concluded with the host offering personalized feedback and advice on projects to work on for each participant.

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Bits of Good Showcases Fall Semester Nonprofit Projects at Demo Day

THE CLUBHOUSE

Once again, our student partner and Georgia Tech civic organization, BoG, hosted their biggest semester event at The Clubhouse and invited members and the local community to attend. The Showcase: Bits of Good Demo Day featured the latest advancements in web, app, and software development for the local non-profit organizations they partnered with.

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All fall semester, BoG members worked in teams to build custom software solutions for nonprofits in the Atlanta metro area. And while the projects may take students up to two semesters to complete, the goal is to complete them by the end of each term. The event, which boasted over 100 attendees, allowed for the following groups to present to fellow members of the organization, their nonprofit partners, and other local community members: GEORGIA CORE About: Georgia CORE is a statewide 501(c)(3) that leverages partnerships and innovation to attract more clinical trials, increase research, and promote education and early detection to improve cancer care for Georgians in rural, urban, and suburban communities across the state. Project: A user-friendly navigation assistant that will help users find the information they need when going to the Georgia CORE website. HEALING4HEROES About: Healing4Heroes™ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting military service members and veterans to lead healthy, productive lives. Their objective is to connect wounded service members, as well as those with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), with ADA-compliant service dogs. Project: An integrated mobile and web application that tracks service dog training and streamlines volunteer management. HELPING MAMAS About: Helping Mamas is a nonprofit organization designed to connect helping mamas to mamas needing help. As the baby supply bank for Georgia, they collect and distribute essential baby items and feminine products to families with children up to age 12. Project: A comprehensive volunteer management system to help the nonprofit manage events, employees, and volunteers within a single system. MOTHERHOOD BEYOND BARS About: Motherhood Beyond Bars is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that ensures a healthy start for infants born to incarcerated women by providing a network of comprehensive support for mothers and caregivers.They support and strengthen families with the goal of long-term, healthy reunification and a permanent end to cycles of incarceration in families. Project: A caretaker-facing mobile app that will help streamline the nonprofit's onboarding process and improve communication as well as an administrator-facing website to manage caretakers.

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SOUTHFACE INSTITUTE About: Southface Institute is a sustainable building nonprofit that strengthens equity and the environment by transforming residential and commercial structures at every stage of the building life cycle. They promote sustainable homes, workplaces, and communities through education, research, advocacy, and technical assistance for professionals in the construction industry. Project: An online library and project plan builder for technical standards to build a custom project plan that a construction professional may give to their teams. BITS OF GOOD MEMBER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Project: A web application to keep track of every member along with additional information to improve administrators' insights into their members. With over 130 members, BoG needed a system that is more robust than a simple spreadsheet. BITS OF GOOD PRODUCT MAINTENANCE TEAM Project: BoG is committed to creating usable products, meaning they offer free bug fixes and feature upgrades. This semester they built new features for the Brain Exercise Initiative, The Ray, Hope Sustains Life, GT Scheduler, and more. For a full list of present and past projects, check out their website. Clearly, students can make an immense impact on their community when they work together. And since it seems that nonprofits in general need to better integrate technology into their organizations, as many rely on outdated systems, it’s a good thing BoG exists!

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Student Entrepreneurs Connect at Startup Exchange Summit ATL

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Student entrepreneurs face unique challenges launching startups while balancing academics. To address this and much more, the Startup Exchange Summit ATL, hosted in The Clubhouse, boasted an evening dedicated to connecting founders and funders through a celebration of innovation and creativity right in the heart of Atlanta.

