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
A change of year has always brought with it some sense of “newness” perhaps new hopes, new goals, or new habits Even more so now, as we all seek to understand what the world expects of us and as we each aim to find our new comfort levels with togetherness. 2022 has begun both with some “returns to normal” and with hints of parts of the past that seem forever changed
The juxtaposition of new challenges and newly found strengths has not been lost on our community members as they chose to embrace the uncomfortable and weather the storm, continuously showcasing their resilience It’s these types of individuals the go getters, the up all nighters, the innovators, the dreamers that make what we do so rewarding.
In a world where collaboration faces so many headwinds, as social gatherings are often episodic, integrating attitudes and habits of exchange into the daily lives of people as they get back to work can prove challenging But that’s where our communities differ
In intentionally designing spaces to share, create, collaborate, and innovate, we have ensured the everyday minutia doesn’t become mundane, that access to ideas and people flow freely, and inspiration can be found around every corner.
2022 has allowed for opportunities to flourish and connections to thrive and we’re only halfway through
David Tyndall Founder and Owner, Collaborative Real Estate
For so many of us, the pandemic years felt like the movie Groundhog Day, with the structure of our days repeating over and over again in the same setting, marked by small nuances that distinguished one day from the next
The first half of 2022 has us revisiting those carefully built structures and allowed us to re imagine the lives we were living Just like adding a filter to a picture, which makes you see that image in a completely different light, we are all finding innovative ways to live and thrive together, revealing unique new shades and undertones of our days.
That shift can be felt in technicolor throughout this version of The Book, as the citizens of our communities have come together for exciting new experiences within the engineered serendipity of our ecosystems We at The University Financing Foundation (TUFF) are at our best when we help foster an environment for you to have chance meetings with others. And when those chance meetings can be leveraged to create something exponential, those carefully structured and repetative days suddenly seem so far away
Just imagine what opportunities the coming year will bring.
Kevin Byrne President and Chief Executive Officer, The University Financing Foundation
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
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 Social Club 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
For technologists, researchers, entrepreneurs, startups, students, and corporations who are seeking productive collaborations, Tech Square ATL Social Club (TSQATL) is a members-only community, led by Collaborative Real Estate, that provides a curated environment designed to foster growth and innovation.
TSQATL Social Club 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
Also part of our community is Technology Enterprise Park (TEP), a cluster of emerging and established technology concerns, entrepreneurs, and researchers focused on accelerating biomedical innovation, digital health, advanced manufacturing, and medical devices in a unique setting.
Bordered by Georgia Tech's North Avenue Research Area and Northyard's creative loft office park, this innovation ecosystem represents a unique research and innovative platform in a dynamic urban setting
Located adjacent to Midtown Atlanta, we use existing community spaces to bring together the TEP community of biomedical engineers, laboratory researchers, and manufacturing engineers in order to connect them into the broader Tech Square scene
Located in Midtown Atlanta, Tech Square has the highest density of startups, corporate innovators, academic researchers, and students in the entire 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.
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
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 top ranked 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 medical educational 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.
Day in and day out, we work hard to provide the best environment and experience for our community members. They are what makes this place so special, and what drives our mission to serve as the catalyst for productive collaborations and innovation.
Their feedback is a true testament to the hard work and dedication we pour into this space each and every day. They are why we do what we do, and we wouldn’t be who we are without them. Here’s just some of what they have to say.
“I would describe Tech Square ATL Social Club as a place that provides the space and great opportunities to network within Tech Square. If you work in the Centergy building like me, the complimentary membership is your opportunity to expand your community without needing to go too far from the office or costing you anything extra It's just another resource to continue and engage in different kinds of conversations about and along the lines of technology ”
“TUFF and Collaborative Real Estate have been a breath of fresh air! They are incredibly responsive to our needs and always willing to go the extra mile. I love their attitude and their commitment to build a vibrant, interactive community in the building.”
"Every university should have the superb support that I have personally experienced with Collaborative Real Estate The quality of their work and the timeliness in which they respond are unmatched All buildings should be operated this way "
Rachel Barber
"Every tenant should receive the excellent support that I have personally experienced with the Collaborative Real Estate team The attention to detail from the appearance of the building to the quality of their work is unmatched Their commitment to intentionally creating community and bringing people together from diverse backgrounds is greatly appreciated We are proud to be associated with 250 E Ponce, TUFF, and Collaborative Real Estate."
Dr. Toren Finkel Director, Aging Institute University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
MSSW, Community Outreach Specialist, iResearch Atlanta
Dr. Stephen Ralph Director, Georgia Electronic Design Center
Raquel Plaskett Faculty Support Coordinator, Georgia Tech School of Electrical Engineering
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
By joining a diverse group of like minded individuals who share similar (or perhaps, vastly unique) interests, passions, and ambitions, you get so much more than premier access to today’s elite movers and shakers You get to experience an enhanced sense of support. You get to form tighter bonds. You get to develop deeper connections
And those connections are sparked by serving as a host for fostering conversations with a unique blend of quirky and thought provoking questions and themes Ultimately, these allow members of the social club to connect and share their personal experiences and insights. Our membership serves as a forum for people to come together in a small group, learn from each other, and gain a diverse perspective.
Each activation is themed, based on community data, and the types range from randomly “popping-up” to a scheduled, invite only gathering and everything in between with each offering a different experience and outcome to participants.
No matter the size of the event or the amount of planning and promotional materials, each activation is strategically organized and executed in a way to collect further data and insight into our community members, and to also encourage collaboration and connections that otherwise wouldn’t be feasible
Activations are designed to gather data and test hypotheses about the community. Interactions are intentionally observed and time is committed to developing and sharing insights gleaned from each activation
Not only does the data we collect help uncover expressed and latent needs of our community members, but it also helps depict what type of future engagements we implement And most importantly, from all of this, comes our stories which are the catalyst for collaboration and precisely what we do
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
According to American author, motivational speaker, corporate trainer, and entrepreneur, Jack Canfield, the Law of Attraction is “an universal principle that states you will attract into your life whatever you focus on ”
Basically, anything you spend your time, energy, and attention on will come back to you. As a very goal oriented community, we thought it none better to spread some love and light on Valentine’s Day by hosting a Coffee Talk centered around this very topic
Complete with heart shaped doughnuts, hot coffee, and fresh orange juice, we set up in the lobby of 250 E Ponce to greet tenants as they came in and to put the Law of Attraction to the test Each participant was given a card where they were asked to share their intention for either the day, the week, or the year.
Whether it was manifesting positivity or a breakthrough on a work project, we wanted to collect everyone’s responses and then follow up at a later time to see if the Law of Attraction rang true And the intentions did not disappoint:
Members also mingled around after, discussing manifestations in general, the statistics surrounding it, and how to incorporate them into their daily lives. From these conversations, we learned quite a bit about our community. For instance, the majority of attendees found it easier to pick a goal for the day, rather than the week or year However, several tenants regularly practice manifestations one even had a dream board at home!
Whether the intention set was long term or short, it’s always a great idea to focus on the good and your goals!
COFFEE TALK: CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH WITH WOMEN IN BIO ORGANIZATION
With just a couple of days remaining in March to celebrate Women’s History Month, we thought none better than to invite the Women In Bio (WIB) organization to Bridgeside so our community members could learn more about what they do and their benefits of membership.
On an early Wednesday morning, with complimentary coffee and doughnuts galore, we set up in the lobby with at the
Beth Stronich, Scientist Administrator University of Pittsburgh Office of Research, Health Sciences
who was there to represent the WIB’s Pittsburgh chapter.
Established in 2002 as a way to help women entrepreneurs and executives build successful bioscience related businesses, WIB quickly became a forum for women to come together to celebrate and support each other
And as attendees mixed and mingled with one another, Beth shared further insights, such as:
There are 14 chapters across the U.S., with 3,100+ members
Engagements include executive trainings, mentoring, and C suite engagement seminars
Members come from a diverse background ranging from academia, biotech/pharma,
and nonprofilt or medical devices in STEM
WIB also has a Young Women In Bio organization that exposes young girls to careers
From our conversations, we also uncovered that quite a few tenants were already members and many students were interested in knowing about chapters in other parts of the country because they have plans to move after graduation!
In honor of April being Occupational Therapy (OT) Month, we wanted to celebrate our hardworking students and staff with a mid week, morning pick me up Complete with coffee, hot chocolate, and doughnuts, we invited community members to stop by to connect with others and get challenged on some themed trivia
While attendees consumed coffee and chatted with other community members, we handed them trivia cards for them to answer all centered around OT
Despite the majority of the 40 attendees being students of University of Pittsburgh’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy, it was a bit surprising only one question was answered correctly by everyone!
