The Book - April-December 2020

THE BOOK

APR - DEC 2020

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THE BOOK: APR - DEC 2020 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 the community at the heart of Atlanta's tech scene.

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THE FORWARD: A VERY STRANGE TIME INDEED Each of the past editions of The Book have showcased the breadth and depth of experiences in the scores of distinct activations and events for the periods they covered. They were each a testament to, even a celebration of, our commitment to the value of personal, faceto-face human interaction.

The Book 2020 (Apr - Dec) is different. This edition recounts the story of what happened the day face-to-face interactions were no longer feasible. It is a story of patience. It is a story of adaptation. And ultimately, it is a story of resilience, of both the human spirit and the need for community. The need for camaraderie. The recognition that shared moments are the most valuable to us all.

The Book was written week-in, week-out, with stories of our members and is about commitment to each other, to safety, and to respect. But also to the need to share and to exchange, to grow ourselves by interacting with others.

From all of us in the Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club community, thanks to each and every one of you for being part of this journey. What a set of experiences we all shared with each other!

David Tyndall Founder and Owner, Collaborative Real Estate

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QUARANTINE DIARIES: A LOOK BACK AT THE PANDEMIC Our community space has always been a place that people come to tackle the hard issues, solve problems, and work on breakthroughs. In a strange turn of events, we felt the unsettling impacts, first-hand, of COVID-19. In a matter of weeks, we watched schools close, travel become restricted, and social distancing turn into the “new normal.”

We witnessed our community members searching for answers and hope as they navigated the inevitable impacts this situation has on their lives and businesses. As a team, it led us to revisit and reaffirm of our reason for being: We exist to foster community, collaboration, and growth. We recognize that for many of our community members, our shared space and our programmed events serve not only a social function, but also a business function. In order to continue to serve those needs, while following CDC guidelines, we paused our inperson events and engaged with our members online, through various virtual activations.

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And as the world started to slowly open

medical professionals are having growing

back up, so did we. Our agility and fluidity

concerns about the long-term effects of

allowed us to once again pivot with the

social distancing, we are proud to have

ever-changing times to offer hybrid events,

curated an environment where like-minded

which gave our community members the

individuals can come together – safely – to

option to either attend virtually or safely in-

connect and collaborate with each other in

person – whichever they felt more

a setting that only further drives growth

comfortable with.

and innovation.

As communal beings, the need for human

Just as we showcase in our stories how

interaction is hardwired in our DNA. So, as

the future of technology is closer than we

2020 came to a close and restrictions were

think, so is the new norm of getting

starting to be lifted, as appropriate, we

community members together in a way that

resumed our completely in-person

is both productive and socially responsible.

activations, with the latest procedures and

And we look forward to continuing this

protocols in place to ensure everyone’s

journey – together.

utmost safety.

In an unprecedented time where isolation started to weigh heavy on people, and

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WHAT'S IN A NAME? Like many, the pandemic – and quarantine in particular – brought about much change. As most seemingly did throughout 2020, we too took the time to reset, reflect, and really work on ourselves.

We decided to take advantage of the slower pace and focus on some in-house personal growth and improvements. The result was two-fold: We rebranded ourselves and we worked on a handful of physical improvements to our shared workspace.

GOODBYE THE GARAGE During a period of such monumental changes happening around us, we decided to take this time to reinvent, and ultimately, rebrand, ourselves. We are now Tech Square ATL Social Club, a members-only community connecting individuals and companies seeking productive collaborations to a curated environment that fosters growth and innovation.

This means, no more “The Garage” branding and no more confusion between our physical facility and the parking deck next door.

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YOU CAN FIND US IN THE CLUB(HOUSE) We also made some vast improvements to our 9,000 square foot facility, now called “The Clubhouse.” This spacious shared workspace is equipped with comfy chairs, hot desks, blazing fast WiFi, complimentary coffee, and more.

STAYING CONNECTED 2020 shined a spotlight on the need to still remain connected, even while being physically distant.

To ensure we didn’t lose sight of this, we ramped up all of our digital channels: Our website received quite the facelift, and is now packed full of info around our

In addition to some fresh paint and a

offerings, the Tech Square neighborhood,

more modular layout, we also took

and of course, tons of content highlighting

every precaution and implemented new

our community members and events

protocols to ensure our members’

Join our Slack channel to get in touch with

safe return.

other members Subscribe to our newsletter, The Weekly Connect with us on on our social channels: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn Check out the latest edition of The Book View our collection of stories

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WHAT IS COLLABORATIVE REAL ESTATE? Collaborative Real Estate is a full-service real estate firm specializing in innovation districts and university research parks. With our expertise in development, asset/property management, and community activation, we help innovative ecosystems truly thrive.

We believe that a research building's greatest amenities are the tenants themselves, and that what happens inside a building is what matters most. Every day, we are creating spaces, communities, and programs to grow thriving innovation communities designed to inspire, connect, and support ongoing user success.

And while buildings do set the stage for collaboration and collision, connecting people requires intentional programming. Our devotion to community building through collaborative programming focuses on the creative use of common spaces – both indoor and outdoor – that each property has available and utilizes multi-channel communications to connect entities, and more importantly, to connect people.

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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.

One of our most prestigious and successful examples of a collaborative innovation district is Tech Square ATL Social Club. Over the course of five years, through ample amounts of research, assessments, refinements, and iterations, we meticulously crafted and curated an environment that allows communities that typically wouldn’t interact to feel connected and be part of a thriving ecosystem.

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WHAT IS TECH SQUARE ATL SOCIAL CLUB? For technologists, researchers, entrepreneurs, startups, students, and corporations who are seeking productive collaborations, Tech Square ATL Social Club 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.

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WHAT IS TECHNOLOGY ENTERPRISE PARK? 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.

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

THE TECH SQUARE NEIGHBORHOOD

southeastern United States.

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

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INNOVATION ANCHORS AND VENTURE CAPITAL FIRMS AT TECH SQUARE Accenture Anthem Innovation Center ATDC AT&T Foundry BLH Ventures Delta Innovation Center Engage Ventures Georgia Institute of Technology The Home Depot Innovation Center International Paper Kinetic Ventures Knoll Ventures Silicon Road Ventures Southern Company Innovation Center Tech Square Ventures VOCAP Investment Partners

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TECH SQUARE ATL SOCIAL CLUB

BY THE NUMBERS

156 DOUGHNUTS EATEN

360 PIZZA SLICES EATEN

1,340

OZ OF BEER CONSUMED

7,937

97

OZ OF COFFEE CONSUMED

HOT DOGS EATEN

576 OZ OF SODA CONSUMED

6 ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) CHARGERS IN PARKING DECK

82 50 PERCENT DECREASE IN EV CHARGING DUE TO DROP IN COMMUTERS

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MILK CHOCOLATE SQUARES EATEN

MEMBERSHIP

BY THE NUMBERS

3,216 MEMBER CHECKINS AT THE CLUBHOUSE

49 MEMBERS ATTENDED ONE ACTIVATION

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MEMBERS ATTENDED TWO OR MORE ACTIVATIONS

87

145

MEMBERS PARTICIPATED IN ACTIVATIONS

DIFFERENT COMPANIES

177 NEW MEMBERS

5,137

4 STUDENT ORGANIZATION PARTNERS

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DOOR UNLOCKS AT THE CLUBHOUSE

PERCENT INCREASE IN MEMBERSHIP REDEMPTIONS

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WHO ARE OUR MEMBERS?

Student - 41% Entrepreneur - 14% 14%

Technologist - 12% Generalist - 8% 12%

41%

Designer - 7% Coder - 6%

8%

Administrator - 4% Academic - 3%

7% 2%

3%

3%

4%

6%

Maker - 3% Investor + Civic Booster - 2%

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COMMUNITY INTERESTS

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THE TESTIMONIALS 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.

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Lucia Lopez Martinez

Andrew Maas

Test Engineer, VERO Biotech

Associate Vice President for Research, Technology Transfer

“The events at Technology Enterprise Park are a great mix between socializing and learning some new fun facts. It is always a nice break from the routine when you get to talk to new people while enjoying some coffee or getting a free snack!”

“Collaborative Real Estate is a strong partner to support connections across academia, entrepreneurs, corporations, and the community.”

Monroe Ramsey Founder, Virtual Air

Rohan Sohani Aerospace Engineering Student, Georgia Tech

“Tech Square ATL Social Club, to me, represents a pivotal part of the Tech Square community. It serves as a magnet to attract forward-thinking individuals to come collaborate and share ideas through a meaningful avenue!”

“Tech Square ATL Social Club is at the epicenter of a city, university, and startup culture that is exploding with growth in all directions. So what better place to nerd out than with the amazing leaders and community at TSQATL? The culture around TSQATL is so hungry and tenacious that you can’t help but just take it all in and join the community.”

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COMMUNITY MEMBER SPOTLIGHTS We are so proud of our dedicated community members and want to recognize all of their hard work and contributions. To highlight their accomplishments and give them a platform to share their successes and stories, we’ve created a Community Member Spotlight series that does just that!

TO SUBMIT YOUR STORY, FILL OUT THE FORM ON OUR WEBSITE!

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Community Member Spotlight: Darin Griffith

Meet Darin Griffith, a Senior Analytical Scientist at Kemira, based in Technology Enterprise Park. He is also Tech Square ATL Social Club’s resident puzzle master, who solved seven out of eight in the July series with the correct answers! When he’s not working on material chemistry solutions at Kemira, you can find him in his backyard oasis, enjoying the beautiful garden he built with his wife.

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Q: How do you like your coffee?

A: My coffee preference is cold brew, black.

Q: What’s one thing that excites you about your job at Kemira?

A: I am an Analytical Scientist and I love getting to troubleshoot new and interesting problems. I am excited to come to work at Kemira because they have given me opportunities to grow in my career. They support my efforts to grow and learn, not just as an employee, but also in my career field. They [really try hard to] take care of their employees and I really appreciate that.

Q: What’s your favorite season of the year, and why?

A: I like all of the seasons, so this is difficult to answer. But I think I like the spring/summer transition the best. My wife and I really enjoy gardening. At this time, we get to enjoy blooming flowers and plants the most. It’s the payback for all the hard work we put into our backyard the rest of the year. I designed and built all of the decks and raised bed boxes myself, as well as the water features. My wife is a master gardener and has all of the gardening talent. All the color and flower placement is by her design.

It has always been a dream of ours to make an oasis in our backyard away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Now during the time of COVID, we have this beautiful ever-changing garden to enjoy!

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Community Member Spotlight: Leo Prinzi

Meet Leo Prinzi, Product Director for Carbice Corporation. When he’s not designing and developing their thermal interface products, Leo can be found working with a non-profit organization called Food 4 Lives.

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Q: What's a favorite project of yours and why?

A: My favorite project right now is the product I am helping to develop called Carbice icebox. It's a material that the electronic industry has not seen anything like it and it outperforms everything that's being used today. I am very excited to get this product in the hands of our customers because it will help enable the next generation of electronics.

Q: What's something about you that's not on your resume?

A: When I used to live in the Dominican Republic, my brother and I would climb up this mango tree we had in our backyard and eat fresh mangoes. That's what life was all about back then, just eating fresh fruits right off the tree, not much else to worry about.

Q: What's one thing you would tell people about Tech Square ATL Social Club?

A: Check out their events! It's a great place to network and learn. It's also a nice change of pace from work life.

Q: What's your favorite restaurant/cafe in the Tech Square neighborhood?

A: Tassili's Raw Reality Café is a must go-to.

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Community Member Spotlight: Krysta Silva

Meet Krysta Silva, a senior at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). She is an Advertising and Branding major, with a concentration in Art Direction. As part of our Community Member Spotlight series, we met up with Krysta to discuss the product idea that got her and her group members, Daranie Mor and Megan Ip, into the competition – and secured first place.

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Q: How did you and your group find out about this competition?

A: The Shark Tank of Wellness student competition was a project given to me and my group in our Brand Experience: Interactive Environment class.

At first it felt as if this project was out of our area of expertise, being advertising students (versus wellness experts), but it was a great challenge.

Q: What was it like coming up with a wellness product idea and designing it, being an advertising student?

A: It was quite hard, to be honest. Coming up with a product idea was terrifying and after we decided on a direction our professor attempted to change our product multiple times, but we were persistent.

Q: What is your product and what does it do?

A: Samii is a set of utensils with a built-in allergen sensor, that comes with a rechargeable case and phone app. It is an easy and functional way to provide the millions of people that have food allergies a way to eat food safely without worrying about cross contamination.

Q: What do you enjoy most about being a Tech Square ATL Social Club member?

A: My favorite thing about Tech Square ATL Social Club is the environment and the people I have met while here. It is a great place to meet all kinds of people, from multiple industries. Besides the physical space, The Clubhouse, the team hosts great events and are super friendly.

To learn more about the Shark Tank of Wellness, click here. And be sure to check out the video Krysta and her team made for Samii here.

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Community Member Spotlight: Monroe Ramsey

Meet Monroe Ramsey, Founder of Virtual Air. He is also a TSQATL Space Soirée winner for correctly guessing the exact number of Orbit gum packs we had in a glass jar. In his spare time, he enjoys attending startup-related events and tries his best to balance his time between in real life (IRL) and virtual reality (VR).

