ATDC

ATDC’s North Star AI Labs Expands Access to AI Tools, Talent, Community for Georgia Entrepreneurs

Arquevious Crane — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 17:59:23 +0000

ATDC’s North Star AI Labs Expands Access to AI Tools, Talent, Community for Georgia Entrepreneurs

Opening Access to AI for Builders Across Georgia

Atlanta – The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) today announced the public launch of North Star AI Labs, an initiative designed to provide entrepreneurs across Georgia with access to artificial intelligence tools, technical talent, and a growing innovation community.

After operating in stealth mode over the past year, North Star AI Labs is now open to founders, startups, and creators seeking to build and scale AI-driven solutions. The initiative addresses a growing gap in the innovation ecosystem, where many entrepreneurs lack access to the infrastructure, expertise, and resources needed to effectively adopt AI.

Removing Barriers So Founders Can Actually Build

“Most AI labs are not accessible to startups,” said James Harris, entrepreneur in residence at ATDC and founder of North Star AI Labs. “If you’re a small business, you can’t just walk into a university lab and start building. North Star AI Labs was created to remove that barrier and give entrepreneurs a place where they can access tools, connect with talent, and actually build.”

North Star AI Labs provides entrepreneurs with multiple pathways to engage, including hands-on programming and events, collaborative coworking opportunities, and a project-based talent matching platform that connects founders with AI engineers and students. Participants also gain access to ATDC’s broader network of startup founders and industry experts, creating an environment designed to accelerate innovation and reduce time to market.

Backed by Industry, Driven by Real-World Application

The initiative is supported by a growing group of partners and sponsors, including Hartmann Studios, which serves as the founding sponsor of North Star AI Labs.

“At Hartmann Studios, we see AI becoming the delivery layer for how work gets done, and North Star AI Labs at ATDC is helping make that shift accessible to builders and founders across Georgia,” said Scott Lowry, vice president of Hartmann Studios. “What stood out to us is the focus on real tools, real talent, and real application, not theory. This kind of ecosystem is critical right now as companies and entrepreneurs alike need credible, hands-on ways to adopt AI responsibly and at speed.”

North Star AI Labs has already begun demonstrating early momentum, with hundreds of participants engaging in programming and events, and new startups emerging from the community. Founders are leveraging the space not only to build products but to form critical relationships with engineers, collaborators, and investors.

Expanding ATDC’s Role in an AI-Driven Economy

“Being part of the North Star AI Labs community has been crucial for StorySense, giving us access to the expertise we need at the right time,” said David Turner, founder of the startup, StorySense. “AI is moving so quickly that no team can keep up in isolation. North Star AI Labs provides the feedback loops, shared learning, and support founders need to build and move faster.”

In addition to supporting founders, North Star AI Labs is helping bridge the gap between startups and emerging AI talent. The initiative hosts organizations such as the Georgia Tech AI Club and collaborates with student groups across the region, creating opportunities for students to gain real-world experience while supporting startup growth.

“In an AI-driven economy, access to AI talent is a core necessity. North Star AI Labs equips Georgia’s startups with these vital tools and expertise, powerfully scaling ATDC’s mission to support founders at every stage,” said John Avery, director of ATDC. “At ATDC, our mission is to support founders at every stage, and this initiative expands that support in a way that is both practical and scalable.”

With the public launch of North Star AI Labs, ATDC continues to strengthen its role as a catalyst for innovation across Georgia, ensuring that entrepreneurs have the resources and support needed to compete in an increasingly AI-driven economy.

ATDC’s North Star AI Labs Expands Access to AI Tools, Talent, Community for Georgia Entrepreneurs

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The post ATDC’s North Star AI Labs Expands Access to AI Tools, Talent, Community for Georgia Entrepreneurs first appeared on ATDC.

How Startup FrontHouz Is Reimagining Hospitality Staffing

Arquevious Crane — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 14:07:58 +0000

How Startup FrontHouz Is Reimagining Hospitality Staffing

Great companies often begin with a problem that refuses to go away. For Starr Douglas, founder and CEO of FrontHouz, that problem was staffing.

Before she launched her company, Douglas worked as a bartender, bar manager, and beverage director. Through those roles, she saw how difficult it was to keep reliable front-of-house staff and how quickly staffing gaps affected both operations and the customer experience.

“If you’re a guest in a restaurant and service is slow, or it takes 45 minutes to get your cocktail, you feel it,” Douglas said on an episode of the ATDC Executive Bytes podcast. “The guests feel it just as much as the staff.”