With the inflation rate being the highest it’s been in 40 years, discussions around the stock market, investing, NFTs (non fungible tokens), interest rates, and more are all abuzz Forever focused on tech and the ways of the future, we were excited to join Chainlink Labs in hosting a Cocktail Talk at The Clubhouse to dive deeper into the cryptocurrency world.
As a great way to catch up with others over complimentary adult beverages, our Cocktail Talk: Blockchain for Beginners invited community members and the general public to get into the spirit and learn about the evolution of the internet, Web3, crypto, Smart Contract, and more
Armed with pizza and a presentation, Alex Turley and Jamie Weintraub of Chainlink educated a wide range of over 75 attendees on the impact that blockchain technology a shared, immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network has had on the internet
Essentially, blockchain technology is the foundation of cryptocurrencies and Web3. And when it comes to the World Wide Web, centralization has helped onboard billions of people and created the stable, robust infrastructure on which it lives Since 2018, we have been functioning on the Web3 stage of the internet However, a shift is happening we are moving toward decentralization, which puts power in the hands of individuals rather than corporations, and can be seen through programs like Bitcoin, Smart Contracts, virtual wallets, and oracles. But not to be completely eradicated, we still continue to use functions of the previous stages of the internet, like search engines, encryptions, video and music streaming, and cloud storage from Web2 and private chats and web browsers from Web1
followed, many topics surrounding this fascinating realm were broached
As the educational programming ended and a
Square
Club, we specifically asked
it take to end
And the responses varied as much as the audience did, which included an array of ages and professions from no base knowledge to fully vetted and everything in between. As attendees continued to mix and mingle throughout the night, we were ecstatic to witness the bright minds of our community members strengthen their knowledge of blockchain and their relationships with others
Chainlink Labs is the leading provider of secure and reliable open source blockchain oracle solutions, enhancing smart contracts by connecting them to a wide range of off chain data sources and computations, such as asset prices, web APIs, IoT devices, payment systems, and more. They are dedicated to the development and integration of Chainlink as the standard decentralized oracle framework used by smart contracts across any blockchain.
What better way for community members to join together over a common interest than to participate in a themed book club? And since summer is the biggest season for reading, we thought mid July would be the perfect time to host a Coffee Talk to get the juices (or coffee) and genre ideas flowing!
Posted up with Starbucks coffee and Chick fil A biscuits and parfaits, we greeted members of our Ponce community as they came into work, all while also gauging their interest in joining our new book club, the Ponce Page Turners
Knowing that some of the top genres that have been trending in 2022 are Romance, Thriller, and Fantasy and Science Fiction, we were curious if this aligned with our particular Ponce community Whether it was specific titles or broader genres, our attendees were quite vocal in their penchant for the types of books they’re fond of:
And not only did participants share their book preferences, but they also recommended places to host the book club: the Dekalb County Public Library, a local coffee shop called B Side, and a beloved bookstore, Charis Books and More
Power Meals are an hour to gather over food and have thoughtful conversation with other community members.
As the 2021 NCAA tournament was in full swing, we invited a small group of E Ponce community members to join in on a group discussion over catered lunch around how the NCAA is implementing technology into the 2022 season
Gathering at Decatur’s Brick Store Pub on a Thursday afternoon in late March, the Power Meal, which is an hour to gather over food and have thoughtful conversation with other community members, was hosted by who also happens to be a passionate sports blogger as well
Utility Inc.’s very own Administrator, Chelsea Bryant
As attendees munched and mingled, they discussed the future of motion capture artificial intelligence (AI) and their bracket predictions, with some actually choosing Kansas as the 2022 winner!
The conversation throughout the afternoon was very empowering as well, especially with all the attendees being women! As Chelsea shared her backstory of her sports blog, and how she wanted to encourage women to understand, appreciate, and interact with sports, others chimed in with similar sentiments.
Despite the consensus agreeing that it can be daunting to understand sports media and how AI motion capture seemed far too advanced for any individual athletic routines, the members left feeling encouraged and excited to pursue their passions and dreams on and off the court
With green initiatives such as the usage of electric vehicles to help our carbon footprint and creating technology to reduce energy costs and consumption being top of mind as of late, we thought none better than to host a Power Meal that followed suit
Joe Sorbet, Director of Engineering for Collaborative Real Estate, hosted the event, personally inviting local professionals and startup groups to join, including:
Ramtin Mothar
Kiarash Ahmadi
Matthew Smith
Founder, Joulea
Lead Engineer, Joulea
CEO, TCPoly
Cameron Irvin Senior Materials Engineer, TCPoly
Dannah Hagerty VP, Entek
Brent Burrows
Michael Haddow
Scott Jackson
Building Automation Specialist, Entek
Analyst, The University Financing Foundation
Chief Engineer, Collaborative Real Estate
Dominick Constanza
Asset Manager, Collaborative Real Estate
Jamie Darcy Director of Property Management Services, Collaborative Real Estate
Jonathan Cornelius Senior Property Manager/Activation Specialist, Collaborative Real Estate
Vicky Fowler
Madison Cook
Special Events, Collaborative Real Estate
Community Activation and Administrative Assistant, Collaborative Real Estate
While dining on a fan favorite feast from Chick fil A, attendees introduced themselves, their companies, and their overall relationships with building efficiency As Joe led the discussion around eco conscious efforts and the hopes of a sustainable future for commercial facilities, he talked about the vast impact even the smallest of changes can make: “It’s good for the planet, society, the tenants, and the building.”
Team members of Joulea, a software platform that reduces energy costs and consumption in commercial buildings, jumped in immediately, sharing that their company can identify building issues in under a day something that would normally take a typical engineer over 100 hours to do Then Joulea can take those findings and present solutions to building owners
Founder Ramtin Mothar further explained how they use a building engineering model to create an "energy digital twin" of a facility. They use previous data from building utilities to check their accuracy and described how their services can be leveraged to increase building efficiency, give recommendations on HVAC upgrades, and serve as a useful tool when buying or selling a property.
On the topic of working with Collaborative Real Estate, and Joe specifically, Ramtin cited “ we have been learning a lot from each other” and will continue to do so
In fact, working together is what we’re all about Matthew Smith, CEO of TCPoly, shared how Joe has already been such an exceptionally helpful source of information and his team looks forward to continuing this collaboration In fact, the Centergy One building in Tech Square will be the initial pilot property for TCPoly’s newest energy recovery project.
Founded in 2017, TCPoly developed the world’s first thermally conductive 3D printing filament. This heat converter could actually help to achieve greater than 80 percent energy recovery! As TCPoly works tirelessly to increase people’s awareness of indoor air quality, their 3D printed heat exchanger uses thermal energy storage on the top of the building to disperse cool or warm air, depending on the time of year This project is being funded through the National Science Foundation (NSF), as well as tax credits that support solar energy and Department of Energy (DOE) programs. Matthew reinforces this sentiment of working together, stating, “it takes a giant team of innovators to make it all happen.”
Dannah Hagerty, VP of Entek, weighed in as well. As part of a HVAC, building automation, and energy services company, Dannah touted how “[Collaborative Real Estate is] the most forward thinking customer” and for other companies, this type of innovation “isn’t even on their radar ”
Conversations centered around connecting even further continued For instance, through a partnership with TCPoly, Joulea could present more solutions and have a better method of tracking progress and accuracy. Meanwhile, TCPoly could possibly help create solutions for those weak points that Joulea identifies. To better showcase how all of these amazing companies are coming together for a common cause, we created this visualization:
All in all, Collaborative Real Estate, Joulea, TCPoly, and Entek all left the Power Meal excited to continue collaborating and inspired to push toward a carbon neutral future for commercial buildings.
Halfway through 2022 already, we decided to use this as a checkpoint and host a Power Meal around the driving forces that have changed the life sciences industry historically and what we can expect to see in the future
Over catered lunch from BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse, eight individuals gathered in the fifth floor conference room of Bridgeside Point to join in on a group discussion about previous trends and upcoming innovations in life sciences: John Villandre, Research Specialist, Aging Institute
Human error is always a great concern, especially in the life sciences industry To combate this, attendee , mentioned how automation has been making it easier and faster to conduct research than ever before. According to The National Center for Biotechnology Information, “protocols in the academic life science laboratory are heavily reliant on the manual manipulation of tools, reagents, and instruments by a host of research staff and students ” However, automation can be extremely beneficial in several different areas, including reproducibility, researcher efficiency, clinical translation, lab efficiency, faster translation, and safety.