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Q: What’s one new/interesting project you're working on right now?

A: I am currently working alongside my team at Virtual Air to scale up our hardware/software products and business. You can think of us as “The Surround Sound of Air,” and our goal is to solve the problem of experiences/entertainment that only activate audio/visual (AV) senses. We will remain focused on keeping our haptic air products human-centric, seamless, and something you would be proud to incorporate into your current setup. We’re bringing sexytech back, if you will.

Q: What's your favorite food or beverage place in Midtown?

A: J.R. Crickets. I once ate 24 wings there on my 8th birthday at their old location across from The Varsity. That was back when the wings were smaller and my dad would have to shield my eyes from whatever was going on in the old back alley parking lot (a stark contrast from the Tech Square/Midtown area we know today).

Q: What's one thing you would tell people about Tech Square ATL Social Club?

A: TSQATL Social Club is at the epicenter of a city, university, and startup culture that is exploding with growth in all directions. So what better place to nerd out than with the amazing leaders and community at TSQATL? The culture around TSQATL is so hungry and tenacious that you can’t help but just take it all in and join the community. The atmosphere definitely embodies the city's notorious "too busy to hate" motto as well.

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THE ACTIVATIONS Activations are curated experiences thoughtfully designed to create unique conditions that strengthen the culture of our community. Our events foster more than a feeling of fellowship, they serve as a catalyst for pushing the envelope, expanding horizons, and nurturing growth.

Through these carefully crafted events, we help our community members ignite thoughtprovoking questions, engage in stimulating conversations, and most importantly, form meaningful connections.

CURATED CONNECTIONS By joining a diverse group of like-minded

And those connections are sparked by

individuals who share similar

TSQATL serving as a host for fostering

(or perhaps, vastly unique) interests,

conversations with a unique blend of quirky

passions, and ambitions, you get so much

and thought-provoking questions and

more than premier access to today’s elite

themes. Ultimately, these allow members of

movers and shakers. You get to experience

the social club to connect and share their

an enhanced sense of support. You get to

personal experiences and insights. Our

form tighter bonds. You get to develop

membership serves as a forum for people to

deeper connections.

come together in a small group, learn from each other, and gain a diverse perspective.

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DATA-DRIVEN EXPERIENCES Each activation is themed, based on

Activations are designed to gather data

community data, and the types range

and test hypotheses about the community.

from randomly “popping-up” to a

Interactions are intentionally observed and

scheduled, invite-only gathering – and

time is committed to developing and

everything in between – with each

sharing insights gleaned from each

offering a different experience and

activation.

outcome to participants.

Not only does the data we collect help No matter the size of the event or the

uncover expressed and latent needs of our

amount of planning and promotional

community members, but it also helps

materials, each activation is strategically

depict what type of future engagements we

organized and executed in a way to

implement. And most importantly, from all

collect further data and insight into our

of this, comes our stories – which are the

community members, and to also

catalyst for collaboration – and precisely

encourage collaboration and connections

what we do.

that otherwise wouldn’t be feasible.

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

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22 CONNECTIONS CREATED

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Coffee Talk: SOLAR-POWERED S'MORES

S'MORES EATEN

You’ve heard the saying, “it’s hot enough to fry an egg on the sidewalk.” But we wanted to know – does it get hot enough in Atlanta to make a s’more with a solarpowered oven?

We decided National S’mores Day was the perfect time to investigate, so we propped up our DIY solar oven at TEP with graham crackers, chocolate bars, and marshmallows in tow.

Stacking marshmallow and chocolate on top of a graham cracker, we asked TEP sweet tooths on their lunch break (in 91-degree heat): "How long do you think it'll take for the chocolate to melt in the solar oven outside?”

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Curious to find out how hot it would get in the solar oven, we equipped it with a digital thermometer. Though the temperature never reached our hypothesis of 150°F, the highest

COMMUNITY HYPOTHESES (IN MINUTES) 40%

temperature recorded inside the solar

Between 10-15 mins

oven was 135°F. While most TEP community members thought that it would take 15 minutes for the chocolate to liquefy from the heat, we found that it actually took 56 minutes to get to this state. The temperature inside the oven stayed consistently over 100°F, with the lowest

40%

Less than 5 mins

20%

More than 20 mins

temperature at 101°F when the clouds blocked the sun.

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104 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

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hAPPY HOUR: INTERNATIONAL BEER DAY

OZ OF BEER CONSUMED

To celebrate International Beer Day, we pre-gamed (a day early) by sampling a variety of beers from different countries to uncover which ones our community members preferred.

First celebrated in August 2008, we wanted to continue the tradition that is now recognized in over 200 cities globally. So we headed over to TEP where employees took a much-deserved (and needed!) afternoon break from work to enjoy a sample of seven different beers from six different countries. From a classic German wheat beer, to a gluten-free Canadian beer, to a sour beer from a local Atlanta brewing company, TSQATL played bartender-turned-trivia-host, dropping some random beer knowledge while pouring the following selections:

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After the sampling concluded, TEP community members then voted for their favorite beer/country. As one might guess due to TEP’s proximity to Tech Square, the heart of Atlanta’s tech scene, local Atlanta-based brewery, Monday Night, won the popular vote. But Mexico’s Colima Cayaco was an extremely close second, with members praising its lightness and refreshingness – which is particularly important during the hot summer days. And while not all attendees voted, the following showcases the spectrum of people’s preferences:

Regardless of everyone’s opinions, one thing was clear – beer is the perfect way to bring the world (and community members) together to celebrate the beers of all nations and cultures on this one remarkable day. Prost!

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32 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

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Coffee Talk: Rocket Stomp ChallengE

ROCKET STOMPERS

With all the space exploration launches happening as of late, including the first launch of human astronauts since the conclusion of the Space Shuttle Program in 2011, we wanted to do a little exploration of our own.

So, the TSQATL “Space Crew” showed up at TEP to conduct our own space shuttle experiment. We wanted to see if fellow space explorers could accurately launch a rocket into its intended target.

Obviously our budget was a bit limiting and we didn’t have the proper training facilities to conduct such an experiment on the same level as NASA, but we were able to put our special spin on it to create our very own rocket stomp challenge.

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35°

9

70°

The most popular launch angle

Different launch angles chosen

The victorious launch angle

Astronauts, AKA our TEP contestants, were given the following mission, should they choose to accept: Choose a trajectory angle between 0 and 90 degrees Stomp on the air propulsion device to launch the rocket Adjust the angle and make a second and final attempt to get the rocket into the designated landing zone Mission Control, AKA our Tech Square ATL Social Club team members, accurately recorded the data and uncovered the following: Nine different angles were chosen for the rocket launch throughout the day The most popular angle selected was 35 degrees, with four separate launches from it The only victorious rocket had an angle of 70 degrees For live footage of this exciting event, check out this quick video here.

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93 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

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Coffee Talk: The Current State of Touchless Tech

OZ OF COFFEE CONSUMED

Due to the recommended health and safety precautions and protocols, people have formed new behaviors and habits during the pandemic.

To learn about how people have adapted new routines and technology to avoid high-touch surfaces, we caught up with TEP community members to discuss, over coffee, their current experience at grocery stores and/or restaurants in order to get a better understanding of the current state of touchless technology.

Not only did we want to find out if people were going to grocery stores or restaurants, but also if they were more inclined to using touchless tech – such as QR codes, Apple Pay, and Google Pay – or opting for pickup or delivery options instead.

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PANDEMIC FOOD SOURCE: GROCERY STORE VS. RESTAURANT DELIVERY/PICKUP

Abbott

Kemira

VERO Biotech

0

5

10

15

# of community members Grocery Store

Restaurant Delivery/Pickup

We found that most community members still made trips to the grocery store and paid with their card. Of those supermarket chains, the most popular stores mentioned were Publix, Wal-Mart, and Kroger, with a few members ordering delivery through Amazon Fresh.

Nevertheless, despite those still making in-person trips, a common answer throughout the morning was “my spouse usually does the grocery shopping.”

In terms of dining out, most of the participants continued to exclusively make food at home, and were still hesitant to go to a restaurant. If they did, they'd order ahead via the restaurant website for pick-up.

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28 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

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Beer 30: The FUTURE of Touchless Tech

OZ OF BEER CONSUMED

With Elon Musk’s recent demo of Neuralink – and the notion that mind control could be the next generation of touchless tech – we wanted to discuss this topic further with fellow community members to get their input on it all.

And what better way to dive deep into the unknown than conversing about a new era of handsfree technology over complimentary beers?

Since we can’t read minds (yet!), Tech Square ATL Social Club hosted an afternoon happy hour in the courtyard of Tech Square right between Centergy One and Technology Square Research Building to ask the hard-hitting questions: 1. When will technology, like Neuralink, be widely available and adopted?

2. What touchless technology will catch fire in 2021?

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In addition to enjoying some refreshing

In terms of the future, community

beverages in the end-of-summer heat, we

members were quite vocal and varying.

also uncovered that the TSQATL community

Though healthily skeptical that touchless

seems to be split over the viability of

technologies will continue to enjoy the

Neuralink. While some (33.33%) believe the

rapid trajectory COVID-19 afforded them,

technology is 10-15 years away from broad

once the pandemic subsides, attendees

adoption (2030-2035), others (66.66%)

made bold predictions about which

believe that the technology will never see

touchless tech will explode in 2021.

broad application due to privacy concerns

Predictions included: RFID, gesture

and reductionism in how researchers are

recognition, facial recognition, augmented

approaching the human mind (a conceptual

reality (AR) recognition, voice-related

oversimplification of how the brain/mind

technology, transactionless shopping, and

works).

credit card tabs via mobile.

One point of contention was that it took

All in all, one thing was clear – touchless

about 15 years for Tesla’s Model 3 to

technologies, like QR codes, are definitely

become widely available, so 2030 might be

having a moment. But whether

more of a feasible timeline for when Musk’s

it will be here to stay or expand

newest technology will become adopted

exponentially remains to be seen

and available.

(or mind-read?).

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77 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

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Coffee Talk: THE Languages Spoken Among Us

DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SPOKEN

Out of our curiosity for the many languages spoken in our community, we hosted a Coffee Talk to catch up with TEP early birds on a bright autumn morning.

The hallways at TEP are always abuzz with friendly greetings and conversation. Woven in between the audible “hellos” and “how-are-yous,” you’ll sometimes hear cheerful conversations in different languages. In addition to English, we found that a majority of community members are fluent in Spanish, with Hindi being the second most popular spoken language. We also found that of those who swung by to caffeinate that morning, there were two members who spoke more than three languages! When it comes to what languages members wanted to learn, French and Japanese were the most common answers.

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LANGUAGES SPOKEN AT TEP (IN ADDITION TO ENGLISH)

4%

4%

4%

4%

4% 8%

40%

Spanish - 40%

French - 8%

Sanskrit - 4%

Portuguese - 4%

Chinese/Mandarin - 4%

Marathi - 4%

Laos - 4%

Telugu - 4%

Farsi - 4%

Malayalam - 4%

Turkish - 4%

German - 4%

12%

4%

4%

4% 4%

4%

Hindi - 12%

LANGUAGES TEP COMMUNITY MEMBERS WANT TO LEARN (BASED ON COFFEE TALK PARTICIPANT ANSWERS)

French - 28.6% 14.3% 28.6%

Japanese - 28.6%

14.2%

Chinese/Mandarin - 14.3% German - 14.2%

14.3% 28.6%

Spanish - 14.3%

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36 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

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Coffee Talk: The Staying Power of Etch-A-Sketch anD Other Simple Technologies

PERCENT OF ATTENDEES OWNED AN ETCH-A-SKETCH GROWING UP

Tuesday, October 6, 2020 marked the 112th anniversary of the Ohio Art Company, which happens to be the creator of the Etch-aSketch.

With that in mind, we hosted a safely distanced Coffee Talk in the Centergy One lobby, where we had community members stop by to appreciate the simple (tech) things in life, and test out their drawing skills.

Tech Square ATL Social Club members grabbed a morning coffee and doughnut on their way into the office, while also sharing their thoughts on why some simple technologies and inventions have stood the test of time – many of which we take for granted each day. For instance: plumbing, radio, pencils, and paper.

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The following were some of the most popular responses to the reasons behind the longevity: Ubiquity Consumer acceptance Low cost/high reward Switching cost to alternative products is too high Shrewd marketing Participants also took a stroll down memory lane by attempting to draw randomly selected items on an Etch-A-Sketch. Turns out, a few of our members are pretty good artists as well. And it’s clear why – 89 percent of attendees owned an Etch-A-Sketch growing up.

While conversing with our community members, we also learned that the COVID-19 pandemic actually provided a proving ground (and in some cases, accelerated progress) for MedTech startups, such as MedTransGO and Wave Heath Technologies.

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38 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

36 CUPCAKES EATEN

Coffee Talk: Cakes and Chemistry

With Tuesday, November 10, 2020 being National Vanilla Cupcake Day, we wanted to sink our teeth into the science behind baking.

So, with coffee and mini vanilla cupcakes in tow, we headed over to Technology Enterprise Park – where the majority of community members are professional chemists and scientists (and some even claiming professional bakers) – to test their knowledge with some true or false questions.