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The event offered students an opportunity to learn from notable founders and leaders in venture management, gain access to opportunities at startups, and connect with other student founders. Via a booth expo, attendees connected with notable startups around Atlanta, plus student entrepreneurs from Georgia Tech, Georgia State University, Emory University, University of Georgia, Spelman College, and Morehouse College. Next, Obi Akpuda from Microsoft for Startups took the stage to talk about the journey from “Zero to One: Idea to Product.” The presentation touched on the following discussion questions: How do you go from idea to product? What are the steps for building a Minimal Viable Product (MVP)? What resources can founders leverage when starting out? How can Microsoft for Startups help early stage companies? What are common pitfalls startups face and how can they be avoided? What advice does Microsoft for Startups have for new founders? Immediately following, the newest, most innovative upcoming startups from the Startup Exchange (SX) incubator program pitched to a panel of investor judges for cash prizes – and to showcase the months of hard work developing their products. They also touched on their target customers, product features, technical architecture, funding needs, and their three-to-five-year vision. During the pitch competition, the investor judges asked probing questions for specific topics: Traction and Growth How many users so far? What is the go to market strategy? Competition How does the product differentiate itself? What gives it an edge? Business Model How does the startup plan to monetize? What are future revenue streams? Team Why is the founding team equipped to succeed? What domain expertise do they offer?

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The Atlanta startup ecosystem is thriving, but pitch competitions like these are crucial for exposing founders to investors, getting candid feedback, and receiving vital capital to accelerate growth. The SX Summit ATL demonstrated the value of these opportunities by showcasing innovative early stage companies across industries like healthtech, fintech, edtech, and more.

All of which was made possible by SX’s incubator program, which enables students that are designers, developers, engineers, tinkerers, inventors, builders, and makers interested in creating something that people love – or need. They accomplish this support through their unparalleled access to a premier network of talented students, domain experts, mentors, and investors. And beyond their network, their organization offers access to meetups, hackathons, and pitch competitions that enable students to further refine their ideas.

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There was also a startup founder panel that discussed challenges like hiring, fundraising, productmarket fit, and scaling. The audience had an opportunity to ask the founders questions as well.

Overall, the event was quite a success, offering great networking and inspiration, as well as a chance to truly celebrate the thriving startup ecosystem here in Atlanta. Attendees of all kinds gained valuable insights into launching a startup, connecting with key players, and bringing an idea to life.

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HOLIDAY HAPPY HOUR BRINGS TOGETHER TENANTS

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Since the holidays are all about bringing people together, we teamed up with the Pittsburgh Technology Center Association’s amenities committee in early December to host a spirited happy hour for all tenants in the area.

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Bridgeside community members joined individuals from other buildings on Technology Drive at Eliza: A Hot Metal Bistro to enjoy an evening filled with networking, delicious drinks, and tasty bites. As attendees jingled and mingled with one another, new connections were formed and familiar faces were reunited – a perfect way to wrap up the end of the year and start the holiday season.

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Startup Exchange Hosts Annual Kickoff with Chris KlauS

THE CLUBHOUSE

The second of February not only celebrated Groundhog Day, nationally, but also commemorated the annual kickoff of our student partner, Startup Exchange, locally in Tech Square! The event invited members and guests to enjoy complimentary pizza and beverages while hearing from GT very own legendary startup guru and angel investor Chris Klaus, Founder of Internet Security Systems (sold to IBM for $1.3B) and Co-Founder of CyberLaunch VC, NeuroLaunch, and Kaneva.

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Also co-hosted by Jennifer Whitlow (Director of Computing Enrollment and Alumni Engagement at the Georgia Institute of Technology's College of Computing), Sebastian Salinas (Program Coordinator at TiE Atlanta), and Nakia Melicio (Entrepreneur, ATDC), over 100 attendees gathered in The Clubhouse to learn more Klaus’s journey as a founder when he was just a student at GT and why many startups fail.

The evening concluded with an audience Q&A, where Klaus was very generous with his time in answering all the questions. As Startup Exchange member Carter Cote stated, “Professional advice from a billionaire GT startup is gold in this startup community.” And we couldn’t agree more!

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Another Open Mic Night Success with TEDxGeorgiaTech

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Once again, student-run organization TEDxGeorgiaTech took the stage at The Clubhouse by hosting their recurring semester event, Open Mic Night. And as their venue and technology partner, we at TSQATL helped execute the evening that showcased the myriad of talents amongst students, members, and guests!