Of course, at the forefront of any research is funding and grant money to support such initiatives. , shared how difficult obtaining funds can be. Despite heavy interest from investors in 2020, the biotech sector underperformed in 2021, meaning that funding opportunities may decrease in future years Additionally, the market is incredibly competitive, meaning applicants will have to work even harder to secure funds But there’s a catch 22: Time spent producing proposals for grants essentially takes time away from researching, but researchers can’t continue their work without funding. Often times research focuses will also shift direction in order to get money. Fortunately, there seem to be several sources at this time to work with and once someone has received a grant, the next rounds of funding becomes easier and easier
Zhihao Sun, Postdoctoral Associate, Aging Institute
COVID 19 obviously caused disruption everywhere, but in the pharma and medical technologies industries it accelerated a digital transformation. Both sectors were forced to adapt from traditional, onsite clinical trials to a remote, decentralized approach. For instance, remote monitoring solutions, such as telehealth, wearables, and sensors, were adopted in order to keep up with the changing times and constraints the pandemic put in place
We also asked participants to share what new piece of technology would help most in their field Responses included:
Advances
Biomaterial
Gene
Multiomics
New
Senolytics
live cell
Conversations continued as the Power Meal was winding down, with attendees vocalizing how they’d love to hear from industry leaders at future activations.
By now, we’re all well aware of the Great Resignation and how this ongoing economic trend resulted in over 47 million people voluntarily resigning from their jobs. According to Wikipedia, possible reasons for this mass exodus include wage stagnation, job dissatisfaction, safety concerns, and remote work opportunities
But what about those who specifically transitioned from academia to industry? To share insight into this particular career shift, we hosted a Power Meal around this exact topic at the end of July
our Power Meal: Transitioning from Academia to Industry invited
a small group of community members to gather over catered lunch from Panera Bread to discuss such a transformation and the benefits surrounding it. Guests weren’t just local either, as we provided digital access via Zoom for individuals from the Aging Institute, Microbiology and Molecular Genetics in Bridgeside II, and even a sister property in Atlanta, Georgia to join remotely
Right away, Lydia jumped into her professional journey Five years ago, she felt like her only career opportunity was to be an advisor in academia
So when she left her role as an Academic Researcher at the University of Pittsburgh to become an industry professional with a company that focuses on advancing an entirely new class of medicines to address many currently undruggable diseases, she was both nervous and excited. “Life is so short; you need to pursue something you really love,” Lydia exclaimed
And her passion led her to a multitude of opportunities even ones she never dreamed possible. She shared that “as you get older, it is harder to get support on projects and research ” But in her current role, she has access to ample resources, tools, and the chance to learn something new: “I learn how a drug will work in people, rather than the theories of how it could work We get to focus on people in hospitals, in charities, and in organizations where people need support. There is a connection between the patient and what you can really do for them.”
However, it’s important to note that in order to get these incredible opportunities, you have to work hard, continuously improving both your social and leadership skills According to Lydia, “networking and really ‘selling yourself’ is vital. It is all on you to improve, to speak up for yourself, and to reach out to find more opportunities.”
After sharing her story, the group reviewed two topics that they were asked prior to the activation As seen below, several members seemed to be on the same page when it came to both the advantages and disadvantages of such a career transition:
1. What benefits can you imagine there are by moving from academia to industry?
2. What are some of the downfalls you can imagine there are by leaving academia for industry?
Lydia then opened up the discussion for any additional questions attendees had:
Q: Can you transition back to academia?
A: “I don’t want to go back. You have to learn your passion. If you are open to the puzzle and challenge of the industry, you will love it. I don’t think I personally have the opportunity to return, but my publications are quite strong and I have witnessed others returning to academia after a few successful publications ”
Q: What are the differences between big pharma, startup, or medium sized biotech companies?
A: “If you go to a big company, it is much more stable You need to expand yourself and enhance your skills You need to know how to deal with people before you can deal with your project You need to understand everything from discovering your drug, to testing it, to pushing it, to laboratory testing. You need to understand all of this before you go to a big company. But at a startup, you can do a lot and you will get to know the CEO and understand all aspects of the company ”
Q: Why did you choose NeuBase Therapeutic?
A: “I didn’t want to travel a lot. When I first started to apply, most jobs required that you travel almost every day ”
Q: Do you feel like the pressure to produce findings is overwhelming?
A: “I do think there is a lot of pressure you can’t just focus on the one task that you have because of the pressure to support your team ”
Q: What have you been able to accomplish that you wouldn’t have otherwise?
A: “In academia, I wouldn’t have had the same drive In industry, you have to find and push a track ”
Q: What are your work hours like?
A: “On Fridays, my company does not work past 1 p m Regular business hours are 9 a m to 5 p m , but it is not very strict As you go, you can assign projects to others and that sometimes leads to actually putting in more time I also get 25 days of paid time off (PTO) which is great, as I am encouraged to take time away from work and to have a strong work life balance.”
As the Power Meal concluded, some ladies stayed behind to learn more about other local, upcoming events, like the BioBreakfast that happens every Tuesday and a Women In Bio event happening in September. In fact, Lydia is a member of the WIB organization, which focuses on helping women entrepreneurs and executives building successful bioscience related businesses, and she has been vocal about how it assisted her with networking and connecting with people in the industry within Pittsburgh
Near the end of July, 10 individuals from the Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation (GAP), MapHabit, Collaborative Real Estate, and 250 E Ponce’s very own iResearch Atlanta were exclusively invited to gather over complimentary lunch and drinks for an hour to discuss improving standards of living and understanding memory loss
Hosted at Decatur favorite, Leon’s Full Service, the Power Meal: Mapping Memory Loss aimed to educate community members on Alzheimer’s and unite them for an upcoming activation centered around screening for the disease.
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 More so, iResearch Atlanta, a multi specialty clinical research center that focuses on Alzheimer's disease (in addition to many others), is also part of this prestigious network. And since the MapHabit System provides users the tools and knowledge needed to promote independence, organization, and habits, it only made sense to connect the following individuals for a dedicated cause:
Matt Golden – Co-Founder and CEO, MapHabit
Mia Chester Manager of Diversity and Community Outreach, Global Alzheimer's Platform Foundation
Rachel Barber – Community Outreach Specialist, iResearch Atlanta
Katherine Prowse – Recruitment and Screening Manager, iResearch Atlanta
Zach Mitchell – Director of Business Operations, iResearch Atlanta
Dr. Kimball Johnson – Clinical Research Investigator and Medical Director, iResearch Atlanta
Shaukat Ibrahim Intern, The University Financing Foundation
Christen Crossett Property Manager and Activation Specialist, Collaborative Real Estate
Madison Cook – Community Activation and Administrative Assistant, Collaborative Real Estate
Discussions mostly centered around the upcoming events everyone was joining forces for, but the conversation easily expanded into Autism, another neurological and developmental disorder. Not only did several attendees have a direct, personal relationship to Autism, but MapHabit is also a useful tool for those on the spectrum The cognitive benefits of visual references are extremely helpful for these individuals as well as those suffering from memory loss
Curious how participants are proactive in preventing memory loss, we also asked them what they do to help take care of their memory:
This immediately prompted a deeper discussion around memory puzzles, games, diets, and more
By the end of the lunch, preparation for the screening activation was in full force, but other conversations around future collaborations were also mentioned something we love to see come to fruition in real time!
Fireside Chats are panel like discussions around a specific topic with three to five experts and a moderator in a public forum.
In honor of Friday, April 22 being Earth Day, we thought none better than to take a deep dive into the current and future impacts on climate. So, we invited four energy and electric vehicle (EV) experts to serve as panelists for our Fireside Chat: EV Effects on the Environment
During lunch on Friday afternoon, community members and guests came to The Clubhouse for a live panel discussion from the following four enthusiasts around the sourcing, consumption, and effects of electricity in our world today, as well as how EVs are hurting or helping the planet:
From a vehicle’s carbon footprint to government policies that directly impact our environment, attendees became more informed on our energy usage and what that means for the present and the future. And in addition to being asked about energy consumption, sustainability, infrastructure choke points, and charging networks, we also learned:
There are more than 30,000 EVs on the road in Georgia, but only about 930 public charging stations. This is creating a big accessibility issue for current owners and people thinking of purchasing an EV
The U S Energy Information Administration states that in Georgia, only 12 percent of our energy comes from renewable sources
According to Lincoln Wood, manufacturing an electric vehicle causes more negative environmental impact than a traditional vehicle, but causes less harmful pollution in the long run.
Following the Fireside Chat, panelists and attendees continued discussions over complimentary beverages and light snacks, making new connections and sharing their perspectives and ideas. It was truly an eye opening and enlightening experience for all!
