Forbes showcased the Georgia Tech Advanced Technology Development Center in a recent listing of Ten Technology Incubators Changing the World, noting that in the last 30 years the ATDC has launched more than a hundred new ventures and raised over $1 billion in outside financing for member companies. The article touted the economic benefits to communities that host technology incubators, benefits clearly visible to the employees of ATDC companies.
Since the Bayh-Dole Act gave universities ownership of intellectual property developed with federal funds, technology transfer offices and associated startup incubators have popped up all over the country. But there is something special about the ATDC. Close proximity to the Georgia Tech engineering and computer science colleges and strong relationships with other Georgia universities provide a dedicated stream of new technologies. This rich source of ideas as well as a local community dedicated to building an innovation center in Atlanta has made the ATDC the de facto hub of entrepreneurial activity in the State of Georgia. Gaining recognition from Forbes is a well-deserved reward for so many great people at the ATDC and in the community who have worked long and hard to foster a thriving startup ecosystem in Georgia.