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Focused on displaying the wide range of talents held by theTEDxGT and local community, Open Mic Night encouraged participants to share their ideas and stories to a broader audience in a setting that is more informal (albeit, not any less intimidating) than a typical TEDx stage. Upon arrival, attendees were invited to answer questions on the whiteboard (such as “Where in the world are you from?" and "What would your TEDx talk be about?"), play games, and even make origami to create conversation and spark new connections. Complimentary refreshments from Moe’s were also served!

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Around 7:15 p.m. the first act took the stage. Entertainment for the evening included performances and presentations in formats such as standup comedy, short stories, music, and spoken poetry. Following the event, the audience was encouraged to network and discuss the variety of ideas presented on stage.

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Not only did the creative talent from each performer take immense courage, but it also added to the diversity of ideas in a community generally focused on business and technology!

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Student Partner Provides Waffles & Whiteboarding Session for Startups

THE CLUBHOUSE

With such a pioneering and progressive innovation ecosystem as Tech Square, it’s no wonder that Georgia Tech’s student group, Startup Exchange, hosted an afternoon of networking with none other than Contrary, one of Atlanta’s leading venture firms, at The Clubhouse. Organized by three focus areas – venture capitalism, working/interning for a startup, or founding a startup) – participants were invited to engage in open conversation-style networking at the Waffles & Whiteboarding. event. The purpose being to facilitate discussions between people who were looking for the same entry points into the startup world.

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The event kicked off with a brief introduction from Nouf Al Soghyar, an intern for Contrary, followed by a deeper understanding into Startup Exchange's membership program, delivered by their Director of Membership, Varoon Kodithala. After the initial announcements, attendees were let loose for an hour of networking, complete with waffles catered from IHOP. The event was intentionally designed with limited structure to encourage a more conversational approach and less presentation-style. And those in attendance were beyond excited for the opportunity to converse with other like-minded individuals. In fact, several people shared ideas with others regarding a variety of different topics. For instance, one person brought their Oculus to gauge feedback on their VR startup, another talked to guests about his paper-trading platform that tracks non-fungible tokens (NFTs) and cryptocurrency, and yet another attendee stayed at The Clubhouse long after the event concluded to talk about the supervised machine learning platform that he was creating. In general, lots of conversations were had, lots of contacts were exchanged, and lots of new connections were formed.

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Local Founders Share Entrepreneurial Journeys at Fireside Chat

THE CLUBHOUSE

Two of Georgia Tech’s startup-focused organizations, Startup Exchange and CREATE-X, collaborated to host an evening around entrepreneurship with a panel of experts, networking, and complimentary food and beverages.

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Over 100 members and guests showed up at The Clubhouse to hear from other individuals who shared a similar dream of starting their own company and were actually successful! The panelists, who were all CREATE-X alumni, included Tim Felbinger (Founder of StartProto), Zea Khorramabadi (Co-Founder of StrideLink), and Daniele De Mari (Founder of Neurogram). They took the stage to share their entrepreneurial journey with those in attendance, often citing themes of diversity of thought, demographics, and gender. They focused on encouraging entrepreneurship while simultaneously providing unique insights into the challenges and opportunities of starting your own business.

Concluding the discussion, Daniele spoke with attendees in more detail. She shared she was born and raised in Brazil and moved to the United States to study neuroscience at Georgia Tech. It was there, since her first semester, that she started working in research labs. In 2020, Daniele worked as an EEG Technician in Brazil and unexpectedly saved a patient's life by detecting that he was having a seizure in the middle of his EEG scan. And thus, Neurogram was born. She has since closed a partnership with a neurology company and a medical association with more than 50 hospitals around Brazil, yielding a $4 million valuation.