On a late Friday afternoon in mid July, Tech Square ATL Social Club members and other local communities gathered at The Clubhouse for an esports themed Fireside Chat, hosted by AXR Edge (formerly Axis Replay)
Fueled by donated Red Bull energy drinks and filled with a feast from Chick fil A, attendees of all ages, backgrounds, and interests mixed, mingled, and played a variety of different available video games around the 9,000 square foot facility Faces new and old networked with industry thought leaders, professional esports teams, content creators, and brands leveraging influencer marketing
Once the happy hour concluded, the following panelists joined the stage:
Moderated by Allie Young (AXR Edge), questions included:
How did you get into gaming?
What was your driving force to get into this industry?
What unexpected pitfalls did you encounter in your journey?
What’s the dream and what does winning look like for your organization?
What do you think it takes to go pro?
For those starting out, what would advice would you give?
Each panelist had a different perspective and shared unique ways to break into the industry
They offered sage advice around using networking events to meet new people, learning a new skill by taking a class, or starting a self taught journey utilizing tools like YouTube.
They also discussed why Atlanta is so special to the esports industry. With major industries such as film, government, education, and sports so prominent, they have seen firsthand the influence of the esports community in Atlanta
And not surprisingly, when asking the audience if they’d rather play sports, play games, or watch others game, over 76 percent preferred to play games.
The evening concluded with more networking, gaming, eating, and most importantly, exchanges of contact information and new connections being made To get a glimpse of everything that happened, watch this YouTube video:
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.
Chainlink Labs joined us once again in Tech Square, this time hosting a panel discussion around the tremendous influence that Web3 is having in Atlanta, both culturally and professionally
Hosted in The Clubhouse, the Fireside Chat: Scaling the Web3 Community in ATL invited local community members to hear from the following four experts:
Alex Turley Chainlink Labs (Moderator)
Tariq Waseem Atlanta Blockchain Center
Cole Schendl Blockchain GT
Shahar Abrams – Babylon
Prior to settling in their seats, community members flooded the 9,000 square foot space, answering our question “What makes a strong community?,” while also enjoying complimentary beer, wine, pizza, and veggie trays
Soon it was time for the discussions to start The following were just a few questions asked to kickstart the evening:
Crypto is an ever changing, but often rewarding, industry. So, what gets you up in the morning?
Does anyone specifically inspire you and why?
What makes a community special?
What are some of the core pillars of a community?
Scaling communities is important to achieve long term goals or visions What strategies do you think are important to implement when trying to scale a community?
Are you implementing any of these said strategies?
What strategies do you think Atlanta could implement to build a bigger, stronger community around Web3, Blockchain, Crypto, DeFi, Smart Contracts, etc.?
Additionally, attendees were able to voice questions and share insights of their own One participant mentioned that a good way to get into the Web3 industry is through a Discord group And on a similar topic to their Cocktail Talk: Blockchain for Beginners earlier in the summer, “decentralization” was once again a big focus We even uncovered that a decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) is a group controlled by the organization’s members via a computer program, versus a central government.
And with networking immediately following, we heard some fantastic feedback from our members. Zack French shared that he “went to an NFT NYC conference and paid around $700 per day and this panel discussion was much better!” In terms of continuous education around the topics at hand, Alex mentioned that “financial literacy is so important and so undertaught ” And when speaking about Atlanta’s involvement specifically, Tariq chimed in that “there is no reason Atlanta shouldn't be leading the country in blockchain development.”
Just like we here at Tech Square ATL Social Club value community and connections, we’re so glad to see other organizations follow suit!
Pop Ups are more casual, unannounced experiences around a specific topic that raises interesting questions or promotes a unique activity.
On the heels of Data Privacy Day, which is centered around spreading awareness on the importance of safeguarding data, we thought a friendly reminder and fresh coffee would be the perfect way to promote this important cause
First thing Monday morning, we popped up at Ponce with complimentary beverages and pastries to greet our tenants and ask them how they protect their privacy online While some sipped fresh squeezed orange juice and others got a caffeine kick from Dancing Goats, a local coffee shop favorite, community members from different companies came together to discuss their digital details
We uncovered that many companies use a virtual private network (VPN) to protect both their in office and remote data One company in particular, Utility, who creates groundbreaking digital systems for frontline professions, offers courses and training videos in data privacy and online safety to their employees. Below were all of the responses captured:
Interestingly enough, several community members shared they didn’t focus much on this topic outside of the office. However, after conversing with others, many mentioned they wanted to take data safety more seriously and start implementing it into their personal online lives An easy way to start? Backing up your data to a secured hard drive is a great way to protect data and to prevent losing it to a software malfunction
With Pittsburgh winter temperatures averaging in the mid 20s to mid 30s, it might be fair to say that many would welcome spring coming sooner than later
So, in preparation for either six more weeks of winter or not, we wanted to capture our community’s predictions on Punxsutawney Phil’s prognostication by popping up in the lobby of Bridesidge to ask participants.
With plenty of doughnuts, cookies, and coffee to lure any critter out of a hole, we asked members to fill out a quick questionnaire card that included trivia questions and their guesses on whether or not Phil would see his shadow And to up the ante, the person with the most correct answers would be the proud recipient of a gift card of their choosing!
First up were predictions, where the majority guessed there would be six more weeks of below average temperatures and they were right!
That wasn’t the only question that most of the attendees answered correctly In terms of the actual accuracy of Punxsutawney Phil’s forecast, exactly half of the members guessed 40 percent, which was also right!
Lastly, and clearly on a roll, our participants answered three out of the four trivia questions correctly:
The competition was fierce, with so many right answers among the attendees, but only one reigned supreme a physical therapy (PT) student, , who chose a Starbucks gift card as her reward. And even though this celebrated occasion occurs over 300 miles away in Philadelphia, it’s clear Pittsburgh people know their Punxsutawney Phil
Aditi Sharma phacts
Love was in the air the Friday before Valentine’s Day, causing hearts to race with excitement and anticipation (and perhaps, some anxiety)
With this top of mind, we were curious what else could cause people’s hearts to skip a beat So we popped up at the lobby of Bridgeside to put our members to the test
Always up for a challenge, we asked participants to partake in a quick study we were conducting around the effects that Red Bull would have on their heart rates First, we recorded their resting heart rates Then we had them consume some Red Bull and Valentine’s Day candy (an extra sweet treat for our sweet tenants!) After a few minutes of conversing and connecting with one another, we tested their beats per minute (BPM) again, and discovered the energy drink really does give you wings!
With every single person experiencing an elevated heart rate, it’s clear that while love can make your heart flutter, so can sugar!
Ah, Valentine’s Day a holiday to celebrate all things that make your heart flutter but we’re not just talking about love here Many other things can affect your heart rate
Exercise, for instance, is a big one. Fear can also increase your beats per minute. And so can certain foods and beverages. To prove that romance isn’t the only thing to make your heart skip a beat, we decided to share some sweet treats and test our tenants.
Just like Cupid with his bow and arrow, we spotted our targets by popping up at Centergy and Tech Square Research Building (TSRB) as people were heading out to and in from lunch Upon being lovestruck by us, or as some may simply say, “approached,” we started our science experiment. First we took our community members’ resting heart rates. Then they chose between eating heart shaped Dove chocolates or drinking an ice cold Red Bull both of which have plenty of caffeine and sugar After consuming these tasty treats, we then measured their new BPM, to see if it increased any:
Despite some saying “love is blind" (season two is streaming now!), the data clearly showed us that our attendees favored chocolate over the energy drink and 45 percent of people experienced an elevated BPM after consuming the sweet treat! Even more interesting was that 27 percent didn’t experience any change, despite the caffeine and sugar Speaking of, it would take four Dove chocolates to match the amount of sugar in one can of 8.4 ounce Red Bull. In general, 63 percent of our participants reported a higher BPM after consuming one of the two options!
On what we hope to be one of many beautiful spring days, we popped up on Wednesday afternoon in the Tech Square courtyard to get some fresh air, sunshine, and answers – all around accessibility.
Joined by Nordine Sebkhi, PhD Researcher at the Inan Research Lab in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Tech Square ATL Social Club members, we learned about a new way to control power wheelchairs, smart devices, and more.
Enter MagTrack , a wearable, wireless, and adaptable assistive device that enables power wheelchair users to control their connected devices and drive their power wheelchairs using an alternative, multimodal controller.