Not surprisingly, there was a lot of interest in this topic, as TEP community members are wellknown sweet tooths, in addition to their career prowess. People from Kemira, Abbott, and

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VERO Biotech all dropped by during lunch to dig into the following statements to uncover fact from fiction: 1. Baking is a science as much as it is an art.

TRUE: It’s one of the first lessons in culinary school. Any slight changes in a recipe (too much baking powder, over-mixing a batter) can make the difference between a moist cupcake and a hockey puck. In fact, a lot of food science students go through pre-med because it’s heavy in the basic sciences.

2. It doesn’t matter what order you mix dry ingredients.

FALSE: It’s important to mix dry ingredients in the right order, as each dry element is competing for water. If you put in the wrong ingredients first, the batter will tend to clump because then they don’t have enough water.

3. There’s no such thing as mixing too much.

FALSE: When gluten aligns, the proteins align with strands. If you keep mixing, it will be too runny, and it won’t hold. You’ve disrupted the networks that are formed.

4. Putting baked goods in the fridge keeps it fresher for longer.

FALSE: Lower temperatures will cause the cake to go stale quicker.

And it’s no wonder that nearly half of those that participated (46%) got all four answers correct!

Additionally, 27 percent correctly answered three out of four, and another 27 percent correctly answered two out of four. None of the attendees missed all four or only got one correct answer, which is reassuring, considering their professional backgrounds!

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33 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

24 DOUGHNUTS EATEN

Coffee Talk: From Beans to Brew

Whether it’s an iced americano, a warm cappuccino, or a good old house brew, there’s a lot that goes into your favorite coffee before it gets poured into your mug.

To find out what our community members at Technology Enterprise Park knew about the intricacies of their morning brew, we caught up over doughnuts and espresso and put their coffee knowledge to the test.

Much to our surprise, the TEP members who stopped by that day could do without a morning cup of joe, admitting their current preference of tea over coffee.

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This could be why 50 percent of participants from Abbott and VERO Biotech only got one out of the following three coffee trivia answers correct!

1. Which country produces the most coffee in the world?

✓ Brazil - 49.3 million 60-kilogram bags in 2019

✖ Colombia - 15 million 60-kilogram bags in 2019 ✖ Vietnam - 27.2 million 60-kilogram bags in 2019 2. Does the coffee plant produce beans or fruit?

Fruit

✓

✖ Beans 3. For a latte, what is the espresso to milk ratio?

✓ 1:4

✖ 1:3 ✖ 1:2

FROM BEANS TO BREW: COFFEE TRIVIA PARTICIPANT SCORES

The most frequently missed answer? Contrary to popular assumption that morning, the coffee plant does not produce beans — it produces fruit. Commonly known as the “coffee cherry,” the coffee plant produces a red, green, or purple fruit. The pit of the fruit, which is the coffee seed, is then processed, dried, and roasted into what we know as coffee beans.

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76 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

59 OZ OF IRISH CREAM CONSUMED

Cocktail Talk: Past + Predictions

On a cold, dreary day in late December, we thought there was no better way to spread some warmth and holiday cheer than by hosting a Cocktail Talk: Past + Predictions at Technology Enterprise Park – complete with a cozy fire (pit) and delicious drinks, of course.

Armed with hot chocolate, marshmallows, Irish Cream, and a couple of festive ales, we caught up with our community members around a flaming fire to discuss our future predictions for 2021 and what should stay behind from 2020.

It was no surprise that the majority of those who attended (57%) agreed one thing we all wanted to say goodbye to in 2020 was COVID-19. “Masks” was the second most popular response, with one individual touting “not putting myself first” as something they wanted to leave in 2020.

Cheers to #selfcare!

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As for what’s to come in the new year, future predictions varied, with responses including: Public health will be improved People will appreciate traveling and other cultures more More people will continue to work collaboratively for a common goal, like working on the vaccine quickly A few members cited concerns about politics (and Atlanta traffic) getting worse before it gets better, and others mentioned their hopefulness for a return to normalcy. All in all, people predicted that 2021 will be better than 2020.

And while we certainly don’t have a crystal ball to tell us exactly what’s going to happen next, we can ensure we’re doing everything we can to stay strong in these uncertain times and remember that staying connected with others is vital to our mental and physical health.

That’s why our focus here at Tech Square ATL Social Club being centered around providing productive collaborations in a curated environment designed to foster growth and innovation is so important. We more than understand the power of human connection, we exude it every day. Whether it’s through our shared workspace or our events, we help nurture and shape connections that otherwise may not have happened.

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

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36 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

8 VIRTUAL ATTENDEES

Future of EdTech: Game-based Learning

In our first virtual Power Meal, hosted by Jesse Lindsley, CEO and Founder of Thrust Interactive, we explored how to leverage game-based learning to improve education.

With a lively group of parents, educators, gamers, and students, we unpacked the following questions: WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH GAME-BASED LEARNING? For some, it began early-childhood: “I was a terrible speller growing up and almost failed third grade because of it. My parents introduced me to Scrabble and I fell in love with the bluffing and the competition.

Scrabble helped me spell and gave me that motivation that I wasn’t getting [from school].”

- Jesse Lindsley, Thrust Interactive As we shared more stories, we discovered how the gaming world can lead to an unexpected growth of confidence:

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“I started playing saxophone in the fourth grade. At that time, I had a ton of social anxiety. As you can imagine, my stage fright was horrible. Luckily, I had instructors that helped me build my confidence. When I started my company, Crescendo [an artificial intelligence (AI)powered interactive music training app], our goal was ‘How do we help people become more confident when learning music?’ Over time, we learned that people feel more comfortable learning through a device that does not judge you, but still gives you accurate feedback – like your phone.”

- Seth Radman, Crescendo

“My son has learning differences. He’s also a gamer. He loves Minecraft, and when he is playing games it’s not like he’s disconnected from humanity. There is a level of self-confidence that he is able to break through in the virtual world. He’s really in a space where he feels completely confident. He feels fearless and boundless, and he’s able to challenge himself.”

- Le’Kiesha French, Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute

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WHAT COMPONENTS DO YOU CONSIDER

WHAT’S AN AUDIENCE, THAT IS SOMETIMES

WHEN EVALUATING TECH TOOLS FOR

OVERLOOKED, THAT COULD USE GAMING TO

EDUCATION?

IMPACT LEARNING?

In a world of thousands of gaming applications, it’s hard to decipher which

“I think of seniors. As they are approaching

one is worth using. For the parents, there

their eighties and going into nursing homes,

was a concern over what apps were

what are some games that can keep them

teaching their kids:

comforted and occupy their mind?”

- Jamie Darcy, Collaborative Real Estate

“There’s a great app called Homer that’s perfect for my two and five-

In response to this, Jesse validated that seniors

year-old. I like that it gives me

are a demographic that is underestimated when

feedback and progress reports on

it comes to gaming:

what and how my child is doing. It made me realize that I need to be looking for the reports in other apps on what my children are learning.”

- Rebekah Snider, Collaborative Real Estate

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“That’s going to be an area of focus for us going forward. There’s a real opportunity to have an impact – especially around health education.”

- Jesse Lindsley

ABOUT THE HOST

Jesse Lindsley is the Founder and CEO at Thrust Interactive.

At Thrust, Jesse and his team of game developers, behavioral designers, and research scientists have developed an entertainment first, “spinach” second approach to engaging, educating, and empowering kids (as well as their parents) to be healthy, wealthy, and wise. Their main objective with the products they create is getting users to play and enjoy themselves, while never taking their eyes off the prize.

Ultimately, this creates sustainable, trackable progress, i.e. “habit-forming fun.”

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15 CONNECTIONS CREATED

COVID-19: How Adversity Has Led Tech Square Entrepreneurs to Opportunity

60 MINUTES OF CONVERSATION

Whether by necessity or demand, almost every business across the globe needed to transform the way their organization operated since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

This included startups as well, which Eric Ries defined as an “institution designed to create a new product or service under conditions of extreme uncertainty." But because of the extreme uncertainty that the pandemic brought upon on a global scale, it seemed like every type of organization was in the midst of some sort of rapid transformation — startup or not.

With her expertise in business modeling and lean methodology, we invited Georgia Tech Economic Development Lab Entrepreneur Educator, Brandy Nagel, to host a virtual Power Meal.

Together, we gathered online during a lunch hour with a small group of entrepreneurs to discuss how they were leading their businesses in such a turbulent, but transformative time.

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“They knew how to create a business.

What they actually need is to figure out how to re-think a business under new circumstances.”

- Brandy Nagel For a couple of Tech Square business leaders that shared the changes they were managing thus far, there was a common outlook that adversity can lead to opportunity. Coordinated Care Inc., a HealthTech startup led by CEO, Tee Faircloth, “(Lean Startup – Startup) + Post-

is focused on creating solutions for the rural

Disaster Recovery = Lean Recovery”

healthcare crisis.

- Brandy Nagel, Georgia Tech Economic Development Lab

Lean Recovery is a new practice area that Nagel and her team are developing to teach entrepreneurs across the globe. This new way of thinking about economic development is like the lean startup methodology, but

They do this by offering a clinical protocol

shape-shifted: She iterated upon the

and HIPAA-compliant platform that

groundbreaking framework popularized by

streamlines the logistics of patient transfers.

Ries to help business owners quickly recover

Nationally, over a third of rural hospitals are

from a crisis-induced slowdown, and adapt to

at risk of closing, while urban hospitals are

an emerging new reality. Nagel realized the

dealing with capacity issues. Even before the

concept of this framework during her flight

COVID-19 pandemic, Coordinated Care Inc.

back home, after teaching a lean startup

worked with overcrowded urban hospitals to

methodology program in Puerto Rico during

move patients to “empty” rural hospitals for

the wake of Hurricane Maria in 2017. “Even

their post-acute care. But as the pandemic

while I was teaching the class I was thinking,

began to ramp up and the concern grew that

‘This is not the material that this group

our national health system would reach its

needs,’” Nagel shared during our small online

tipping point, the necessity of their services

group discussion.

led to their expansion.

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Co-Founded by Anik Khan, MaxRewards was created to empower consumers to make smarter financial decisions. Their awardwinning app helps users manage their credit card accounts and maximize their credit card rewards and savings. “A big part of our focus is helping people earn points and miles so they can travel. The travel industry has been completely disrupted, so the urgency of wanting to use those points to go somewhere has changed,” Khan explained.

They’ve had to shift their focus from maximizing their users’ travel-reward earning "We’ve pivoted [because of] the urgent

potential to promoting local commerce.

necessity, but we haven’t pivoted our core product. We’ve actually expanded on it.”

- Tee Faircloth, Coordinated Care Inc.

This urgency even led them to get involved in Washington D.C., requiring Faircloth to write his first-ever senate bill. “We managed to get it from my twisted brain to the U.S. Senate floor in three days, but unfortunately it didn’t pass on the first go,” he said coyly. But they’re feeling hopeful for the next iteration he’s working on. “We have almost every candidate in the Democratic presidential nomination and several members of Republican leadership supporting this bill, so we're hoping to get this through.”

With travel bans mandated across the globe as a measure to prevent the spread of the virus, the team at MaxRewards, a TechStarsbacked financial technology startup, had to make a substantial change in their roadmap.

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“The demand for ways to save is very high right now. Focusing on that, we’re making sure that our roadmap supports this [new] world where people care [even more] about maximizing things they have, supporting local businesses, and creating commerce in a responsible way with all these restrictions.”

- Anik Khan, MaxRewards

Happening later in the year, the team is also launching their Local Deals feature in Atlanta and New York City. The feature launch will allow users to earn extra cashback when they pay for a purchase using a card connected to the MaxRewards mobile app. Because the user pays for their purchase in full and gets extra cashback after the fact, the user earns rewards on the pre-discount total. To jumpstart the launch, they’ll be funding deals for up to 50 restaurants. With the help of users referring their favorite restaurants in Atlanta and New York City, the team expects to onboard hundreds of restaurants.

ABOUT THE HOST

Brandy Nagel is a Research Faculty and Entrepreneur Educator at the Georgia Tech Economic Development Lab. She works with campuses and communities all over the world to create communities where startups There is a universal consensus that the world we are living in has fundamentally changed, and the right mix of creativity, agility, and strategic implementation will determine how businesses will proceed beyond this period of great uncertainty.

can grow and thrive. Lean startup is the methodology – and she's been doing it since 2012. Brandy has worked with entrepreneurship educators from some of the best schools in the U.S., India, South Korea, Chile, and more.

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10 CONNECTIONS CREATED

3

The State of Fitness Tech and Personal Data Management

THOUGHTPROVOKING QUESTIONS

Regardless of whether you track your health and fitness progress with your phone, smartwatch, or wristband, do you ever wonder about other ways these technology companies use your data?

To explore this topic with Tech Square resident researchers and technologists, we invited Norh Asmare, PhD student at the Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, to host a Power Meal about the evolution of personal tech and data management.

“My research focuses on making small biomedical devices, not necessarily health data. But personally, I am interested in health data and the ‘quantified self,’ which is attaching numbers to you as an individual and to your performance.”