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The biggest takeaway of the event? Hearing from a diverse range of speakers helped inspire audience members from all backgrounds and increased their confidence in pursuing their entrepreneurial aspirations, regardless of their gender, race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

ABOUT CREATE-X CREATE-X is a Georgia Tech initiative to instill entrepreneurial confidence in students and alumni to empower them to launch successful startups.

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Organizations Team Up to Host Showcase Focused on Disrupting an Industry with Content

THE CLUBHOUSE

Forces were joined when student groups SX, Georgia Tech Creatives, and the Sports Business Club at Georgia Tech – each representing entrepreneurship, creative content creation, and sports business, respectively – teamed up to host an evening led by Dan Porter, Founder and CEO of Overtime, a sports media company worth over $500 million.

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The Showcase: Disrupting an Industry with Content aimed to inspire and educate students on the power of content creation and its impact on the industry. Members and guests were invited to The Clubhouse to hear from the keynote speaker regarding his startup journey and success story. For instance, within just six years, Overtime has grown to attract 65 million followers across more than 80 social media channels. In August 2022, Overtime announced it had raised another $100 million on top of the $140 million it had already raised. Also in attendance were the Overtime Elite players, a professional basketball league for national and international players between the ages of 16 and 20. Once the presentation concluded, Porter answered audience questions, which covered a range of topics including finding a startup idea and creating content in a rapidly-changing media industry. Following the event, participants were encouraged to network with others and stop by each of the organizations’ tables, which provided attendees with even more information about their respective programs.

Overall, the event was a huge success, attracting a large number of members, students, and guests. Most importantly, the collaboration between the three clubs demonstrated the power of crossindustry partnerships and the importance of sharing knowledge and expertise in achieving success in any industry.

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Web3 Expansion Continues in Atlanta with the Help of Three Pioneering Organizations

THE CLUBHOUSE

No strangers to the Web3 community, three pioneering organizations joined together one Friday evening to host an informational networking event.

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Members from 404 DAO, Blockchain at Georgia Tech, and Spawn gathered at The Clubhouse to hear presentations regarding their latest work and future initiatives while dining on complimentary pizza. Hosted by Pruitt Martin (Co-Founder, 404 DAO), Manny Jonson (Co-Founder, 404 DAO), Cole Schendl (Co-Founder, 404 DAO), Rob Schleusner (President of Blockchain at Georgia Tech), and Tony Ye (Co-Founder of Spawn), attendees were provided a wealth of information regarding the organizations.

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Spawn, the premier global community for students in Web3, offers two programs: Fellowship and Studio. The former connects students with industry mentors while the latter allows for students to build with established Web3 companies. 404 DAO announced the launch of their April Buildathon, where students can complete a micro-internship with Nucleo or participate in 404 DAO's pitch competition. The Buildathon will also feature three guest speakers.

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Networking amongst participants followed after the presentations and it was clear to all that the Web3 community is expanding rapidly in Atlanta and we’re excited to see its continued growth!

ABOUT SPAWN Spawn is the premier community for students in Web3, solving the disconnect between education and employment by connecting students with companies, industry leaders, and fellow students nationwide.

ABOUT 404 DAO 404 DAO is Atlanta's decentralized autonomous organization (DAO). Comprised of a collective of blockchain enthusiasts onboarding next generation professionals and entrepreneurs, they are a 501(c)3 education nonprofit born with the mission of transforming Atlanta into the next Web3 hub.

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Spring Semester Showcase Boasts Latest Bits of Good Projects

THE CLUBHOUSE

The work being done by one of our student partners, BoG, is truly one of a kind, as it spans the entire product development cycle – from understanding the non-profit needs to creating a fully functioning software solution that is handed off to the client – and is entirely run by students. To celebrate their achievements from the past semester, BoG hosted their bi-annual Demo Day and invited organization members and the greater local community to join.