As co creater and technical lead in the development of this assistive technology, the cutting edge device is creating opportunities for independence for people living with tetraplegia, a form of “paralysis caused by illness or injury that results in the partial or total loss of use of all four limbs and torso ”
Using Head Tongue Controller (HTC) sensor technology, MagTrack allows complex commands to be made with just head and tongue movements. It also “eliminates the need for having multiple assistive technologies, replacing them with a single multimodal and integrated system,” according to Sebkhi
With a wearable alternative controller allowing for access to more complex human machine interactions, it prompted conversations and questions around what accessibility looks like to our community members.
From public transportation to automatic doors and everything in between, attendees expressed a variety of different ideas when it came to accessibility And they were beyond thrilled to see this type of research and technology becoming more prominent.
One participant at this spontaneous activation was Matt Golden, Co-Founder and CEO of MapHabit, which focuses on building routines through an interactive care management platform He said that many of their users struggle with verbal communication and/or mobility and was very impressed with MagTrack. To him, "making products and services equitable to all types of users" is what accessibility is all about
community member and Founder of Joulea, a software platform that reduces energy costs and consumption in commercial buildings, helped us celebrate Earth Day by popping up in the Tech Square Courtyard to educate people about energy efficiency!
Complete with drone technology, Ramtin shared statistics from the Department of Energy, like how 57 percent of the average commercial building’s energy can leak from the building envelope
Interestingly enough, when posing this same question to attendees, the majority answered higher:
Ramtin also touted how his company is aiding in reducing building operating costs while simultaneously exceeding industry standards for energy efficiency For instance, Joulea’s software was developed using actual rocket science and the drones much like the one he was showcasing that day collect utility and systems data by following an entirely autonomous path planning algorithm.
With an increasingly bigger public focus on green initiatives, reducing carbon emissions, and bettering building efficiencies, it’s exciting to see what’s to come from companies like Joulea and other startups that take residency in Tech Square
With the increasingly high blood shortage on the mind of many healthcare professionals, we popped up at Centergy One with Zach Aten, Founder of Grassroots Labs, to question our community about their experience seeking healthcare
The Advanced Technology Development Center startup, comprised of a dedicated team of entrepreneurs, web developers, support specialists, and health care professionals who all believe that the problem of expensive health care can be solved, aims to provide a marketplace to help the 157 million people in the United States who are cash paying for healthcare and help them get transparent, affordable, and convenient lab testing
So, with coffee in tow, Zach greeted our community members as they entered our building, sparking conversations centered around blood work and medical treatment in general. Many women shared their need to check their hormone or cholesterol levels, but were not wanting to pay the high costs not to mention, not being able to get a doctor’s order in the first place. This echoed a larger question at hand: Have you ever avoided medical care due to cost?
Shockingly, over 50 percent of our attendees have neglected to receive medical attention, due only to cost This is where Zach weighed in, explaining how Grassroots Labs worked and their commitment to accessible and affordable healthcare As their website states, “Lab tests are expensive We fix that ”
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.
With gas prices steadily increasing as of late, the desire for electric vehicles has increased substantially as well
According to the NY Times, “Sales of cars powered solely by batteries surged in the United States, Europe, and China last year, while deliveries of fossil fuel vehicles were stagnant. Demand for electric cars is so strong that manufacturers are requiring buyers to put down deposits months in advance. And some models are effectively sold out for the next two years
The Centergy One parking deck at Tech Square is already with the times, hosting six EV charging stations But based on this amplified popularity, we wanted to talk with our community about EV charging stations in general, our current setup, and how it could be improved. Being the brainiacs we are, we decided a Brains in a Bar activation was the perfect setting to discuss such a topic. But in order to be invited to the secret speakeasy location, you first had to correctly solve a question, this one obviously being about batteries
Five TSQATL Social Club members submitted the right answer, ultimately earning them an exclusive invite to The Rowdy Tiger, a prestigious rooftop bar in Midtown Gathering at a small table over premier cocktails and spirits, the conversation became centered around three main topics:
The three levels of EV charging
2 3.
The environmental impact of electric vehicles and EV charging
The use of Power Line Connection (PLC) programming in EV chargers
First, the attendees who were a mix of students, electrical engineers, and startup entrepreneurs tackled the topic of the different levels of EV charging, dropping the following knowledge:
Level 1: Takes 11 20 hours to charge the average electrical vehicle
Level 2: Takes 3 8 hours to charge the average electrical vehicle
Level 3 (Superchargers): Takes only 30 minutes to charge the average electrical vehicle
In terms of the environmental component of EVs and EV charging stations, the discussion turned to ethically sourced electricity and whether or not the majority of EV chargers used renewable sources Everyone agreed that regardless, even the dirtiest of electrical grids were still better than non renewable fossil fuels, even though they aren’t going away anytime soon.
Lastly, the group dove into the usage of Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) in EV chargers, stating that it’s a must have in today’s electric vehicle market A PLC, which is a computer based system for controlling mechanical and electrical/electronic processes, allows for automation, shorter installation time, and faster commissioning through programming rather than wiring
In addition to everything we uncovered about EV charging stations, we also used the opportunity to learn more about our community as well For instance, a majority of college aged participants showed interest in EVs being their first vehicle purchase. More so, member and attendee Kwame Ofori is the founder of an EV charging station startup called Juicy Power (JP), which he proclaims “Is an electric vehicle charging startup in Atlanta, GA JP installs and operates private and public EV fast charging options in and near disadvantaged and under serviced communities, making EV ownership more affordable, accessible, and equitable to all!"
And while it will take significant time to shift to a completely EV world, big automakers are planning to introduce several new models later this year – which is exciting news for all.
Kicking off Pi Day the right way (rhyming was unintentional), we called upon all space cadets to accept the mission of solving a space related word problem that involved the usage of the near 31 trillion digits that constitute the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter.
The reward? A round trip ticket to a secret speakeasy in Tech Square, complete with complimentary cocktails (not freeze dried, fortunately)
During the activation, conversations ranged as vast as the solar system itself, from theoretical trips to other planets to how Pi is used often at NASA to the future of artificial intelligence, and so much more. Another
hot topic was the upcoming exploration of Jupiter's most Earth like moon, Europa Although a majority of its salt water is frozen, there are high hopes for the possibility of life on this moon
Not one to orbit away from thought provoking questions, we also asked members if they would accept a one way ticket to Mars, if they were for or against the potential of asteroid mining, and if they could list the order of the planets in our solar system from the sun For the last item, the results were out of this world:
Clearly, the majority did not recall the mnemonic learned in elementary school There were other learnings as well, though For instance, we uncovered that community member Naveen Balaji, a PhD student with a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, has worked on space exploration craft design in the past! However, he is now working toward a degree in healthcare robotics to help make more of an immediate, positive impact on our world.
Nevertheless, whether our members are space aficionados or just starting to gain momentum, the topic piqued the interest of many, with more conversations and connections to come!
To close out the end of May, which is also National Inventors Month, we celebrated in style by hosting a Brains in a Bar activation centered around the advancements made in the 1920s and the technology that we hope to see in the 2020s
Traveling back in time 100+ years, our Roaring 2020s edition invited local brainiacs to deliberate the topic of influential inventions from the past and new creations for the future but not before correctly answering a few questions in order to secure an invite to the secret location:
Hosted at MidCity ATL, attendees enjoyed tasty drinks, trendy décor, and inspiring conversations. With themes varying from sustainable innovation to medical science to accessible technology, topics included:
The COVID 19 vaccine Medical technology
Advancements in nuclear energy Sustainable energy and production
New methods of space travel and space exploration
Interactive media, movies, shows
In terms of the biggest medical invention of the decade, participants agreed the COVID 19 vaccine ranks number one Along the same industry, Georgia Tech grad students Naveen Balaji and Abhirupa Saha discussed robotic caregivers becoming a more widely available treatment option as time goes on. From assisting with everyday tasks, transportation, and cognitive issues, robots large and small may soon become more commonplace in hospitals, adult care facilities, and even in your own home.
From an entertainment perspective, the excitement was palpable when ideating on the use of VR in film and television. Similar to the popular interactive film Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, attendees fantasized how users could be fully immersed in an experience through VR, versus a “choose your own adventure” style that allows you to interact via a controller. For instance, creating an environment that you could walk around in and incorporate things like smell, texture, temperature, and more!
Whether it’s an invention that was created 100 years ago or something that has yet to be materialized, we love the idea of our community members coming together and continuously thinking up new ideas or improvements on existing ones.
RECESSES
Recesses are interactive community gatherings centered around wellness, health, and fitness
As politicians battled the polls during the Georgia primaries, we at TSQATL Social Club were at The Clubhouse with American Red Cross, battling the blood shortage.