- Norh Asmare, Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering

WHOOP, a fitness technology company that includes a wristband, app, and a community in their performance management system

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“It took them a very long time to even release the first version of what they thought was viable,” explained Asmare, “For the main reason being that anonymizing the person from their data [was the challenge.]” So far, only three U.S. states agreed to use it, but none have actually adopted it. The goal of this collaborative effort between these rival tech companies was to empower public health agencies to build the API into their own apps, so they can roll it out to users.

Though software companies have emphasized released an update to their mobile apps back

that information security is at the top of their

in April to make it easier for users to monitor

agenda, privacy concerns with data

and interpret their respiratory rates. “They

anonymization have long plagued consumers.

have a whole data team focused on

“What I think about contact tracing is not just

monitoring and analyzing your sleep,” shared

a privacy issue. It’s also a calibration issue,”

Asmare, who formerly worked at WHOOP as

Gustav Nilsson expressed, who is a

a Signal Processing Engineer. Though the

Postdoctoral Fellow at the Georgia Tech

app has been tracking user respiratory rates

School of Electrical and Computer

throughout sleep for years, they fast-tracked

Engineering. “What if it ends up that 25

this release in response to the pandemic

percent of the population gets notifications

because they knew that an increased

that you have been in close contact with

respiratory rate can be indicative of viral

someone who has tested positive? The privacy

infection symptoms.

issues are a concern as well, but I think I would turn off my phone from time to time if it

With COVID-19 contact tracing solutions still

was installed in the operating system.”

a slow-moving development for most public health organizations across the globe, renowned tech giants and private fitness technology companies like WHOOP have taken the initiative to develop software to help solve the problem. For example, Google and Apple's coronavirus exposure notification application programming interface (API) released in May.

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Data inaccuracy was another concern brought up during the lunchtime discussion. “What’s an acceptable margin of error and how accurate are these devices?” Tech Square ATL Social Club member, Ben Beck, pondered. “If there is a five percent or 10 percent chance that some app is telling you that you are symptomatic based on data that is inaccurate, I imagine that could open up all sorts of legal issues.”

Pranav Gupta, Georgia Tech Graduate Research Assistant, shared this concern. “When companies are using this data, they are probably looking at the worst case scenario and notifying as many people as they can about visiting a physician.”

In regards to allowing tech companies to share personal health data, data monetization was another point of concern. “What if they are selling my information for research and using it inappropriately, can that somehow negatively impact me?” expressed Jonathan Cornelius, Property Manager at Collaborative Real Estate. “Will my insurance rates change because [the company] has this huge history of my heart rate being elevated, making it known that I’m predisposed for health issues?”

With all things considered, there was a general consensus that personal data sharing and monetization is just part of living in these times. “Maybe it is better to focus on how I can protect it,” Nilsson concluded. “I think all of it comes down to identifying data and perhaps how confident you are that companies are de-identifying your data before selling it. That is one of the more important things,” Gupta shared. “Do you think it would be more comfortable if there was a method of de-identification of the data at a personal level before sending it to these tech companies, or do you trust the tech companies to do it for you?”

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ABOUT THE HOST

Norh Asmare is currently in the M.S.E.E thesis program at the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. He received his B.S.E in Electrical Engineering from Suffolk University in 2014. After graduation, he worked at a Boston-based wearable fitness device startup named WHOOP as a Digital Signal Processing/Firmware Engineer. He is very interested in working in the intersection between electrical devices and systems and biological environments, ranging from micro/nano device design to writing software that runs on said devices.

Outside of school, Norh enjoys live music, food festivals, scenic spots, and the old Kanye.

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10 CONNECTIONS CREATED

2,715

How COVID-19 Disrupted More Than Toilet Paper

MEGABYTES OF BANDWIDTH USED

Operations leaders from Atlanta – and beyond – took an afternoon break at Tech Square ATL Social Club’s virtual Power Meal to discuss the success and failures in logistics stemming from COVID-19 disruptions.

Hosted by Ian Edelson (Amazon), other participants included Laron Burns (Siemens), Melanie Davis (Siemens), and Maxwell Bonnie (Saltbox).

As we watched the world demand an increase in toilet paper, hand sanitizers, and face masks, Laron Burns, Consulting Commodity Manager, was busy calculating out how to continue the supply chain at Siemens. She found herself negotiating directly with governments instead of companies to maintain global supply lines.

“I buy a lot of electronic components for our supply contract manufacturers. Many electronics are in the Asian market and many of those places were completely shut down. So we had to figure out ways to try and convince governments, sometimes it was state governments, that certain companies should stay open because they are considered essential.”

- Laron Burns, Siemens

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As CEO of Saltbox, a startup that provides warehouse and office space to members, Maxwell Bonnie saw firsthand how smaller companies were impacted. Many needed to pivot and invest in new technologies that allowed them to fulfill back orders. Ian Eldeson, Operations Manager at Amazon, gave some insight on why ports are the biggest pain point for people in regards to getting their supply. He directed Power Meal attendees to look more into the Baltic Dry Index, a shipping and trade index that measures the changes in the cost of transporting various raw materials.

ABOUT THE HOST

Ian Edelson joined Amazon in 2019 as an Operations Manager after completing his M.B.A. at Georgia Institute of Technology's Scheller College of Business. A selfproclaimed logistics nerd, he loves figuring out how things work and simplifying complex processes.

Outside of work, Ian enjoys perusing estate sales and has recently been printing his own cards on an antique printing press he restored.

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21 CONNECTIONS CREATED

2 COMMUNITIES BROUGHT TOGETHER

The Meaning of Space Exploration

There’s so much emphasis on space exploration as of late – from both public and private entities doing big things to hit TV shows being binged-watched to SpaceX launching a four-person crew into orbit mid-November.

So we asked George N. Tzintzarov, a fourth-year PhD student in electrical and computer engineering at Georgia Tech, to host a Power Meal around the meaning of space exploration.

With his expertise in microelectronics and photonics, paired with his research around SiliconGeranium (SiGe) devices and circuits in partnership with NASA, we knew he’d be the perfect person to lead such a discussion. And in order to make a deep impact, we invited some of Tech Square ATL Social Club’s biggest enthusiasts and experts from all our different communities (Centergy One, Tech Square Research Building, Georgia Tech) to safely gather over lunch at Technology Enterprise Park to discuss the topics at hand.

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THE INNATE HUMAN INTEREST IN SPACE Can anyone truly put a finger on why, for as long as we can remember, people have been so curious about knowing what’s in outer space? As Gary O’Neill (Senior Aerospace and Defense Specialist-COI Aerospace, Georgia Department of Economic Development) remarks, “We’ve been studying space since Babylon; it’s part of our DNA.” But is it just the unknown in general that captivates us, the whole vastness of it all, the data and findings from it, or something else all together? Dominick Constanza (Property Manager, Collaborative Real Estate) believes it’s because “we’re all natural explorers.” And others would agree.

Whether it’s galvanizing the human spirit, or just deepening our understanding, going to and exploring outer space is truly fascinating. But is it worth the price tag that accompanies it?

QUITE THE PRETTY PENNY NASA's budget for 2020 alone is $22.629 billion, which is not only mind-blowing (to some), but also a 5.3 percent increase from the previous fiscal year. Return on investment (ROI) is especially tricky in this department, with some attendees citing it’s an investment in knowledge and technology, while others viewed it from an entirely different perspective – what’s the cost of not knowing?

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For instance, we use satellites in space to help predict natural disasters, and ultimately put into place a plan of action, including warning the general public. But what would it cost if we didn’t have these capabilities? The cost would be detrimental – not only to the planet, but to the human race, as well.

Fortunately, there’s ROI support for the space program – during the Apollo missions, the ROI was around $7 for every $1 spent. And in today’s climate, it’s an estimated ROI of $40 for every $1 spent on space development. This includes new jobs, advanced technologies, and the overall economic impact of further pushing the frontier.

INVOLVEMENT IN SPACE EXPLORATION A big question still remains – if our tax dollars are collectively helping to fund the space program, who all gets to be involved in such exploration? Historically, as Blake Tiede (Graduate Research Assistant, Georgia Tech Aerospace Systems Design Lab) recalls, “The first astronauts weren’t even scientists – they were fighter pilots in the Air Force and Navy.” And there’s some that believe non-engineers make the better pilots. But should space exploration just be left to the scientists, or can the general public be involved – and to what capacity?

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Sure, space experts are necessary. Vital, even. Still, there’s varying degrees involved – aerospace, computer engineering, astronomy, physics. Not to mention, specialists in relatable, yet atypical, fields – like botanists and 3D printers – could be incredibly valuable. But what about the general public?

The general consensus at the table was that everyone should be able to be involved. But again, there are ranges.

As Mike Bonner (CEO, 1710 Music LLC) points out, “Do people involved want to see Mars, or see data from Mars? The difference is, what are you really exploring?”

And this distinction is crucial. Leo Prinzi (Product Director, Carbice Corporation) adds to this notion, stating that he likes “the idea that we as people don’t have to go to Mars, but it’s good to know what the data is [behind it, in order] to keep space exploration [continuing].”

Our gracious host, George, couldn’t agree more: “Involvement in space exploration is similar to involvement in sports teams – there’s varying levels of ‘fans,’ but everyone is part of that community one way or another. We’re all in this together.”

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EXPLORING SPACE IS HERE TO STAY As the conversations continued over catered lunch from Atwoods Pizza Cafe in Midtown, one thing was evident – space exploration isn’t going anywhere (for now), so everyone should find their own level of participation – voluntarily. Whether the investment in the space program resonates with you in the form of time or money, or something completely different, the program and funding will carry on.

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ABOUT THE HOST

George N. Tzintzarov received his Bachelor’s and Master’s of Science degrees in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2016 and 2020, where he is currently pursuing his PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering. He is advised by Dr. John D. Cressler, with his research focusing on the effects of radiation on silicon-photonic systems.

George was awarded the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship in 2018 and has received numerous awards from the Georgia Institute of Technology, including the Love Family Foundation Award in 2016 (the highest honor Georgia Tech gives to a student) and the IEEE NPSS Phelps Continuing Education Grant in 2020.

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

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240 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

4

Local Innovators Safely Come Together to Discuss the Future of Electric Vehicles

TESLAS INSIDE THE CLUBHOUSE

Tuesday, September 22 was more than just the first official day of fall. It was also Tesla’s Battery Day, where details on current and future battery technologies were shared.

To celebrate such an occasion, Tech Square ATL Social Club joined in on the hype to host our first hybrid (both in-person and virtual) event since the pandemic. We partnered with none other than the Tesla Owners Club of Atlanta to ensure the Fireside Chat was a success – and safe.

Around 50 attendees donned masks and had their temperature taken before entering the 9,000 square foot Clubhouse, which had the side garage doors open to not only provide steady air flow, but also to allow room for all four Tesla models (S, 3, X, and Y) to park in front of the stage for display.

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Shortly after arriving, the in-person

the discussion was about to start. At promptly

attendees were provided complimentary

5:15 p.m., the following four expert panelists

refreshments – but not until they answered

took their seats on stage:

the question of “What’s one thing you wish was battery-powered that isn’t currently?”

Gabe Graves

Responses ranged from city buses to

Second-Year Materials Science Major,

construction vehicles to electric hair tools,

Georgia Tech

with the top three most popular answers

Solar and MPPT Subteam Lead on Georgia

being:

Tech's Solar Racing Team

1. My house 2. Shoes 3. Lights

Venus Desai Co-Founder/CEO, NuGen Systems Building battery-based solutions for

However, the real winning response (in our

replacing lead-acid batteries and gas

books, at least) was: “A robot to walk the

generators

dog daily at an affordable price.” Are you taking note, Musk? You need to give the

Terry Travis

people what they want! Okay, let’s step

President, Tesla Owners Club Atlanta

away from future fantasies and get back to

Helping others learn and understand the

the festivities.

benefits of electric vehicles

As in-person guests dined and networked,

Mark Wasiele

the countdown for the livestream of the

Tech Square Investor and Operator, TEQ

Fireside Chat began, ultimately notifying

Charging (started through CREATE-X)

those that wished to attend virtually that

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For approximately 45 minutes, our in-house livestream moderator asked the panelists a variety of questions around Tesla, Battery Day expectations, the future of battery technology, electric vehicle infrastructure, and more:

“When comparing the cost to install solar panels versus the cost to run your home from the current grid, using the power company is currently still cheaper over a 25 year period [approximately]. We'll need cheaper and higher efficiency solar cells to close this gap, in addition to lowering battery costs for energy storage.”

- Gabe Graves, Second-Year Materials Science Major, Georgia Tech

“The problem for people adopting electric vehicles isn't range anxiety with the miles they can travel, it's the infrastructure in place when you do run out. How quickly and how available the charging is when the vehicle is parked is the industry's biggest problem today.”

- Venus Desai, Co-Founder/CEO, NuGen Systems

“I think battery tech and storage is part of the problem, but I think the infrastructure is one of the biggest issues. As price/kilowatt continues to drop, we need a more robust charging infrastructure, to the point that it's ubiquitous to gas stations.”

- Terry Travis, President, Tesla Owners Club Atlanta

“As we get into the hyper-growth part of the electric vehicle and battery charging curve, the power companies are going to have to understand the behaviors of these customers and adjust their business model to meet their needs.”