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Six project teams and their partners set up presentation booths inside the 9,000 square foot Clubhouse the evening of April 11, aiming to educate attendees about not only the work being done, but how BoG students are able to give back to the community while simultaneously honing their technical and professional skill sets – and create lasting connections: Healing4Heroes Angels Among Us Helping Mamas Heart of Passion Southface Institute Bits of Good GT Scheduler Bits of Good Product Maintenance Participants were given a “passport” to be stamped at every presentation booth they visited, encouraging them to form new connections and learn more about the solutions the BoG teams provided their non-profit and corporate partners.

From questions around the applications and software built to front-end design choices to software features and usability to tech stacking, what was made clear to all that evening was the drive and passion of the GT students and their ability to create change, from day one, from the ground up.

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Afterward, attendees mixed and mingled with others and event sponsors, which included Fusen World, CREATE-X, Tech Square Ventures, Georgia Tech High Impact Learning Initiatives, and Celsius.

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Founder’s Friday: Startup Law for Entrepreneurs

THE CLUBHOUSE

On a Friday afternoon in mid-April, one of our student partners, Startup Exchange, hosted a panel discussion for local community members regarding a topic that is top-of-mind for many new entrepreneurs. The Founder’s Friday: Startup Law for Entrepreneurs event invited students and professionals to hear from two local experts regarding their experiences advising entrepreneurs, how to navigate the startup law/intellectual property (IP) ecosystem, and key things that founders should know before seeking legal guidance.

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Prior to the discussion starting, Varoon Kodithala, Director of Partnerships of Startup Exchange introduced the group’s mission and focus and thanked TSQATL for being such a valued partner. Nikhil Uppal (Membership Division, Startup Exchange) took the stage next, serving as the moderator that afternoon. Nikhil then introduced the guest speakers: Joe Berklund, Co-Chair of the Emerging Companies/Venture Capital practice at Morris, Manning, & Martin, LLP, whose practice includes representing venture-backed and backable emerging companies, private equity-backed companies, and leading venture, growth equity, and private equity funds in financing and M&A transactions.

James (Jim) Schutz, Partner and Intellectual Property Practice Group Leader, who specializes in drafting and negotiating technology, IP, and software agreements at Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders, LLP.

The discussion that ensued was centered around the basics of term sheets, IP, and other law-related topics that are essential for entrepreneurs to understand. Immediately following, we opened up the floor to questions, which was incredibly interactive. Gera Baano-Stewart II, a student-entrepreneur from Morehouse University who founded SimpNow and is currently working on a sports betting app called CrowdPlays, asked a question about how much code his developer owns. Jim and Joe responded, saying that contractors own 100 percent of the code that they write unless they sign a CIIAA agreement prior to working (which is essentially a confidentiality agreement). Another student asked about avenues to secure a patent/ask about IP on campus. The two panelists recommended Georgia Tech's Office of Technology Licensing (OTL) as a great avenue for this. In response to another question about how much equity to give to new hires, Jim and Joe advised attendees to use a vesting schedule when awarding shares to employees, which essentially rewards employees that stay with the company for longer with more shares. One of the best highlights of the afternoon was one of our coworking members, Jon McKinley, attending the event since his membership includes access to events at The Clubhouse. This was vital for Jon, as he is the Co-Founder of a new sports marketing startup and it was great information for him to learn as he plans for the future in regards to IP and trademarks. This perfectly embodies the essence of TSQATL – connecting our members with other innovators in the surrounding community!

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Greater Georgia Gathers Together at Entrepreneurial Event in Tech Square

THE CLUBHOUSE

Focused on connecting student founders and industry experts through a celebration of innovation and creativity, we teamed up with our long-time student partner, SX, to host an evening centered around entrepreneurship, education, and enlightening experiences.

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Boasting over 450 attendees, SX Summit ATL Spring 2023 provided participants the opportunity to learn from leaders in venture management, gain access to startups, and connect with student founders. Via a booth expo-style setup, people came from GT, Georgia State University (GSU), Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), University of Georgia (UGA), Emory University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College to meet one another and learn more about their entrepreneurial experiences.