In Atlanta, Tuesday, May 24 was all about communities coming together something we know all too well. Whether it was to elect government officials or to give back to those in need, it was a momentous day for all. For those in Tech Square, they joined our Recess to help save lives and reduce the blood emergency.
As our heros donated, we uncovered some interesting things. For instance, the United States is currently in the most severe blood shortage we’ve faced in over a decade. More so, the American Red Cross provides about 40 percent of our nation’s blood and blood components, meaning they need all the donors they can get Fortunately, mutliple members of our community are pre registered with the American Red Cross to give blood at least once a year, if not more!
At the end of the day, six pints of blood were collected, which can help up to 18 people And no matter your political stance, helping out one another is something we can all rally behind
As a community filled with individuals pursing a degree that aims to help save lives, we wanted to also show our support in aiding others. With the United States facing the worst blood shortage in over a decade, we decided to team up with the American Red Cross and host a donation drive
The Recess, a type of activation centered around wellness, health, and fitness, invited the people of Ponce to come together and donate blood Over the course of six hours, 19 generous community members showed up to help save lives and reduce the blood emergency. And the need is dire, especially considering approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the United States.
As participants from all ages and backgrounds came to donate, we learned that two attendees, and , have each donated blood more than 100 times!
John JQuinn ohn JuricekWe also uncovered everyone’s blood type:
And what a great thing that the majority of participants had O positive blood, as it’s the type that is given to patients more than any other kind, making it the most needed as well
By the end of the event, the American Red Cross collected 19 pints of blood, which could help up to 57 people! We are beyond thankful to all those that donated and look forward to hosting another drive soon
Showcases are interactive community gatherings highlighting a member's interesting work.
The mission of the Aging Institute is to understand how and why we age and to leverage this information for new therapies to treat age related diseases. With new findings and discoveries each day, we wanted to highlight all of the hard work and research being done inside Bridgeside Point I
Hosted by Toren Finkel, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, G. Nicholas Beckwith III and Dorothy B. Beckwith Endowed Chair of Translational Medicine Director, Aging Institute
, the exciting and interactive Showcase: Unraveling the Basic Biology of Aging took place in the fifth floor boardroom, where attendees were given an exclusive look into the world of aging and what if anything can be done about the aging process
Upon RSVPing to the activation, we asked our members three questions all centered around aging:
Q: Which is a more dominant concern of yours, getting old or dying?
Q: If you could dictate your own life span, how long would you want to live?
Q: If it became technologically possible to extend the average human lifespan by, say, 25 years, what issues can you imagine would arise?
A:
Overpopulation
Chronification of diseases
Healthcare and disability
Overpopulation in a world already overpopulated
The identification of many structural problems within our society and health systems
General wear and tear on the body
Overcrowding, using more resources, making sure those 25 years are actually healthy and productive years
If healthspan doesn't improve at the same pace as lifespan, then we'll have to make improvements to the healthcare system so that patients have adequate access to treatment and screening. Social programs would also need to be started to give the elderly more autonomy in their lives, for example, like transportation
Equal access to the available technology
Longevity of organs, neurological processes, bones/teeth, etc
Lack of career advancement for the younger
Consistent vitality, bankrupting retirement systems, and change in voting patterns
Social security and quality of life
Health insurance, working and retirement age/arrangement, ratio of productive vs. retired population, mental and physical health of aging population, as well as others, associated costs, global warming, and population growth Multi morbidities
Resources to care for an advanced age population
Quality of life
Population growth and density issues
Quality of life and benefits for elderly
During Dr Finkel’s 30 minute presentation, he touched on several of the topics and concerns mentioned. The session was also proceeded by a Q&A discussion led by
David Tyndall, Founder and CEO of Collaborative Real Estate.
From Alzheimer's to degradation in age related diseases, we learned a plethora of information from Dr Finkel, including:
Those 70 and above have increased risk factors of dying from things like a heart attack, cardiovascular disease, or high blood pressure which is nearly double that of someone under the age of 70
2.
4
The oldest living woman was 122, from southern France.
Based on twin studies, they have found that less than 20 percent of your genetics contribute to when and how you age Animals that are given less to eat tend to live longer
The Showcase was a huge success and members shared they’re looking forward to more similar activations in the future!
Back in early May, Utility the innovative tech company that continually delivers groundbreaking digital systems for frontline professions announced the unveiling of their new names, logos, and products as a part of their continued growth.
And since Utility calls 250 E Ponce “home,” we joined forces to host a Showcase: Utility Brand Evolution so the company could celebrate the launch of this exciting new chapter with all of our community members.
As attendees gathered in the seventh floor conference room,
Michael Nark, kicked things off with a quick introduction and a few words about the history of the company, as well as the future, where they fully intend to continue growing to serve the police force and the community. Then the interactive session, led by ,
Kristen Jaynes Utility’s President and CEO, Director of Marketing,officially commenced and included a tour and presentation around Utility’s revamped branding and their intelligent body camera technology solutions
For instance, each Utility product has a celestial themed name: EOS, Rocket, Polaris, and Helios Additionally, the company uses Motorola devices as their remote filming device for body cams and they design the uniforms for frontline works to accommodate future models as well, so that additional alterations won’t be necessary with each phone upgrade And speaking of design, it takes 18 days from start to finish for the alterations to be made to police uniforms.
Attendees also learned that Polaris will be released in August, providing digital processing tools for live camera feeds. Users will be able to zoom, adjust brightness, and includes other features that will make identifying people and locations easier.
Weighing in on this was with [Utility] since 2015. Before, you had to manually turn [the cameras] on and off, so a big selling point was the censors It was new technology that brought us together, and we’ve been happy ever since!”
. "We’ve beenChief Scott Richards of the Decatur Police Department
As for the tour, it included the first and third floors of Utility’s space. From storage and shipment to the seamstress and alteration area to the software engineers and tech development room, it was a truly unique experience for people to get a look behind the scenes of this ever evolving company.
And while participants enjoyed a curated taco bar crafted by , demonstrated an upcoming community safety feature in which Decatur residents can volunteer to register cameras with the city via a Citizen upload link. This will allow for police to have more data and footage from others, versus only having access to the cameras they own
Chef Mark Gallagher, Raymond Harrison, VP of Technology
Raymond also showcased previous and current models of Rocket, which provides hotspots, GPS, diagnostic readings, license plate readings, and more. It is made out of solid metal, to withstand being in the field.
Not only did our community members learn a lot from this showcase, but we learned a lot about them! Since Utility provides equipment to capture, store, and share digital media, we asked them how they do that at work or at home:
Despite the variety of responses, it’s made clear there is a strong need for platforms and programs for people to perform this activity Just like frontline professions need Utility
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
At Tech Square ATL Social Club, the beginning of a new year represented more than a fresh start and setting resolutions it also ushered in an exciting new tenant at The Clubhouse.
Axis Replay (now AXR Edge), a high tech esports entertainment company focused on powering personal connections via impactful experiences, now calls Tech Square home With similar missions in mind, we teamed up to host an open house for both familiar and fresh faces to enjoy gaming, networking, and learn more about what’s in store for 2022.
Complete with complimentary beverages, open gaming, and streaming setups, esports professionals and enthusiasts alike gathered to mix and mingle with others to further explore the axis of experiences in this exhilarating ecosystem Stations were mapped out around the 9,000 square foot facility as well and for each visit to one, attendees were given a raffle ticket to win some great prizes.
With a focus on fun and forming new relationships, connection cards were distributed upon arrival, prompting all members and guests to share what event they’d like to see livestreamed in the future:
Additionally, as data driven diplomats, we were curious to uncover fan favorites in the form of Mario Kart and gaming devices in general “Toad” and “PC” were our community’s clear winners, respectively, but there were definitely some honorable mentions to highlight:
Regardless of people’s top pick, one thing was evident coming together for a safe and shared experience, both in the physical and digital world, is always engaging and entertaining.
Knowing our TEP community has an affinity for the sweet side of things, we wanted to treat our talented tenants but not before making them work for it first!
With our members being primarily researchers, chemists, and scientists, we wanted to see how their engineering skills fared. So we set up shop in the lobby on a late Thursday afternoon to put them to the test!
Every attendee was provided with a small station filled with various crafting supplies. The goal was to create a mechanism of some sort that allowed them to collect their prize lots and lots of candy! Whether they were expert builders or occasional crafters, we reaffirmed our community loves a good challenge and will do nearly anything for a sweet reward And, rather impressively, 73 percent of participants successfully completed the challenge and were able to use their contraption to collect candy!