- Mark Wasiele, Tech Square Investor/Operator, TEQ Charging

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To watch the full livestream, check out

With the new batteries they’re

youtube.com/c/TechSquareATL.

producing and other advancements, Tesla has a goal of building a $25,000

Once the Fireside Chat concluded, we

electric car for consumers.

shared the much-anticipated Tesla Battery Day livestream on all of The

Following the livestream, attendees stuck

Clubhouse projectors and screens, where

around to discuss what was announced

Elon Musk announced a range of exciting

from the livestream, chat further about

information, such as:

what they learned from the Fireside Chat,

Tesla is going to manufacture its own

and most importantly, explore each of the

batteries, instead of purchasing them

four Tesla vehicles parked inside The

from Panasonic. These new batteries

Clubhouse. From a heat-projecting fireplace

will be called “4680 cells.” They are

on the dashboard to a self-driving (summon

predicted to be six times more

mode) vehicle demonstration, showcasing

powerful and increase the range of

the magnitude of what the current vehicles

their cars by 16 percent.

could do only amplified the excitement of

A new version of the Tesla Model S,

what is to come for Tesla.

named “Plaid,” will have a range of 520 miles and go from 0-60 mph in

But it didn’t end there. The connections that

less than two seconds. This would

were made that evening expanded far

make it the fastest production car in

beyond the four walls of The Clubhouse.

the world.

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Startup entrepreneurs were connected with investors. Students were introduced to consultants. EV enthusiasts met fellow techies.

In a time where isolation is starting to weigh heavy on people and medical professionals are having growing concerns about the long-term effects of social distancing, we are proud to have curated an environment where like-minded individuals could come together – safely – to connect and collaborate with each other in a setting that only further drives growth and innovation.

Just like the future of battery technology is closer than we think, so is the new norm of getting community members together in a way that is both productive and socially responsible.

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Visit Tesla Owners Club of Atlanta's website for more information on our partner’s organization.

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39 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

Aerospace Experts Lead Panel Discussion at Space Soirée

4 PANELISTS

For the second time since the pandemic, Tech Square ATL Social Club hosted another hybrid (both in-person and virtual), safely-distanced, out-of-this-world event.

On Wednesday, September 30, astronauts and aliens alike gathered at Mission Control (The Clubhouse) for the TSQATL Space Soirée – a themed evening full of complimentary refreshments, guest speakers, networking opportunities, games, prizes, and more.

With the garage doors open once again for steady air flow, attendees suited up (wore masks) and had their vitals checked (temperature taken) before launching into the evening’s festivities.

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Pizza slices eaten

Milky Way chocolates eaten

"Saturn Ring" candies eaten

Of course, no one should enter orbit on an empty stomach, so guests were provided with dehydrated space food (just kidding, it was hot and fresh pizza!) – but not before answering the question of “If you could visit any planet/moon in our solar system, which would it be and why?”

The range of responses were as expansive as our galaxy: “Jupiter, because it looks gorgeous and I wonder if I would feel even smaller than I do on Earth.”

“Europa – there might be signs of life there.”

“Pluto. It really is a planet.”

While in-person attendees networked and noshed, the official countdown for blast-off started, which also notified those that wished to attend virtually that the discussion was about to start.

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Even with no oxygen in space, you could still feel the excitement in the air as our four premier panelists boarded the launchpad, or as we call it, the stage: Phil Clifton Phil is an Aerospace Engineering Masters student at Georgia Tech, who is passionate about the commercial space industry. During his undergraduate years, Phil served as President of the Students for the Exploration and Development of Space at Georgia Tech, as well as in several roles at the Space Frontier Foundation. He has interned at a variety of space industry companies, including SpaceWorks Enterprises and Analytical Graphics.

Rohan Sohani Rohan is a third-year Aerospace Engineering student at Georgia Tech. Born and raised in Johns Creek, Georgia, Rohan has been interested in planes and spacecraft since a young age. During high school, he received his Private Pilot license and is currently working on his Instrument License! Along with his NASA internship, Rohan just completed an internship at Tesla as an Interior Engineering Intern. Outside of academia, he enjoys playing golf and has even recently picked up cooking during quarantine.

Blake Tiede Blake is an Aerospace Engineering Masters student at Georgia Tech, who also completed his undergraduate there as well. With a background in Spacecraft Communications and Guidance Navigation and Controls (GNC), Blake has been funded for his research on electrical propulsion for small aircrafts from NASA. Additionally, his senior design and grad research is centered around missions to Titan, one of Saturn’s many moons.

Gary O'Neill Gary is a Senior Research Engineer with the Georgia Tech School of Aerospace Engineering. He is currently serving as the Senior Aerospace and Defense Specialist of the Center of Innovation for Aerospace (COIA), a unit of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. As part of his focus on technology for COIA, he is the coordinator for the state’s Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Working Group. He has a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering from Georgia Tech and a Masters of Aeronautical Engineering from the Naval Post Graduate School. He joined Georgia Tech as a research faculty member after a 25-year career in the U.S. Navy as an Operational Helicopter Pilot and Acquisition Logistics and Maintenance Expert with two tours in the Naval Air Systems Command.

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For over an hour, our in-house livestream moderator asked the panelists a variety of questions around how they got interested in their respective fields, upcoming space missions they’re excited about, the future of the space program, and more:

“When we went to the moon before, we left a trace there, but did not establish a permanent presence. If we want to be able to venture further into the solar system, it’s imperative that we have the ability to use the moon as a launch platform to send missions from. Think of it as a hub for space transportation.”

- Phil Clifton, Graduate Research Assistant, Georgia Tech Space Systems Design Lab

“As NASA and other companies explore who they want on the crew of their missions, it’s really important to take a look at the man/woman dynamic.

Naturally, certain bodies may be better at certain tasks. I think that having a mix of male and female crews is the way to go. When you’re out in space or on the moon, you have limited resources. Having multiple diverse perspectives is paramount to make sure you can get past problems.”

- Rohan Sohani, Georgia Tech Aerospace Engineering Student, Former NASA Software Development Intern

“The interesting thing with private space companies is that they’re driving prices down for multiple aspects of the aerospace industry. Smaller companies are now able to make satellites very small in size and cheap, making the capabilities crazy. Now you have something so small, you can just tack it onto another mission. There’s now more accessibility for companies to send things to space.”

- Blake Tiede, Graduate Research Assistant, Georgia Tech Aerospace Systems Design Lab

“When comparing the cost to install solar panels versus the cost to run your home from the current grid, using the power company is currently still cheaper over a 25-year period [approximately]. We'll need cheaper and higher efficiency solar cells to close this gap, in addition to lowering battery costs for energy storage.”

- Gary O'Neill, Senior Aerospace and Defense Specialist-COI Aerospace, Georgia Department of Economic Development

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During the discussion, virtual attendees commented throughout the livestream with their specific questions for the panelists to answer, including: “What do you see as the biggest challenge in the aerospace industry right now in 2020?”

“What do you think is the biggest misconception that people have about the aerospace industry, whether that’s in commercial flight, space travel, or any other facet of the discipline?”

“What is your biggest piece of advice for an undergraduate student who is looking to set themselves up for success within the aerospace industry?”

To learn those answers – and to watch the full livestream – check out youtube.com/c/TechSquareATL. Eventually the panel discussion concluded, but the entertainment did not! Guests continued to explore their surroundings by participating in a space-themed guessing game, putting together a solar system puzzle, and testing different launch angles for our rocket stomp challenge.

Networking continued throughout the evening, which was a common theme amongst the panelists, who consistently urged and encouraged those interested in aerospace of any kind to get involved – whether it be through private, local chapters at a university, or via public groups and social clubs, like TSQATL. Engaging and interacting with others who have similar interests, like aerospace, for example, is especially important right now. With the pandemic causing some people to feel as isolated as being on a different planet, we are proud we could once again successfully curate an environment where like-minded individuals could come together – safely – to connect and collaborate with each other in a setting that only further drives growth and innovation.

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

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22 CONNECTIONS CREATED

5

POPULAR METHODS OF COMMUNICATION

Staying Caffeinated and Connected

During mid-May, with the strain of the pandemic in full-effect, TEP’s tenants of engineers and laboratory researchers were bolstered to the forefront for making innovation happen.

With this notion in mind, we stopped by TEP with coffee and doughnuts for a morning pick-meup to research how these busy employees are staying connected to society with so much going on. Interestingly enough, of the people that we caught up with, the majority were sticking with traditional phone calls and text messaging, versus video calls, as a way of connecting. However, and not surprisingly, social media was also mentioned as a way to remain engaged and entertained.

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HOW TEP COMMUNITY MEMBERS STAY CONNECTED DURING THE PANDEMIC

15.4%

23.1%

15.4% 15.4%

30.7%

Phone Call - 15.4%

Text - 23.1% Zoom - 15.4%

FaceTime - 30.7%

Social Media - 15.4%

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45 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

18 DOUGHNUTS EATEN

Doughnuts and Dexterity

Without a cloud in sight, the clear blue skies and sunshine made for a bright National Doughnut Day at TEP.

In honor of this holey holiday (which was started over 50 years ago during World War I by the Salvation Army), we popped up with boxes of these delightful, deep-fried treats from our local favorite, Sublime Doughnuts, in the courtyard.

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Out of the 20 biotechnology engineers and laboratory researchers who stopped by to pick up a treat, we learned that the

NATIONAL DOUGHNUT DAY AT TEP: ARE YOU LEFT- OR RIGHT-HANDED?

majority were right-handed with one outlier: a community member with ambidexterity!

Like this small sample size we caught up with at TEP, it seems that most humans across the world are right-handed.

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Right-handed - 17 1

Left-handed - 1

1

Ambidextrous - 1

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29 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

13 CUPS OF COFFEE CONSUMED

Is 17 the “Most Random” Number?

On National Yellow Pig Day, we went searching to find out if the number 17 was indeed the “most random” number.

There is a theory that people would more often than not pick the number "17" when asked to pick a random number between one and 20. To our surprise and wonder, this was debunked by our TEP community.

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6/13

18 and 19

7/13

Picked odd numbers

Most popular numbers

Picked even numbers

From our small sample size of 13 participants (which is another prime number!) who stopped by for a socially distanced Yellow Pig Day treat, here were our findings: The most popular numbers picked were a tie between numbers 18 and 19 Six out of 13 picked odd numbers Seven out of 13 picked even numbers

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84 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

28 MILK CHOCOLATE SQUARES EATEN

Do Sweet Tooths Prefer Milk or Dark Chocolate?

In honor of National Milk Chocolate Day, we were curious to find out if TEP community members prefer milk chocolate or dark chocolate.

In addition to providing our typical coffee and doughnuts spread, we also had two bowls of Dove’s individually wrapped milk and dark chocolates for patrons to choose from when conversing over which kind they desired more.

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TEP COMMUNITY CHOCOLATE PREFERENCE Abbott

VERO Biotech

Kemira

Georgia Tech

Visitor 0

2

4

Milk Chocolate

6

8

Dark Chocolate

And the proof was in the (chocolate) pudding. Milk chocolate was clearly deserving of its own national holiday, as 64 percent of those polled preferred it over dark chocolate. However, there were definitely some sweet takeaways: VERO Biotech employees seem to be the biggest chocolate enthusiasts at TEP, with a total of 13 votes, eight of which were for milk chocolate Abbott team members were completely divided, with four choosing milk chocolate and four choosing dark chocolate Kemira folks were primarily team milk chocolate, with only one out of the five total votes being for dark chocolate Two additional visitor votes added to milk chocolate’s totals, though it was still strongly favored, regardless

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

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445 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

21 BASEBALL PITCHERS

Franks and Fast-Pitching

With baseball finally back in full swing, we turned the courtyard of TEP into Technology Enterprise [Baseball] Park for the day!

Complete with Fox Dogs catering, Cracker Jacks, and a little friendly speed pitching competition, tenants enjoyed some fresh air and fun while chowing down on tasty ballpark treats.

Being the nerds (and proud of it!) that we are, the Tech Square ATL Social Club team had to add a little technological flair to the whole production.

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Hot dogs eaten

Top baseball pitch speed

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68

37

Hot dogs eaten

mph for the top pitch speed

Bags of potato chips eaten

For the competition, participants were handed a softball with sensors inside that calculated the speed of the throw at a 40-foot pitch distance.

For those that stepped up to the plate (and the challenge!), their pitch speeds were captured by the softball, recording ranges from 27 mph to 65 mph over the two-hour event. To ensure accuracy, TSQATL also set up a GoPro Hero 8 camera at 240 fps to capture the speed of the throws by measuring the distance traveled over time. A pole with markers every six inches aided in the calculations.

Over 20 of the nearly 100 total attendees attempted to be crowned as TEP’s fastest pitchers, but only a few reigned supreme, with Corey Culver clocking in at 68 mph and Praj Kadoor following closely behind at 58 mph. Winners not only received bragging rights, but also a gift card.

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MIND OF A MAKER Mind of a Maker is a demonstration, workshop, or creative activity with community members.

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39 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

4 ELEMENTS OF DESIGN DISCUSSED

Design Principles of Landscaping

People are spending ample time in their homes, now more than ever, which can lead to some serious do it yourself (DIY) projects.