Formally kicking off the event was Kabir Barday, Founder and CEO of OneTrust. He took the stage to talk about his time at Georgia Tech and share his journey around building and expanding his company, which was the number one fastest-growing company on the Inc. 500 in 2020. Dylan Cooper, SVP of PrizePicks, took the stage next, discussing his pivotal role in the early growth of the largest fantasy sports platform in North America.

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Immediately following was the pitch competition, where five Start Exchange teams, via their incubator program, presented their business idea in front of three investor judges for cash prizes. The judges included: Donnie Beaver, Senior Tech Advisor to Mayor Andre Dickens Scott Lopano, Principal at Tech Square Ventures Nouf Al Soghyar, Partner at Contrary Capital The winning teams would receive the following: 1st place = $25,000 investment 2nd place = $15,000 investment 3rd place = $10,000 investment Metzev, which gives EV batteries a second life, in an attempt to make the industry more sustainable, was awarded first place that evening, taking home the grand cash prize of $25,000!

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Afterward, attendees mixed and mingled with others and event sponsors, which included Fusen World, CREATE-X, Tech Square Ventures, Georgia Tech High Impact Learning Initiatives, and Celsius.

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Zero Knowledge Cryptography Demystified at Showcase

THE CLUBHOUSE

We teamed up with local startup 404 DAO and student group Blockchain at Georgia Tech yet again to host an informative event focused on zero knowledge (ZK) cryptography, inviting attendees to discuss this cutting-edge technology and gain insight into its current and future applications.

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Hosted at The Clubhouse, the Showcase: Demystifying Zero Knowledge - Cryptography and its Applications featured a panel of esteemed Georgia Tech (GT) community members addressing what exactly the technology is, how it’s being operated currently, and the usage of it in the future: Dr. Vladimir Kolesnikov, Associate Professor at Georgia Tech’s College of Computing, and renowned cryptography researcher, shared his expertise on secure computation and crypto techniques in practice. He discussed how his research focuses on improving and applying the aforementioned, including a Department of Energy (DOE)-funded project exploring private computation on public blockchains. Matthew Wyatt, GT alumni and Co-Founder and CEO of Nucleo, a fast-paced Web3 startup building privacy infrastructure for organizations using ZK layer-1s, discussed the technology from this unique perspective. Basically, it’s a cryptographic protocol that allows a party to prove a statement or data is true without revealing any information and assures privacy and security while adding capacity to blockchains by reducing the computational load needed to verify transactions and other data stored on-chain. Amir Bolous, a current GT student, independent researcher, and former engineering intern at a16z crypto, a venture capital fund that invests in crypto and Web3 startups, offered a fresh perspective on zero knowledge cryptography and its various applications.

As the event concluded, attendees walked away with increased knowledge and a deeper understanding of this exciting technology – and new connections with people who operate in this pioneering industry. That sounds like a win-win to us!

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Web3 Startup Hosts Kickoff for First Accelerator Cohort

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Local startup, 404 DAO, hosted an accelerator kickoff event at The Clubhouse in early June, where attendees could network with other entrepreneurs, mentors, and potential investors and learn more about the groups participating in the 10-week cohort program.

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The evening began with a food and cocktail hour, which served local Georgia wine from The Cottage Vineyard & Winery, for the nearly 100 attendees. Introductions were made and previous connections were reunited as they enjoyed complimentary appetizers and catered barbeque. More so, the hosts officially launched their tokenized loyalty program with Keyspace Studio, and everyone present was able to claim a digital collectible for attending the event. This is the first collectible of many that will be used to reward community members who support and contribute to 404 DAO.