On a beautiful Friday afternoon, we invited our Ponce community members to join in on an exclusive hard hat tour of what will soon be The Emory School of Nursing's state of the art learning center
Donning hard hats and vests, attendees were able to get a behind the scenes look at the blueprints and the beginning stages of the upcoming facility. Throughout the tour, we uncovered a plethora of insights surrounding the new build:
1. There will be six skills labs used to practice basic skills such as administering nasal tubes, IVs, and other injections.
2 The lab spaces and simulation labs will be equipped with 57 cameras, for optimal ability to review the students’ work
3 An area of the new learning center will be dedicated to teaching nurses how to treat victims of sexual assault, as result of a recent, $1 2 million HRSA grant
Immediately following the educational and hands on experience, we sat down over lunch to continue the conversations, which included discussions around the simulation labs and the incredible work done in the nursing industry.
Additionally, we asked attendees: What would a collaboration with The Emory School of Nursing look like for your company? From body cameras to training scenarios, there were several ideas mentioned:
“Researching nurse training we always need nurses to hire!”
“Providing excellent parking services for all Emory School of Nursing staff/students ”
“Collaborating with technology and the products Utility makes ”
“Making sure our fellow officers and peers have safety skills.”
“Body cameras/digital evidence management could be used for nurse training.”
“Collaborating with students in clinical rotations in vascular ”
“Azura Vascular could collaborate on kidney patients ”
“Incorporate video/data analytics in the medical field ”
Utility could provide body worn cameras to nursing students and instructers could give real feedback.”
“Body cameras for hospitals.”
Overall,
For the first time since the pandemic, International Women's House (IWH) hosted their annual “Night for New Beginnings” gala, with co host iResearch Atlanta, in person at 250 E Ponce.
Attendees gathered on Friday afternoon to celebrate the mission of IWH with an evening that honored survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking IWH has over 40 years of combined experience in the domestic violence field and is active in over 50 countries as a certified domestic violence/sexual assault center.
This was an important night for our community members, as 300 women in Atlanta get trafficked every month and 10,000,000 women are abused by an intimate partner every year. Despite the sickening statistics, it was wonderful to see so many come together to spread awareness and advocate for change for such an important cause. Not to mention, the evening was filled with great food, spirits, live music, and even a silent auction
To help support IWH and learn more, visit their website
On the afternoon of Friday, May 6, Tech Square ATL Social Club opened its Clubhouse doors to welcome community members and guests to join in on an exclusive networking event centered around the Collegiate Esports Commissioner’s Cup (CECC) festival
The Atlanta Esports Alliance (AEA), a division of the Atlanta Sports Council working to further metro Atlanta's position as a global esports leader, and AXR Edge (formerly Axis Replay), a leading gaming event venue, hosted an AEA Open House to kickoff the CECC festival and for interested companies to learn more about esports marketing opportunities
From 2:30 to 5 p.m., over 75 people attended the first ever gathering of multiple esports conference commissioners, university leaders, and the Atlanta gaming community to learn why Atlanta esports matters to the local ecosystem and what the Atlanta Esports Alliance has planned for the future. Speakers and guests included:
Grant Wainscott (Vice Chair AEA)
Asante Bradford (GA Dept. of Economic Development)
Angela Bernhard Thomas (EVP, ESPORTSU)
Dan Coonan (Commissioner/CEO, ECAC)
Jeij White (VP, NJCAA)
Brennen Dicker (Georgia State University)
Allie Young (AXR Edge)
Todd Harris (Skillshot Media)
Rebecca Dixon (Game HERS)
To uncover even more about our community, we also asked participants to share their top three favorite mobile apps and their favorite gaming console.
International Nurses Day is recognized every May 12 and we thought none better than to celebrate such an awe inspiring profession than to invite our community members to join a small group discussion centered around the topic on that Thursday evening
Attendees gathered at Leon’s Full Service in Decatur for our Nurse a Cocktail event, which included conversations around the current nursing shortage, the daily life of a nurse, the gender imbalance, new nursing programs in our community, and other components of the multi layered career all over complimentary cocktails, of course. After all, we have to celebrate these saints!
As our members sipped and shared, we uncovered quite a plethora of all things nursing related:
Many nurses, nurse practitioners, and technicians are feeling extremely burned out, which is contributing to the nursing shortage Right now, one nurse may have anywhere from four to eight patients Not to mention, people often don't have a primary care physician, which only adds to their already overwhelming workload In fact, this nursing shortage has been a decade in the making we need about a million new nurses across the United States by 2030 to account for the largest generation (Baby Boomers) getting older. In general, our members felt over worked and under appreciated a lot of which stems from the pandemic and the lack of personnel, ultimately making it a vicious cycle
Special guests outside of our Ponce community, and from the City Schools of Decatur, joined in and shared that they will be implementing a certified nursing assistant program in collaboration with Emory’s School of Nursing this coming August at 250 E Ponce. Their conversations with members and and centered around them coming to speak to the high school students in the near future another community member, spoke with the faculty about the potential for an architecture course as well even more evidence of how our activations lead to cross pollination across industries and topics!
Current nurses are finding that nursing graduates are entering the workforce with little to no clinical experience This is adding to the quick turn over rates the nursing world is experiencing, and ultimately increasing the workload of experienced nurses As hospitals and medical offices closed their doors for only essential personnel, hands on experience for nursing students came to a sudden halt. Those that graduated in 2020 and 2021 lacked real life opportunities that nurses pre pandemic benefitted from. This has ultimately added yet another level of challenges to the new nursing workforce To combat this, our attendees vocalized that more virtual reality tools and simulation labs would be a huge help, and they are excited for the new Emory School of Nursing's state of the art learning center at 250 E Ponce
As always, we wanted to understand what else our community was interested in when it came to nursing Responses included:
Programmer and VR Specialist, Adam Bengis
In addition to our discussions, we invited to talk about the development of virtual reality technology in the field of nursing Adam is a Leukemia survivor as well, and had a very touching conversation with Kathryn, who works in Oncology, about his appreciation for nurses like her who cared for him.
Another special thing that occurred that evening were the reunions and new connections made When arrived, she was overwhelmed with excitement when she saw they knew each other from when she was in high school and they had not seen each other in over a decade! More so, the activation concluded with everyone exchanging information and saying how excited they were to meet new people.
All in all, we had a great time celebrating our hard working nurses and our community members!
Tech Square ATL Social Club and AXR Edge teamed up with 100 Girls of Code on a late Saturday morning to host an exclusive hands on gaming experience at The Clubhouse.
Presented by AXR LABS, this interactive workshop welcomed female students from across Georgia and Florida to join in on a one of a kind esports activation, filled with in person gaming and informational sessions.
Aimed at achieving gender parity in STEM fields, 100 Girls of Code works diligently to invest in women across the nation by immersing them in coding and computer engineering at a young age The fun, yet educational, day included several presentations and demos centered around gaming, esports production, the esports industry, research and app development, and more!
Attendees weren’t the only ones learning that day We not only uncovered that many of the young women, ages eight to 16, were interested in esports, but that they have also blended the world of STEM with other facets of their lives. For instance, these inspiring young women have learned how to integrate coding into their other passions, such as cooking and fashion design! We also discovered their favorite social media platforms:
100GIRLSOFCODE'S FAVORITESOCIALMEDIAPLATFORM
The event flew by quickly, but in those two short hours the young lives of nearly 50 women were enhanced with knowledge and tools that will only further their passions and careers in the future.
At the tail end of May we wanted to honor Mental Health Awareness Month in a paws itive manner So we teamed up with Accenture and Happy Tails Pet Therapy to showcase the amazing mental and physical health benefits of pet therapy!
Stationed in the Tech Square courtyard on a beautiful Friday morning, three volunteers brought their incredibly sweet dogs for attendees to pet, cuddle, and interact with all as a means of providing numerous cognitive, physical, social, and emotional benefits.
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several community members asked how they could join the organization. According to their website, Happy Tails Pet Therapy requires pet handlers and their pets to complete a robust, seven-step process, which includes orientations, evaluations, training, and more!
Helping others can be a ruff job, but some paw dy has to do it so let’s gave a round of a paws to our furry friends for brightening our day!
Whether it’s aspiring young industry leaders, seasoned entrepreneurs, or dedicated civic boosters, with Tech Square ATL Social Club 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
On Thursday, March 10, TEDxGeorgiaTech (TEDxGT), a student run organization, hosted their semester event, Open Mic Night, at The Clubhouse. As TEDxGT’s venue and technology partner, Tech Square ATL Social Club helped facilitate this exciting gathering, with a mix of students, members, and guests showing up to the 9,000 square foot venue to showcase ideas that inspire change at Tech Square, on Georgia Tech's campus, and beyond!