Landscaping has become one of the most popular projects that bridges together nature and creative designs. However, many people have no clue where to begin. Understanding the basic fundamentals behind landscape design and the “why” behind the layout can lead to your dream oasis.

We invited Jonathan Williams, Landscape Design Instructor at Emory University, for an interactive virtual session that covered basic design principles and design knowledge for identifying enhancements in our landscapes.

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PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN In landscaping, there are four elements to consider when designing your vision:

.

“When thinking about your landscape, it is critical to design with intention.”

- Jonathan Williams, Emory University

1. ORDER – This creates the base or framework for the landscape. For example: symmetrical vs. asymmetrical

WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GREAT LANDSCAPE? We asked our attendees, “What makes a great landscape stand out to you?” The top three characteristics included: lots of color, relaxing, and low maintenance.

According to Williams, a great landscape is “Simple. Sustainable. Purposeful. Beautiful.”

2. UNITY – This is the relationship of all the

Before you begin to rip up your driveway or

elements in your design. There are four basic

purchase a ton of expensive plants, you

components of unity. For example:

need to understand the key to a successful

Purposefully incorporating a dominant

project is designing with intention! Here is a

feature in your design that’s unique in size,

guide for observing your space:

color, and texture, like birdbaths, a pond, or a bench.

1. Understand the site!

2. Consider how the space(s) will be used and its function.

3. Determine and develop the overall style of the design.

4. Define the ideal characteristics of the materials within your design/composition.

5. Select final materials (plants and hardscapes).

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3. RHYTHM – Rhythm is used to create a visual sequence, just as music does with a

ABOUT THE HOST

beat. By correctly using rhythm in your design, you can direct the eye through a landscape.

For example: Using repetition is a simple way to unify any landscape by repeating similar elements throughout the design.

Jonathan Williams has over 18 years of experience in the industry as a Landscaping Artist and Project Manager, with a keen understanding of design and creating sustainable 4. VARIETY – This relates to the depth and

landscapes. As an artist, he takes a

interest of design. For example: Using

creative approach to each project

variations of color, texture, and shapes can

using the elements and principles of

help keep your landscape from becoming

design to develop stunning

monotonous.

landscapes. His experience in landscaping design project management informs his firm understanding of the real-world challenges in landscape installation.

He approaches every design with thoughtfulness and with purpose, always considering how the spaces he creates will be used and cared for. His designs gracefully blend structure and nature, with the goal of bringing unity and order to the landscape. Jonathan has worked on projects featured in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyle, as well as high-end residential, commercial office, and retail landscape design. He obtained his Landscape Design Certification from Emory University.

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12 INGREDIENTS

2 HEALTHY SERVINGS

Minimalism in The Kitchen

Even though the state of Georgia has slowly, but surely, opened back up to the general public, the rise of at-home banana bread and sourdough bread making was still on a steady incline.

In fact, more Americans than ever before are opting to cook meals at home – and healthier ones, at that. However, novice chefs are still feeling a bit of uncertainty navigating these new cooking at home waters.

That’s why long-time Tech Square ATL Social Club member, Carrie Moore, took the time on Thursday, June 12, to share with others that cooking doesn’t have to be complicated. During her “Mind of a Maker: Minimalism in The Kitchen” debut, Moore virtually invited attendees into her

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home while she prepped and cooked a healthy, homemade meal and discussed how to master the art of portioning, the simplicity of making healthy food choices on a budget, and basic principles of artful plating techniques.

The end result? A quick and delicious Thai Cashew Quinoa Stir-Fry and some light-hearted chatter around what food items viewers have been purchasing in bulk, the biggest pantry item they miss having, favorite dishes being cooked regularly, and more.

ABOUT THE HOST

Carrie Moore is the Experience Design Lead at Delta's Global Innovation Center, The Hangar, where she uses her expertise in Design Thinking and HumanCentered Design to create the air travel experience of the future.

When she's not working, Carrie enjoys doing yoga, spoiling her cat, Fae, and creating beautiful, healthy vegetarian meals.

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PEER-TO-PEERS Peer-to-Peers are ways for members to stay in the loop by sharing what they’ve been working on and listening to what others in the community are doing.

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28 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

5,430 MEGABYTES OF BANDWIDTH USED

Making More Than Music

On a sunny Thursday afternoon in early April, we caught up with a handful of musical technologists in our community, via Zoom.

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In the music edition of our Peer-to-Peer check-in,

'50s Playlist on Apple Music

we shared the instruments we grew up playing

GRiZ

and found that we all have shared interest in jazz

Vulfpeck

and classical music. If you’re looking for new (or

Khruangbin

familiar) music, here’s some artists our

Hans Zimmer

members have been enjoying:

Tame Impala

A couple of our members are making more than just music. Check out who they are and the technology they’re building: Sunit Kulkarni, Mandala Soundworks ReChord, a music notation app that writes and records music as it is played.

Michael Bonner, 1710 Music LLC New Music Money (beta and website launching soon), an artist revenue management app that helps independent artists track their music royalties and other artist earnings using blockchain technology.

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10 CONNECTIONS CREATED

4 CONSTRUCTIVE QUESTIONS SHARED

2020 Vision

In February 2020, we gathered the community for a strategic goal setting workshop focused on setting intentions and protecting personal energy.

With so many changes quickly taking place, many of us have experienced roadblocks with our initial goals. For this edition of our Tech Square Peer-to-Peer check-in, in late April, we invited Theresa Ward (The Fiery Feather) and a few members back to see how they are doing with their goals and discuss ways we can help each other reset.

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Instead of being hard on yourself or remaining stuck, you also can use this time to pivot or focus on other goals:

“I also had a lot of goals around traveling, specifically for soccer teams.

One of the other goals I set for this year is to learn Spanish, since the people where a lot of the places I wanted to travel to are mainly Spanish speakers.

Since the pandemic hit, I've been more consistent with practicing on DuoLingo."

- Lura McCoy, Gather

The resounding takeaway among the advice

In addition to setting goals, protecting your

shared was to be okay with adjusting or

energy is equally as important. It can

letting go of certain goals.

sometimes be difficult to remain focused and not be distracted by the recent explosion of

"When you have to let go of a goal, you have to have a little funeral for it. I really just had to take a minute to grieve and surrender that goal, and accept that reaching that goal wasn't going to happen at the moment.

Instead of having an internal battle of ‘Maybe things will get back to normal next week, or the week after that.' I just

virtual events or 24-hour news cycles set before us. For many of us seeking advice on how to remain rational and grounded through this process, Theresa offered her four constructive questions she asks that helps her in decision making: 1. What is the unknown/fear?

2. What is true/real?

3. What are all my options?

4. What is my action/choice?

thought, 'It wasn’t in the cards, but that doesn’t change my personal purpose. Is there a goal that I can replace that one with or should I just stay focused on two out of the three?’"

- Theresa Ward, The Fiery Feather

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

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6 CONNECTIONS CREATED

Virus Tracking: Data Sharing Challenges in Healthcare

64 OZ OF BEER CONSUMED

For the Virus Tracking edition of Brains in a Bar, we invited four Tech Square ATL Social Club members to discuss security and efficiency issues in the process of sharing medical data.

Over a few drinks at a secret location that evening, we discussed the importance of being able to track reported data sources, and whether blockchain as a solution could speed up this process and make it more secure.

Across the board, there was an agreement that companies providing medical virus-related data to the world can and should provide more application programming interfaces that are easy to access.

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“We need better quality APIs from the data sources. It would make it easier for multiple people to present the information.”

- Kevin Kyle, Engineer API

Crowd-sourcing the communication and analysis of the data could also be an enormous advantage when it comes to its trustworthiness.

“If [the data] somehow were stripped of personal and sensitive information, it should be made easy to get and fully transparent. The more transparent, the lower the likelihood for a competitive source of data.”

- Ayush Sharma, Mogean

“But blockchain, while being very transparent of data transfer and transactions, can be relatively slow to get each transaction authorized and approved. This slow speed could be a problem for the medical industry when considering the use of blockchain.

Blockchain is, unfortunately, relatively slow. The speed of it would be a factor to think about when creating a virus record system.”

- Andrew Choi, Alexander Babbage

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

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15 CONNECTIONS CREATED

2 ROUNDS OF MEDITATION PRACTICE

The Brain on Meditation

Be honest: How many browser tabs do you have open right now? In addition to the multiple calendar alerts and inbox notifications demanding replies, feeling stressed or restless can be hard to avoid with so many things happening at once.

Meditation is an ancient practice that many have tried to cultivate in order to mitigate the symptoms of stress and anxiety. To explore the topic of meditation and its effects on the brain, we invited yoga and meditation teacher Georgia Deane, Founder and Executive Director of Live Free Yoga, to host our first-ever virtual Recess.

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We also discussed how movement can be an alternative to a seated meditation practice: “I used to walk my two large dogs in the morning while it was dark [, before the sun came up]. I really enjoyed that quiet time because there weren’t people or traffic around. That’s when I realized During an hour-long break from our workday, we gathered online with members

that it was a meditative time for me.”

- Vickie Palmer, AURP

of our community to learn about the impact

“I think it’s important to remember that our

of meditation on brain functions, and got to

meditation practice doesn't need to be this

apply different methods we learned from

extended 30-minute or one-hour long

Deane during a guided meditation practice.

session each day,” Deane explained.

“Meditation practice can be as short as a

There was a general consensus that it’s

minute long, where you're focused on taking

difficult to cultivate a consistent practice:

10 deep breaths. Making those [short practices] a habit can bring about profound

“My meditation practice has been

shifts,” she recommended.

pretty sporadic. I can be pretty easily distracted and can fall asleep at any moment while practicing. I move between those two places of trying not to fall asleep or struggling to focus on something.”

- Kylie Alea, Fixd

“I don’t have a consistent practice at all. People say that it’s best to do it in the morning, but I find that my mind is racing with what I need to get done instead.”

- Lorin Willen, Collaborative Real Estate

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ABOUT THE HOST Georgia Deane is a Yoga and Meditation Instructor with over 800 hours of training and years of personal practice. Relying on both Eastern and Western wisdom, she references neuroscientific studies to inform her teaching of this ancient practice. She is focused on making meditation accessible and practical so that more people can feel confident to try it and stick with it. She is a Georgia Tech Alumni who holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Affairs, and is currently working on her Master’s degree in Counseling at Albany State University.

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

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10 CONNECTIONS CREATED

3,620 MEGABYTES OF BANDWIDTH USED

Harnessing the Power of AR/VR

During the Harnessing the Power of AR/VR Showcase, our host, Dana Xavier Dojnik, and fellow Tech Square ATL Social Club members discussed the future of AR and VR. Attendees discussed how there is a need for a practical application for AR/VR to expand and really push forth these technologies.

“I think all this excitement with entertainment and gaming is great as far as the consumer interest. As said earlier, there is a need for a larger investment to accelerate the progress. I think that will only come when there is an industrial or commercial application, when a substantial game changer comes to exist.”

- Steve Chen, Keysight Technologies

AR/VR is being used more in classroom environments because of what has been found in multiple studies. Since you have a captive audience, the method of how VR gets translated by your brain results in a 40 to 65 percent better recollection and recognition of the presented data.

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“I saw how this is being used for seventh and eighth graders to learn about Biology. They would learn how to dissect a frog using AR/VR technology, which is fascinating to me.”

- Brandy Nagel, Georgia Tech Economic Development Lab

AR/VR is also being used in training

There are multiple opportunities and

environments:

applications to expand AR/VR, whether it’s through mobile apps that allow you to

“I have heard about AR/VR a lot in the training space. For instance, how Delta

visualize a couch in your home, or the use of AR glasses to help build things.

uses it to train flight attendants on plane layouts. It’s also used for customer experience, which is

ABOUT THE HOST

something we do at our hub.”

- John-Patrick Floyd, Accenture

Dana Xavier Dojnik is a multi-awardwinning AR and VR Strategist with over 20 years of digital media experience. She speaks and lectures globally on emerging technology for industrial, educational, marketing, and enterprise applications.

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

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6 PUZZLE HUNTERS

3 SCAVENGER HUNT CLUES

Scavenger Hunt

As the global pandemic was in full force at the end of April 2020, so were the effects of isolation.

In order to keep spirits (and sanity) high, Tech Square ATL Social Club shifted focus from the new norm of constant Zoom calls to encouraging those that were physically at TEP to safely come together for a little mental health break and fun in the form of a scavenger hunt.

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Participants were given a series of clues

Over the course of a week, several entries

that were located in various places at

were submitted online. But only one can be

TEP – on lobby screens, in stairwells, and

crowned the winner and that was none other

physical signage around the building:

than TEP’s security detail, Rebekah Hippolyte. She was the proud recipient of a

1. Find your first clue on the TEP lobby screen. Add the code together and

$25 gift card to Domino’s and of course, bragging rights.

submit your answer.

2. Your answer is located somewhere at

The big clue revealed to us? TEP tenants are

the front of the building. Take a pic of

extreme puzzle lovers – and seriously

the sign that has your code and

competitive.

company name on it.

3. Congrats! You’ve reached the last part of the puzzle: In the stairwell that you may use periodically, you’ll find the piece to the last riddle. Good luck!