Attendees then took to their seats, where the 404 DAO team gave a brief welcome and a presentation that covered their mission – “To transform Atlanta into a Web3 hub” – and its three initiatives: 1. The 404 Accelerator 2. Web3 ATL Conference 3. Governance Delegations

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They also shared more about the first cohort (and first in Midtown Atlanta!) of the 404 Accelerator, which is comprised of three Atlanta Web3 startups, four startups with connections to Georgia Tech (current students, alumni, or academic dropout), and a total of seven companies that represented some of the most promising Web3 innovations from around the nation! An introduction from 404 DAO’s partner, Fusen World (an accelerator platform founded by none other than Chris Klaus), took the stage next. Fusen is bringing together startup founders from around the world and even has a funding deal available to all 404 Accelerator startups! Participants were then privy to introduction videos from each startup in Cohort 01, also notating that they will present in person to top Web3 venture capitalists (VCs) on Friday, August 11 at Tech Square ATL for the first-ever 404 Accelerator Pitch Day (more details to come!): Opdefi – Opdefi is building a technology layer on top of digital asset custodians, making it simple for institutional users to access DeFi safely and securely. They enable secure bridging, triggerbased strategies, and improved capital efficiency. Nucleo – Spearheads private multisig wallet infrastructure for ZK layer 1s. They participate in the builder cohort development program to foster a thriving developer community. Adamnite – Fueling blockchain adoption with a user-friendly layer-1, Adamnite aims to onboard the next gen of devs into Web3 with its pythonic programming language (A1). DAuth Network’s Web3 OAuth – Innovates decentralized authentication for Web3 wallets with anonymous, trustless social account authentication. Keyspace Studio – Keyspace Studio's no-code platform enables brands to swiftly embrace Web3, launching tokenized loyalty programs and NFT activations. By “turning customers into collectors,” they provide brands with valuable behavioral data that strengthen customer retention. Syntx – Syntx is supercharging the wallet experience by aligning wallets and protocols to enable direct partnerships. Their API solution allows protocols to target and market offers to Web3 users directly in their wallet. webFi LLC – Empowers artists with a Web3 social platform for ownership and control over their intellectual property (IP).

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The event concluded with an exciting announcement about Web3 ATL 2023! The dates are officially confirmed for November 3-5th and 404 DAO shared how thrilled they were to bring back the premier blockchain event to Tech Square. Tickets will be available soon, so stay up-to-date by following @web3_atl on Twitter and Linkedin.

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Feedback Friday Fosters Growth and Furthers Confidence for Founders

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June prompted the official onset of summer – and a brand new event series, co-hosted by TSQATL and the ATDC. Feedback Friday, hosted every other week in The Clubhouse, aimed to bring together a diverse group of aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned mentors to perfect pitches and forge new connections.

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Inviting community members to tap into ATDC's startup ecosystem of entrepreneurs, coaches, and investors, participants were able to get real-time feedback on their pitch deck or merely engage with others to learn best practices of successful pitching. Hosted by Nakia Melecio, Founder and Deep Tech Coach at ATDC and Carnellia Ajasin, Entrepreneur in Residence at ATDC, and visionary behind Mind Katalyst, the sunny afternoon commenced with Nakia's expertise on mastering the art of pitching. Attendees were treated to invaluable advice on engaging audiences and crafting compelling narratives. From refining pitch decks with striking visuals to selecting pertinent statistics, the technical aspects were meticulously explored. But the heart of the matter was Nakia's emphasis on storytelling and the importance of elucidating the problems that entrepreneurs sought to solve through their ventures. Then came the moment everyone had been eagerly awaiting – the pitches. One by one, brave startup founders took the stage to showcase their creations. And after each pitch, the entrepreneurs received personalized feedback from the coaches, guiding them toward more impactful deliveries. Below are a few standout presenters:

Anike Mlemchukwu – Lapapoe Special Needs Anike spoke about her venture, an online platform connecting families to clinically trained caregivers, educators, and therapists. But was most interesting was the growth participants witnessed – everyone could tell her pitch underwent a huge transformation since attending both Feedback Friday events. These informative and insightful sessions helped Anike hone her storytelling prowess and captivate the audience while streamlining her presentation to deliver more information without crowding each slide.

