About the Sustainability Program
The ATDC Sustainability Program supports startups at the forefront of solving, mitigating, or adapting to our climate and environmental crises. Established in January 2023, the program provides coaching, connections, and community to help these startups thrive. Georgia has a rapidly expanding sustainability and climate tech ecosystem supported by large corporations, investors, government, and subject matter experts. Our state is leading the transition to new sustainable industries, and ATDC plays an integral role in fostering these transformative innovations.
Norfolk Southern Corp., one of the nation’s leading transportation companies, is the program sponsor. The company’s commitment to ATDC provides numerous opportunities to support the local startup and sustainability community in pursuit of a better, more sustainable planet.
ATDC Sustainability Program entrepreneurs are tackling universal challenges associated with food, water, resources, climate, and others. We help these entrepreneurs rapidly commercialize and scale their impactful solutions to meet the pace of our changing environment.
Goals:
- Make Georgia an epicenter for Sustainability and Climate Technology startups.
- Screen and accelerate a dedicated Sustainability Technology pipeline of viable Georgia-based start-up companies.
- Accelerate innovation by bringing together the Sustainability ecosystem to facilitate transformational growth and development.
- Accelerate the commercialization pathway for sustainability technology startups by uniting technology innovation with industry and capital.
The types of companies we seek:
Sustainability technology entrepreneurial activity is very diverse across the state of Georgia. We welcome entrepreneurs and startups working on the following types of technology solutions to address our climate and environmental crisis:
What We Are Looking For:
- Circular economy
- New Materials
- Zero Waste
- Recycling & Waste Management
- Climate tech
- Decarbonization
- Electrification
- Built Tech
- Clean energy
- Smart Cities
- Mobility
- EV & EV Infrastructure
- Battery Tech
- Ecology
- Water Tech
- Conservation
- Adaptation
- Ag Tech
- Food Tech
- ESG
- Climate Intelligence
- Climate Risk
Sustainability Resources
BENEFITS
- Entrepreneurial business advice from experienced Sustainability Tech coaches and industry experts.
- Introduction to top-tier investors and non-dilutive grant funding opportunities.
- Assistance with obtaining pilot programs with corporations, utilities, non-profit organizations, municipalities, and more.
- Access to targeted Sustainability and Climate Technology content such as speakers, panels, and educators in addition to the existing ATDC curriculum.
- Networking and peer events with fellow ATDC founders, CEOs, and industry experts.
- Sustainability events such as circles, conferences, use-case challenges, etc.
- Access and introduction to Sustainability Community Resources.
ATDC Mentor network
At any given point in time, ATDC has more than 50 active volunteer mentors. Mentors are tapped to advise ATDC entrepreneurs and companies on a variety of topics, ranging from developing funding strategies, contract negotiations, health benefit plans, financial planning and reporting to negotiating with angels and hiring for growth. Additionally, ATDC provides access to mentors with Sustainability and Climate Tech expertise to help hardware and software companies with product development, manufacturing, and commercialization.
ATDC Marketplace
Leverage membership to access discounted products and services to help you grow your start-up through the ATDC Member Marketplace. Find discounted product and consulting services from vetted ATDC partners ranging from AWS credits to discounted digital marketing platform licensing to discounted legal and accounting services and platforms.
ATDC Design Studio
Sustainability entrepreneurs with a need to build a physical product receive help and guidance to make physical prototypes and a space with their peers where they can do it. Access to the Studio is limited to Accelerate & Signature companies.
About the Lead Catalyst
JENNIFER SINGH
Jennifer Singh is a technology executive with more than 15 years of experience in building and scaling innovative businesses at both startups and large corporations. As ATDC’s Sustainability Catalyst, she supports early-stage companies at the forefront of solving our climate and environmental challenges. In her role, she coaches sustainability startups and connects them with the ecosystem resources they need to thrive.
Prior to ATDC, Jen co-founded Understory, a global community that enables and accelerates climate and sustainability tech startups through educational resources and events. Jen also held a variety of commercial and product management leadership roles where she pioneered new technology solutions. At Thomson Reuters, she founded the Digital Identity Solutions business and was a key member of the Applied Innovation team which embedded emerging technologies throughout the organization. Jen also led channel partnerships for Entersekt’s North American business where she drove adoption of the company’s products and helped the team double in size. She is an industry expert, inventor, author, and featured speaker on topics such as sustainability, innovation, and disruptive technologies.
Jen holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and accounting from Georgetown University and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She supports her local community by serving on the boards of Startup Atlanta and SHRM-Atlanta; both are organizations dedicated to supporting the advancement of entrepreneurs in the Metro Atlanta region.
Contact Options:
Email | LinkedIn
Jen’s Office Hours:
Location: Virtual Meeting
Mondays 1:30pm – 3:30pm
Click Here to schedule a meeting with Jen
About the Sustainability Vertical Sponsor
Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a customer-centric and operations-driven freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver more than 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods, and is the largest rail shipper of auto products and metals in North America. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S., serving a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as the Gulf of Mexico and Great Lakes. Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com.