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11 NEW HEADSHOT PHOTOS TAKEN

2

The Importance Of and Science Behind Profile Pictures

YEARS ON AVERAGE BETWEEN PROFILE PICTURE UPDATES

As with everything we do, we wanted to better understand the research and science behind selecting the “best” profile picture.

So, we got camera-ready and headed over to TEP to take complimentary headshots of our community members for all their digital needs. While our in-house photographer made sure to capture everyone’s best angles, we asked attendees when they last updated their profile pic.

The majority of responses were two years ago, with three years ago being the next most popular answer. So is everyone out there just getting catfished? Is it even a big deal if you don’t update it that often? Or ever?

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TEP HEADSHOT DAY: WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU UPDATED YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PROFILE PICTURE? 2 Years Ago 3 Years Ago 1 Year Ago Within last 6 months 0

1

2

3

4

There’s been a plethora of research done around this topic, like the different elements that have the largest impact on an audience, the psychology and science behind influencing via your profile pic, and even this finding from Psychological Science that “underscores the vital importance of a profile picture and the effect it has on making an impression.” Fortunately for you, an overview of all the best practices (backed by science) has been outlined here.

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36 CONNECTION OPPORTUNITIES

5

Using VR and Tech to Reduce Fear Response

PHOBIAS DISCUSSED

To close out spOoOoky season, Tech Square ATL Social Club invited the bravest of members to join in on an immersive, virtual reality experience with a haunting twist.

Over the course of two days, nine people showed up at The Clubhouse to face their fears by (virtually) transporting themselves 80 stories high via the new Oculus Quest 2 VR headset.

Combining the virtual world of Richie's Plank Experience with real world wooden planks, attendees tricked their brains into feeling as if they were actually in a situation that would be pretty terrifying for those with acrophobia, the extreme or irrational fear of heights. A portable fan was also added towards the end of the plank to provide a physical sensation of “wind” as they approached the edge.

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Prior to walking the plank, community members discussed phobias, an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something, in general – and what their specific ones were: Heights Spiders Close spaces Water Traffic (we hear ya, ATLiens) A few attendees even cited they were fearful of nothing, which could be pretty scary in itself. As the late Sean Connery (who happened to pass away on Halloween) once said, “If you fear nothing, you love nothing. If you love nothing, what joy can there be in life?”

Also in attendance was Mitsuko Ito, a Georgia Tech School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) Admin Professional, to help us dive a bit deeper into fears, and solutions to negate them.

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), is an alternative therapy started in the 1990s for anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other conditions. Ito stated that EFT Tapping is one way she helps to manage stress, or fears. It’s a newer mindbody tool which research is revealing quickly affects the amygdala (fear response), while also having the effects of vagus nerve stimulation, which supports the parasympathetic (calming) response.

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10 CONNECTIONS CREATED

13 COOKIES EATEN

Round Table: Marketing for Entrepreneurs

In light of entrepreneurs day on November 17, 2020, we gathered at Tech Square ATL Social Club’s Clubhouse to have a round table discussion with fellow entrepreneurs to exchange tips for self promotion.

Five startup-minded community members came together to discuss and share tips on how to use marketing and social media to help grow themselves and their ideas/companies.

During the two-hour round table, topics discussed included getting over self-consciousness of promoting yourself, resumes versus portfolios for pitching your ideas, new marketing trends, and diminishing returns on your marketing technology/electronics (how much should you invest in this current video-call world).

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Attendees included: Veronica Woodruff, Founder of Travelsist, who recently joined the Microsoft startup and is working on sustainability for them.

Krysta Silva, newly found entrepreneur, who recently won the 2020 Shark Tank of Wellness student competition.

Dianna King, Founder of Dianna’s Foods, which makes vegan condiments and is looking for biodegradable packets for distribution.

Eric Thompson, Founder of Walimu.gg, and currently a manager at Spelman’s Innovation Lab. And our takeaways? Well, we had quite a few. For starters: “LinkedIn is gold,” Veronica mentioned. “You create momentum for the company by posting from your perspective.”

Others also agreed that the best way to get over self-consciousness is by finding out how you want to portray yourself online and if that is inline with your company/idea.

Additionally, we discussed current technology in order to have good quality Zoom calls and investor pitches. One of the recommendations included this adjustable tripod that can be used with a camera or your phone and this collapsible phone holder.

One last piece of advice from Veronica: “Taking the wrong investment can ruin your company.

Always work with people you trust in your gut.”

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24 CONNECTIONS CREATED

4 VIDEO GAME CONSOLES

Making Connections Offline: Tech Square Video Game Night

Feeling stir-crazy, Zoom-fatigued, and uninspired? You’re not alone.

As those short December days marked the tenth month of the COVID-19 pandemic, coping with stress hadn’t gotten any easier.

Like many people across the world, some of us at Tech Square ATL Social Club turned to video games to ease the loneliness and creative blocks caused by the times.

Video games can also serve as a platform for socialization, in addition to transporting us to different worlds and letting us embark on missions more imaginative than our daily tasks.

Virtual escapism aside, nothing can take the place of human interaction. As communal beings, the need for human interaction is hardwired in our DNA.

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So, with the garage doors open for steady airflow in our 9,000 square foot community workspace, we invited TSQATL Social Club members and guests to take a comfortable, socially-distanced seat at The Clubhouse for our first-ever Video Game Night. Masked attendees got to relax with some refreshments and joined in on some friendly competition, while connecting over favorite video games.

To our surprise, we learned that a handful of participants do not have a video game console at home. This made the rounds of Mario Kart Wii and the attempts at Mortal Kombat X’s fatality combinations all the more fun. The daring ones among us even signed up to be transported 80 stories high via the new Oculus Quest 2 VR headset.

Most of us got to take a nostalgic favorite to

TECH SQUARE VIDEO GAME NIGHT: Do you have a video game console at home?

the next level with Mario Kart Live. By controlling a real-life Mario Kart, via Nintendo Switch, around The Clubhouse as its race course, it was fun to see everyone acclimate themselves into the future of video games with augmented reality.

40%

The best part of Video Game Night?

60%

Witnessing the joy from human connection, and seeing people push themselves out of their comfort zone by (safely) introducing themselves to someone new. From attendee-generated input, we learned that

40%

No Video Game Console

60%

Has Video Game Console

each attendee met at least two new people throughout the evening.

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PARTNERS 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.

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Spring 2020 Virtual Pitch Competition

On Friday, April 17, six startups pitched their ideas to three local judges, virtually, for the first Virtual Pitch Competition, produced by Startup Exchange (SX).

So, we partnered up with the Georgia Tech student organization to help livestream the pitches.

The competition was streamed to both Tech Square ATL Social Club's YouTube page, and Startup Exchange’s Facebook page, allowing for the startups to also take questions from the viewing audience that were submitted in real-time, via YouTube chat.

To minimize the occurrence of technical difficulties, each startup’s pitch was captured ahead of time, and the video was played during the livestream for the judges to see for the first time. The judge’s feedback, and Q&A with the startup founders, however, were live.

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Deciding a winner was a difficult one, but Slate came through with the first place prize. Founder, Kiandra Peart, is making us rethink the way we recycle paper, by using the prize money to prototype the first Reverse Printer. The device promises to take any piece of paper with ink or writing, and remove the printed ink, producing a clean sheet ready to be printed on again immediately.

WINNERS: 1ST PLACE: SLATE 2ND PLACE: GYMSPLAT PEOPLE’S CHOICE: FASTPATH JUDGES: SETH RADMAN BLANCA GARCIA RAHUL SAXENA Watch the full livestream replay here.

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

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During the spring semester of 2020, Georgia

Virtual Demo Day

Tech civic organization, Bits of Good (BoG), worked closely with nine non-profits building out applications to satisfy the administrative and user needs for each organization.

We captured the excitement of the Launch Party at the beginning of the semester, where the students formed initial teams of designers, engineers, and product managers and met their nonprofit partners for the first time. Bits of Good, however, had to pivot their annual Demo Day, where students conduct live presentations of their client projects, to an online showcase featured on their website.

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We caught up with James Wang as he reflected on his past year as Bits of Good’s Executive Director: “In the past semester, our organization has grown immensely. From 60 to 150 members in the past year, with 50 new members from this past semester alone.

The number of non-profits we’ve worked with has also increased and every team has grown to have more support than semesters past. One of our biggest milestones this year is that Bits of Good is now a part of the Vertically Integrated Program (VIP) at Georgia Tech, so students are getting credit for their hard work! Lastly, the virtual display of all our projects this semester is an incredible feat from our team. I don’t know of many, if any, organizations who’ve had the transparency as ours for such projects. Our executive team is so proud of the way it’s all turned out.”

- James Wang, Bits of Good

One Bits of Good team partnered with the Philadelphia Alliance for Child Trauma Services (PACTS) and the Evidence-based Practice and Innovation Center (EPIC) to build MapScout, an interactive resource map that allows people to easily access behavioral and mental health services, as well as providing client admins with an easier system to post information.

You can learn more about MapScout and other semester projects by visiting bitsofgood.org/projects.

ABOUT BITS OF GOOD Bits of Good is home to engineers and artists.

They believe in empowering the non-profits and democratizing technology for social good.

Their organization develops real-world applications and promotes learning and mentorship at all levels, both from team members of diverse skill sets and from the close-knit, passionate club community.

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FALL FORWARD: Tech Students Move Into the Upcoming Semester

The buzz in the air at Tech Square was almost tangible mid-August, with university students settling in for the upcoming semester.

At the tail-end of the highly-anticipated move-in days, there were parked cars with blinking headlights, plastic-wrapped dorm accessories, and the last fleet of suitcases hastily rolling into elevators on hold. This was especially true for those of us at Tech Square ATL Social Club, where students spent the majority of last week using The Clubhouse as their check-in site to move into Square on Fifth (SQ5).

In the backdrop of the back-to-school bustle were stark reminders of the pandemic: mask stations, hand sanitizers, and testing sites around the neighborhood.

“Since I am living at SQ5, they completely revamped how the move-in process would be,” shared Rohan Sohani, a Georgia Tech Aerospace Engineering student who is back on campus after spending his spring semester as an intern at NASA. “They stretched out move-in over a couple of days and had time slots for specific apartments throughout the day.”

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The unusual move-in experience aside, the first days of the fall semester had finally arrived.

Seemingly for Sohani, it was exciting to be back at school, despite the added steps and routines brought on by health and safety precautions.

“I already experienced issues with professors not being able to use online video conferencing effectively. It’s a learning curve for sure,” he shared. “But luckily, professors have been pretty responsive and open to communication.”

In a time where the U.S. and other countries are reigniting their interest in outer space exploration, Sohani’s enthusiasm for his chosen career path has only grown, despite the odds.

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“I am looking forward to really taking a deep dive into my major, and getting into the nitty gritty of what it means to be an aerospace engineer,” Sohani shared.

“Through [aerospace engineering], I hope to be a part of projects that help the U.S. establish its presence as a multi-planetary nation,” he beamed. “I also am really excited to see my friends again! Due to my spring internship, I haven’t seen some of them since 2019."

When it comes time to focus, the added adjustments that come with the throes of a pandemic can make it even more challenging to get back into the swing of things. But just like it was seemingly impossible to launch humans into space, we did it by persevering past the obstacles – together.

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

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Fireside Chat with Marc Gorlin

Startup Exchange reached out the beginning of the fall semester to join forces in hosting a hybrid Fireside Chat with a local serial entrepreneur.

It can be a difficult road turning an idea into a profitable business. It’s even more difficult to get others to commit to your product with their hearts and minds along the way. Marc Gorlin, CoFounder of Kabbage (recently acquired by AmEx) and Roadie, shared takeaways from his personal experience in launching successful companies during a live Q&A session, with attendees being both virtual and at The Clubhouse.

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GORLIN CO-FOUNDED HIS FIRST COMPANY, PRETTY GOOD PRIVACY (PGP) WITH PHIL ZIMMERMANN. IT STARTED WITH A JOURNALISTIC PURSUIT.

"It started out of journalism school when I was looking for an idea. On the bus in NYC, I read this story on USA Today about this cryptographer in Boulder, CO that the government had chased around. [So I] gave Phil a call — that's where the journalism background came in — and I proceeded to have a three-hour conversation with [him]."

HOW A DELAYED DELIVERY BOX OF BATHROOM TILES INSPIRED THE IDEA FOR ROADIE. “There’s bound to be someone leaving Birmingham right now heading to Montgomery. If I just knew who they were, surely they’ll put a box of tile in their truck, HOW STUDYING JOURNALISM AT UGA HAS

[and I can] give them $20 [since] they’re

HELPED WITH SERIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP.

coming this way anyway.

That’s when it hit me – there’s this

“I did this right out of journalism school

unbelievable transportation heatmap that

when I was 23. [Journalism school was

exists around all of us. Every face you see

helpful in that] a lot of being an

on this Zoom screen hops in a car and goes

entrepreneur is being able to use the

places everyday. The combination of all of

spoken and written word to explain

us [in the U.S.] is 250 million vehicles and 4

something to other people. You have an

billion cubic feet of excess capacity. It’s

idea you're always selling to somebody –

almost like a natural resource, or a public

to your employees, your investors, people

utility. What would happen if you plugged

you want to sell your product to.“

into it?”