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Jonathan Hessing – Keyspace Studio Jonathan, encouraged by local startup group 404 DAO, unleashed his pitch for his company, a groundbreaking no-code Web3 marketing platform. His confident delivery and revolutionary concept garnered rave reviews and the consensus was that incorporating more visuals would amplify his already compelling narrative.

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Blake Van Leer – Proto AI Blake practiced his pitch for a scalable SaaS provider of cloud-based advanced intelligence solutions. His focus on improving storytelling and highlighting the problems his innovation aimed to solve struck a chord with the audience and entrepreneurial coaches alike. What was most impressive was the diverse audience this event attracted. Among the attendees were representatives from The University Financing Foundation TUFF, Accenture, and enthusiastic community members, like Eric Blackwell, who sought deeper involvement with Atlanta's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Following the event, founders and coaches mingled and worked on their pitch decks together, thus reaffirming Feedback Friday is a catalyst for growth, learning, and forging lasting connections in the pulsating heart of Tech Square.

ABOUT THE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT CENTER The Advanced Technology Development Center is Georgia’s technology business incubator, assisting entrepreneurs throughout the state. Via a unique blend of coaching, curriculum, community, and connections – not just to Georgia Tech and its resources, but also to capital and customers, ATDC helps Georgia startups at various stages navigate the choppy waters of taking an idea from concept to product prototype to launch and ultimately to scale.

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COMMUNITY CELEBRATES THE START OF SUMMER AT STREET FESTIVAL

BRIDGESIDE

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Once again, the PTC transformed Technology Drive into a Summer Street Festival filled with food trucks, live music, local vendors, and exciting games in order to celebrate the start of a new season – and of course, community building.

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As the event commenced, the Pittsburgh DJ Truck provided the beats while Wood Stoked BBQ and Millie's Ice Cream provided the eats! Attendees also enjoyed a treasure trove of creativity, inspiration, and entrepreneurship via the following local vendors: Design Maker 21 Fit Lyfe by Gray Greenhouse Co-Op Harvie Lady D Treasures OneHope Wine OneValley at the Roundhouse Scentual Relaxation Winter Pickle Press

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A bit of friendly competition occurred throughout the afternoon as participants played Connect Four and Cornhole in between mixing and mingling with both fresh faces and established acquaintances. In addition to enjoying a reprieve from the everyday work grind, the gathering simultaneously served as a catalyst for community building and a testament to the vibrant spirit of Bridgeside and surrounding buildings.

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CREATE-X Hosts Preview Day for Summer Session Startups

THE CLUBHOUSE

CREATE-X, Georgia Tech’s startup launch program, hosted a private event in The Clubhouse at the end of June to preview the progress of the startups enrolled in the summer session. And fortunately for us at TSQATL, they were able to share an exclusive sneak peek!

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The program, which helps students and alumni launch their projects from ideation to fully functioning and viable startups, invited 90 groups (!) to practice their pitches and receive candid feedback from their coaches, mentors, and other invited guests. Companies centered around AI products, sustainability, wearable technology, medical technology, and everything in between gathered together that afternoon, while also enjoying the nourishment necessary for a full day of activity from local food truck, Gyro Chef. Founders of one startup, WheelChariot, were present that day, sharing their passion around rating and reviewing businesses on various accessibility factors (including parking, bathroom facilities, sensory stimulation, and more) with other participants and attendees. The mobile app and website focuses on improving accessibility for people with disabilities by allowing users to rate and review businesses based on their accessibility. Ultimately, this helps people with disabilities – and their caretakers – find accommodating businesses while also holding others accountable. By emphasizing accessibility, they aim to create a more inclusive society where everyone has equal access to goods and services. SellRaze, a next-generation ecommerce platform that allows online businesses to quickly create listings across marketplaces at the click of a button, was just another example of an innovative startup also present.

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In general, it was exciting to see young founders and entrepreneurs gather together to share their ideas and progress while absorbing invaluable insights and expertise as well!

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THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS FOR THEIR UNWAVERING SUPPORT!

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