Prior to the festivities commencing, we asked attendees to share what their TED Talk topic would be. An outpouring of responses were recorded, including subjects such as cheese, robotics in healthcare, organizing, and everything in between:
As attendees waited for the much anticipated event to start, community members enjoyed complimentary beverages and snacks while mingling with both familiar faces and fresh ones Then came the moment everyone was waiting for.
From inspirational stories to slam poetry to belting out the tunes, over 15 different performers took center stage to share their talent and passion with the audience. Whether it was practicing a simple meditation or using the platform, Kahoot, to answer trivia questions, engagement and interaction amongst the crowd was at an all time high
Overall, the night was an absolute success, with a mix of students, entrepreneurs, and young professionals all gathering to support their fellow community members.
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, self organized 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.
On Thursday, March 31, Blockchain at Georgia Tech, a student run organization founded in August 2021 to empower the student body with educational resources and opportunities within the evolving world of blockchain technology, cryptocurrency, and Web3, hosted their inaugural open house social event at Tech Square ATL Social Club
Attendance was phenomenal as The Clubhouse was packed with a wide variety of students and local professionals interested in exploring the current state of crypto. The 9,000 square foot facility was buzzing with discussions revolving around a variety of topics, including expanding the Web3 scene in Atlanta, recent market trends, and some juicy NFT alpha. Between networking with newcomers and familiar faces, and in between bites of complimentary pizza, participants also recorded their one month price predictions for Ethereum (ETH), which was valued at $3,300 at the time of the event
While there are currently more than 50 universities offering blockchain curriculum, this was a promising first event for Blockchain at Georgia Tech, and you can expect this to continue as they are planning a schedule of different offerings for the local community Their next event will take place on Friday, April 15 at 5 p.m. at The Clubhouse, where attendees can hear Bryan Nonni and Alex Lewin from NCR Corporation discuss how NCR uses blockchain technology to build products, how large corporations view these assets and technology, and careers in blockchain technology and crypto.
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.
Throughout the spring semester, Georgia Tech civic organization, Bits of Good (BoG), worked side by side with nine different non profits to aid them in building out specific web applications. To highlight their accomplishments, we hosted a Showcase with our student partner group to share their latest advancements in the web, app, and software development they created for the local organizations
On the evening of Tuesday, April 12, over 100 people safely gathered at The Clubhouse to attend Bits of Good’s Demo Day, where students conducted live presentations of their client projects. From new projects like helping mothers facing adversity to revisiting previous BoG products to fix bugs and overcome any additional obstacles, the hard work was exemplified in their first in person Demo Day event since 2019!
As community members walked in, we asked them what non-profit organizations they would like to see BoG partner with in the future From local entities to national organizations, the responses were inspiring:
And while attendees enjoyed complimentary pizza, beverages, and conversations with other like minded individuals, they also enjoyed hearing from students on the following projects:
Project Description: The team is creating a mobile application that optimizes the donation, pickup, and drop off processes of food for the Umi Feeds nonprofit.
Project Description: We are creating a web application that helps Fair Districts GA admins view information about volunteers, campaigns, newspapers, and legislators
Project Description: Our team at BoG is creating an online portal for AccessH2O admins and utility companies to view customers and their corresponding information.
Project Description: The team is working on a mobile application that helps to streamline the onboarding process and improve communication and they are creating a website portal that has all the information about caretakers.
Project Description: The Pencils for Success team is continuing to work on their web application that simplifies donation and supply tracking processes for donors and recipients
Project Description: This team is working with Bits of Good's parent organization Hack4Impact to develop a nonprofit portal that allows for different nonprofit chapters to reach out to Bits of Good and customize the product process
Project Description: The team is creating a component library that may help expedite and streamline both the design and front end engineering processes for current and future Bits of Good projects.
Project Description: This team handles feature upgrades, bugs, and other nonprofit partner requests across a large portfolio of previous projects
And it doesn’t just end at Demo Day for students. Many seniors are actually going on to work for major tech companies such as Google and Tesla after graduation, with the goal of expanding inclusivity and helping impoverished communities!
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.
Startup Exchange is the largest entrepreneurship, student led community at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Their mission is to build a passionate community of students interested in entrepreneurship by providing a hub for members to connect, collaborate, and innovate.
Every semester, SX organizes its signature fellowship programs where four to five teams are selected and provided funding and mentorship to help further build their ideas At the end of each semester, they compete at a final pitch competition to present their work.
As SX’s technology and venue sponsor, the spring Fellowship Pitch Competition was webcasted live from The Clubhouse and streamed to Startup Exchange’s YouTube page However, nearly 150 attendees showed up in person at Tech Square ATL Social Club’s 9,000 square foot facility to listen to the pitches of four incredible teams:
Feast
Feast is a food sharing platform for restaurant goers to discover and share food with their friends. Within the network, they’ll engage with a greater community of food lovers everyone from the person that never posts on social media to the Yelp elite foodie that tracks everything they eat By combining the community aspect of traditional social media with the utility of restaurant review platforms, Feast enables restaurant goers to see where their friends like to eat and share casual food reviews to their networks.
Many drone controllers are very intricate and look more like mini computers than they do remotes Due to the high barrier to entry of becoming a commercial drone pilot, Limbus offers complete control of a drone through purely facial and optical movements Effectively, the user's head is now the new drone remote controller.
A peer to peer mobile app for college students to buy and sell products and services amongst each other
Framed believes that dating apps like dating should be social Framed creates more exciting and insightful profiles by letting users’ friends design the dating profiles Every Framed profile is authentic and helps users stand out from the crowd.
Of course, no pitch competition would be complete without judges. There to survey, soak in, and scrutinize the ideas, the judges were as follows:
CEO and Founder of Kabbage, a major company acquired by American Express. Petralia was listed as one of the 100 most powerful women by Forbes
President and CEO of Now, Hodgson is a recognized speaker from Harvard Business School and a Board Trustee at Georgia Institute of Technology
Director of Create-X, Georgia Tech's signature startup program, which has produced hundreds of successful startups
Lara Hodgson Rahul Saxena
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After much anticipation, the judges were finally ready to announce the winners. Drum roll, please, for the finalists:
People’s Choice: Limbus $750
Second Place: Limbus $500
First Place: Framed Dating $250
The competition was tough and we personally thought all of the pitches were, well, pitch perfect!
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
For those in the startup and entrepreneurial space, the Advanced Technology Development Center is an all-too-familiar name As Georgia’s technology business incubator, the organization assists in ideation through commercial success and everything in between, with their latest efforts including involvement in a series of events across metro Atlanta. And since ATDC takes residency right in Tech Square’s Centergy One building, we knew it made perfect sense to team up with them for an unforgettable evening
As the third event in the series, and sponsored by key players Collaborative Real Estate and The University Financing Foundation, ATL Unlocked invited members and local entrepreneurs to experience different innovation centers and districts across metro Atlanta Focused on forming connections, the tour aims to start conversations between the region’s diverse community of creators, innovators, founders, and entrepreneurs, with the ultimate goal of transforming Atlanta into an accessible ecosystem where these individuals can thrive
The evening started in the ATDC lobby, where participants mixed and mingled over complimentary BBQ and adult beverages before having the unique opportunity to hear from some heavy hitters in the space:
John Avery – Director, Advanced Technology Development Center
Alex Gonzalez – CIO, Metro Atlanta Chamber
Kevin Green – President/CEO, Midtown Alliance
Greg King Associate VP for Economic Development, Georgia Institute of Technology
Vasant Kamath – Partner, Engage/Tech Square Ventures
Rahul Saxena – Interim Director, Create X
Kevin Byrne President and CEO, The University Financing Foundation
Topics were as diverse as the attendees themselves, but the overarching theme was centered around innovation in Atlanta and how perseverance is essential for a startup to be successful.
Immediately following the networking portion, the crowd moved down to The Clubhouse for dessert, puzzle challenges, and raffles. Prior to entering the 9,000 square foot facility, they were gifted a physical key and prompted to use it to “unlock” the puzzles waiting for them inside for special prizes
Out of the 38 people who attempted to solve the puzzles, 20 were successful (52.6%) and 18 (47 4%) were, unfortunately, not so lucky However, one special contest, Muhammad “Drom” was able to solve all six puzzles! He said he had a natural understanding of puzzles, and he even won an extra book for completing all of the puzzle challenges.
Despite the outcome of puzzle attempts, several were deemed winners that night, as over 20 prizes were given away, including Amazon gift cards, Starbucks gift cards, industry-related books, and even free memberships to Tech Square ATL Social Club
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.