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LEAN ON YOUR NETWORK OF SMART PEOPLE TO FACT-CHECK YOUR BUSINESS IDEAS.

”You call smart people, [like] industry experts you know. [Call up the] smartest people possible to fact-check this new thing to see if it’s even possible, [and to] see if it’s as good as folks say it is. Every time you have an idea, it’s very likely that other people have it too. I can’t tell you about the amount of emails I’ve gotten from people about how they came up with

LOOK FOR PEOPLE WITH VARYING SKILL SETS IN THE EARLY STAGES OF YOUR COMPANY.

Roadie before I came up with it.”

“Everything goes wrong, and everything is a problem when you’re first starting it up. So you need people who are ‘figureit-outers’ who don’t let [obstacles] bother them. They just figure out how to keep getting around [these obstacles], because [being in a startup is like] a series of lily pads to jump to. It’s not a straight path, and folks that can deal with that are much more equipped to get through these early stages.”

WHENEVER THERE’S QUESTIONS YOU DON’T KNOW THE ANSWERS TO, START BY ASKING WHY AND DETERMINE WHAT’S BEST FOR BUSINESS GROWTH.

“It sounds so simple, but it tends to clarify a lot of decisions if you know why you’re doing it. [Knowing why] takes out the hubris, the politics, and all the drama.”

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HAVE HONEST, UPFRONT CONVERSATIONS WHEN THINGS AREN’T WORKING SOONER THAN LATER.

“Once you get a company going, the woodpeckers inside the boat can often do more harm than the storm outside. I don’t worry about competition that YOU NEED TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DECISIONS WITH IMPERFECT INFORMATION.

much. I keep an eye on it, but there's not much I can do to affect [what the competitors are doing]. But if you have rotten or toxic employees in the

“Oftentimes, people get into analysis

organization, they often do more

paralysis looking into the absolute best

damage inside the ship than any storm

way to do [something]. If you get 60 to 70

outside – [and] that is just the worst.

percent of the information starting out,

Being able to not suffer fools and make

make a decision. It’s often faster, more

sure that [you] deal with [what’s not

effective, and costs you less money to

working] quickly will save you stress,

make the wrong one go forward. Just

heartache, and maybe even your

back up and do it over if you’re wrong. If

company.”

you’re right, then you’ve gotten way ahead.”

MAKE YOUR PITCHES MEMORABLE WITH STRONG STORYTELLING.

“Figure out what your medium is, who your audience is, and what [type of reaction] you want out of it. Most people that pitch to investors [experience] death

by PowerPoint. You don’t want to overdo it with words [and data]. You want to make them feel something, so people want to meet with you.”

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MAKE TANGIBLE REPRESENTATIONS OF GOALS FOR YOUR TEAM AND YOUR CUSTOMERS.

“At Kabbage, I had five to six bottles of Veuve Clicquot, and had a label put on with the Kabbage logo at the time. It said, ‘To be opened by Marc when Kabbage reaches a $50 million valuation,’ and I handed it to everybody. We held on to the bottle.

And we raised [a Series] A, [but] didn't get there.

Another year later, we wound up raising a [Series] B, and we got there. We pulled the whole company together, popped them open, and we poured it for everybody in the company and we all had a toast to reaching that goal.

When we got done with that toast, we pulled a black cloth off of a table, and we had new bottles with the logo for everyone who was in the company at that point in time for them to have for the next goal.

WHAT’S NEXT FOR MARC GORLIN:

It’s not just a bottle – it’s got their

“The goal of Roadie is to be the next

name on it. They have them on their

UPS or FedEx using crowdsourced

desk at their office and it makes them

delivery drivers, to [help you] get

think about it everyday. They look at it.

anything you want, wherever you need

It does it for them and their employees,

it. There’s a huge need that’s been

it does it for the people you want to

exacerbated by COVID. There’s a bunch

sell to.”

of us who can’t get out easily; it’s not as safe for us [to leave the house.]”

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ABOUT THE HOST

Marc Gorlin has been a successful entrepreneur in Atlanta for almost 20 years. Marc founded Roadie in early 2014 as the first “on-the-way” delivery network. Before starting Roadie, Marc Co-Founded, and was Chairman of, Kabbage Inc., which provides working capital to small and medium-sized businesses. Marc is an active speaker on serial entrepreneurship, innovation, and venture funding.

His favorite small business is El Torero, a Mexican restaurant in Chamblee, Georgia that he has been frequenting since he had to sneak out of high school to enjoy lunch there. He says it has the best salsa on the planet.

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On Thursday, September 24, Georgia Tech

Cybersecurity Student Demo Day Finale

Cybersecurity PhD students presented their cutting-edge solutions to a panel of judges at this year’s Institute for Information Security & Privacy (IISP) Cybersecurity Student Demo Day Finale.

This finale is a culmination of the six-month Demo Day Program sponsored by IISP. The goal of this signature Georgia Tech program is to introduce students to business mentors in the early research process, to boost their ideas from research labs to high-impact commercialization.

As IISP’s live streaming partner, Tech Square ATL Social Club helped bring this annual event online. The Demo Day Finale was streamed to Tech Square ATL Social Club’s YouTube channel, allowing for people across the country who tuned in to ask questions and vote for the People’s Choice Award.

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OFFICIAL 2020 WINNERS The Commercialization Track Award of $5,000 Paritosh Ramanan, “Decentralized Cloudless Platform for Industrial Analytics”

The Create-X Launch Invitation Award of $4,000 Erkam Uzun, “Privacy-Preserving Surveillance” The People’s Choice Award of $1,000 Erkam Uzun, “Privacy-Preserving Surveillance”

The Research Track Award of $3,500 Moses Ike, “Forecasting Malware Capabilities From Cyber Attack Memory Images”

JUDGES

Blake Patton Tech Square Ventures

Jerry Perullo Intercontinental Exchange

John Schanz TDF Ventures

Rahul Saxena Create-X

PRIZE POOL SUPPORT Georgia Tech Institute for Information Security & Privacy National Science Foundation Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program Create-X Startup Launch Watch the full livestream replay here and check out our YouTube channel for additional livestreams you might find interesting!

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ABOUT THE INSTITUTE FOR INFORMATION SECURITY & PRIVACY The Institute for Information Security & Privacy at Georgia Tech serves as a coordinating body for cybersecurity research. By leveraging intellectual capital from across Georgia Tech and its external partners, IISP addresses vital solutions for national defense, economic continuity, and individual freedom. In partnership with the IISP, government and industry partners can help move Georgia Tech's cybersecurity research into deployable solutions that close the innovation gap with immediate application in the world.

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DOUBLE VISION: CELEBRATING A 40th Anniversary and 2020 Graduates

On Tuesday, October 20, the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) celebrated its 40th anniversary and eight companies that graduated from their incubator program.

Aptly titled “Double Vision,” the outdoor drive-in experience doubled as a celebration of milestones achieved by both the incubator and its portfolio companies within the last 40 years.

Highlighted next are the eight graduating companies that have achieved several milestones, including an annual revenue surpassing $1 million, a scalable business model, and the ability to finance their continuing growth.

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THE ATDC CLASS OF 2020: Cypress.io: Fast, easy, and reliable testing for anything that runs in a browser.

Emrgy: Harnesses the power of flowing water to generate energy without dams or construction.

Quest Renewables: Creates high-value, solar racking solutions that enable customers to eliminate waste, increase value, and enter new markets.

Rimidi: Its cloud-based software solution enables personalized management of chronic cardio metabolic conditions across populations.

RoadSync: This payments platform simplifies fee collection, increases speed and security, and optimizes business operations for the logistics industry.

Springboard: Optimizes the employee benefit open enrollment experience through proprietary self-service enrollment technology, highly-rated benefit coaches, and live-chat channels.

Steady: Web and mobile application that lets users access a platform listing parttime, hourly, and on-demand work opportunities.

Trust Stamp: Provides biometric identity verifications and anti-fraud technology to financial technology (FinTech) companies.

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At The Springs Cinema & Taphouse parking lot, in-person attendees enjoyed live music by the house band, AT/DC, popcorn, and socially-distanced cocktails. After the premiere of ATDC’s 40th Anniversary movie honoring the graduates and milestones over the decades, a screening of the GhostBusters (1984) film concluded the night under the stars — all from the comfort and safety of their cars.

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

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Embark: 2020 Speaker Salon

On Thursday, November 12, TEDxGeorgiaTech (TEDxGT) presented Embark, their 2020 Student Speaker Salon featuring four handselected Georgia Tech students.

TEDxGT is a student-run organization led by a group of innovative, enthusiastic, technologically minded individuals striving to help the Georgia Tech community embrace “ideas worth spreading.” As TEDxGT’s venue and technology partner, Tech Square ATL Social Club helped bring this event online so it could be livestreamed and allow for people across the country to tune in from the comfort of their homes.

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When the TEDxGT executive team chose

TEDXGT EMBARK

this year’s theme, they wanted to choose

STUDENT SALON SPEAKERS

one that would encompass the challenges many of us have faced over the past few months since the COVID-19 pandemic started. Ultimately, they decided on the word embark. The team felt that this word not only captured the uncertainty and danger of the pandemic, but also the sense of adventure and wonder of exploring new possibilities that it has brought upon our

“4th Dimension for Dummies”

collective experience.

by Kiandra Peart “I might be underqualified on paper, but, what I'm going to talk about does not require a degree to understand. All it requires is one severely obsessed student to explain it to you. And lucky for all of you, that’s me.”

- Kiandra Peart, Georgia Tech

“To me, embark means [that even though] we may not be ready for the task or adventure [at hand], we’re going to get it done, ” shared Rajan Jayasankar, TEDxGT. In his opening acknowledgements, he gave

“The Certainty of Uncertainty: How Knowledge is Power” by Dennis Goldenberg

recognition to the team and the featured

“Merriam-Webster defines uncertainty

speakers (one who presented his TEDxGT

as a ‘lack of sureness about someone or

talk remotely from the state of Virginia),

something.’ Here would be my definition

who banded together safely and from a

[of uncertainty]: the foundation of

distance to organize this livestream event in

human motivation.”

the midst of all the challenges they faced.

- Dennis Goldenberg, Georgia Tech

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“How a Global Pandemic Helped Me

“Making Purpose” by David Espinal

Start My YouTube Channel”

“If you trust that there is meaning,

by Sajjaad Khader

good — find it. But if you don't [think

“I wanted to break myself out of this

there is meaning] — MAKE it. MAKE

monotonous cycle and explore

purpose. Either way, there can be

something I hadn't really made time for

an answer.”

before: my creativity. I had a few

- David Espinal, Georgia Tech

reservations about it. But I decided to let these thoughts subside.”

- Sajjaad Khader, Georgia Tech

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

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On Tuesday, November 17, Bits of Good went

Fall 2020 Demo Day

live on YouTube to showcase the technology solutions they built for the non-profit organizations they partnered with this year.

Founded in 2017 by Rhea Chatterjee, this Georgia Tech (GT) student-run organization’s mission is to build helpful technologies that advance social impact initiatives. As BoG’s venue partner, Tech Square ATL Social Club supported BoG with space for team meetings and project launch parties, before shifting everything to remote collaboration due to the pandemic.

Organized into project teams of diverse skill sets, student developers, designers, and project managers within each team work together to build software, websites, and mobile apps as solutions for the non-profit organizations.

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PROJECTS TO BE CONTINUED DURING SPRING 2021: General Solution Mapscout Boys and Girls Club (BGC) Safety Non-profit Portal GT Scheduler Despite the challenges from operating remotely, BoG has grown to about 200 members (up 50 since April of 2020). This semester was also the first time they had a design bootcamp as part of the individual team onboarding process. “This [design bootcamp] was something that had been in the works for quite some time,” beamed Raffo, who explained that they’ve only had developer bootcamps for newcomers in the past.

“The main challenge for us this semester was working online,” shared Fernando Raffo Pedraza, Director of Operations of BoG. “It is especially hard because we work in teams [in order to present finished] projects by the end of the semester. A lot of difficulties came up with people having to be onboarded online, as well as fostering a community in an organization of 200 students [remotely].”

Below is a list of the non-profit organizations they partnered with this semester, organized by progress.

COMPLETED PROJECTS AS OF FALL 2020: Liv2BGirl Hope Sustains Life The Ray

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Next semester, BoG is planning to increase their focus on the overall experience for the organization, which includes diversity and process improvements for project onboarding and hand-off. Among the projects to be continued next semester are General Solution and Non-profit Portal, which are internal BoG projects that do not serve a specific non-profit organization. Unlike typical BoG projects, the idea for General Solution came from the team’s observation that multiple non-profit partners had the fundamental need to manage volunteers and track donations. Additionally, Non-profit Portal was built to help streamline the onboarding and hand-off process between BoG and non-profit clients. BoG hopes to use both General Solution and Non-profit Portal as individual foundations for different nonprofit organization needs, eliminating the task of building similar solutions for multiple organizations from scratch.

“Now that we know what we can do, I think it is very important for us to do it better and better every day,” Raffo concluded. “I think this has been a great semester, and I’m sure that with everyone involved we will be able to do much more in the coming ones!”

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