The challenge intensified after Covid-19, when many workers shifted toward gig-based work. Platforms like Uber and DoorDash reshaped worker expectations around flexibility, scheduling, and faster access to pay. Douglas saw a clear opportunity. The hospitality industry needed something new: a flexible workforce model designed specifically for restaurants, venues, and guest-facing service roles. That insight led to FrontHouz.

FrontHouz functions as a marketplace that connects trained hospitality workers with restaurants, venues, and event operators that need staff on demand. Through the platform, hospitality managers can request qualified staff with just a few clicks. Workers arrive already trained and prepared for the venue.

“They’ll know your menus, your table numbers, how to make your drinks,” Douglas explained. “It’s all customized to each specific venue.”

The platform focuses on quality and preparation. Instead of simply filling shifts, FrontHouz prepares workers before they arrive at a venue. Restaurants upload menus, cocktail build sheets, service expectations, and other training materials into the system. AI-powered tools then create assessments and checkpoints that workers complete before they work their first shift. The result is a workforce that can integrate quickly into a restaurant’s operations.

Douglas knows trust is vital to hospitality staffing. Restaurant owners do not just hire extra help. They strive to offer impeccable service that protects their reputation, culture, and guest experience.

Some hospitality managers worry that servers will be assigned who don’t meet expectations, she noted. FrontHouz addresses that concern with a rigorous vetting process. It verifies work history, checks references, confirms identities, and evaluates skills before workers join the platform. It also verifies certifications such as ServSafe, a widely recognized credential that confirms food safety and sanitation expertise, or pouring licenses when applicable.

The platform adds accountability through a two-sided rating system. After each shift, workers rate the venue, and the venue rates the worker. When both sides see a strong fit, they add each other to their favorites list for future shifts.

The system works. According to Douglas, the FrontHouz workforce holds an average rating of 4.95 out of 5.

The company has also gained meaningful traction. FrontHouz has been fully operating for nearly two years and is live in Atlanta, with soft launches in Buffalo and Orlando, and pilots underway in additional markets across the country. The platform has supported staffing for restaurants, catering companies, and major organizations such as the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United.

For Douglas, the mission goes beyond solving a business problem. The company reflects her connection to the hospitality workforce.

“I was and still am one of those knucklehead bartenders at heart,” she said. “Those are my people.”

That perspective shapes how she leads the company. Douglas understands both sides of the equation. Restaurant operators need reliable staff who protect the guest experience. Hospitality workers want flexibility and autonomy.

Like many founders, Douglas faced difficult lessons along the way. She learned that product development takes longer than expected and that early hiring decisions can shape a company’s direction. Yet every challenge strengthened her resolve.

“There’s always a way,” she said. “Every single thing can be solved.”

Douglas draws that mindset from her upbringing. She grew up in a family of entrepreneurs who modeled discipline and persistence. Her parents built their businesses through long hours and constant effort, and her grandfather worked until he was 98.

Douglas brings a rare blend of operational and technical expertise. Douglas studied business and computer science at Georgia Tech, which gave her the tools to build both the strategy and the technology behind FrontHouz. She also continues to give back to Georgia Tech as a guest lecturer for the Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business, where she shares her experience with aspiring entrepreneurs.

FrontHouz does more than fill staffing gaps. It helps restaurants maintain service quality and gives hospitality professionals the flexibility they seek. In an industry built on service and people, it shows how the right technology can strengthen both.

ATDC’s North Star AI Labs Expands Access to AI Tools, Talent, Community for Georgia Entrepreneurs

How Startup FrontHouz Is Reimagining Hospitality Staffing

ATDC Startups Secure Rare FDA ‘Breakthrough Device’ Status

The post How Startup FrontHouz Is Reimagining Hospitality Staffing first appeared on ATDC.

ATDC Startups Secure Rare FDA ‘Breakthrough Device’ Status

Arquevious Crane — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 17:07:03 +0000

ATDC Startups Secure Rare FDA ‘Breakthrough Device’ Status

Milestone designation signals strong potential to reshape care for dialysis patients and those with chronic knee pain.

March 20, 2026 – It’s uncommon for any startup to receive the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Breakthrough Devices designation. For the roughly 40% of applicants who receive the designation, it shows that the technology has real potential to improve patient outcomes and should get priority attention from the agency.

The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) in Georgia Tech’s Office of Commercialization announced two of its health technology (HealthTech) portfolio companies, Nephrodite and OrthoPreserve, earned the designation.

Achieving this rare milestone underscores the caliber of founders, science, and support in ATDC’s 30-company HealthTech portfolio, the incubator’s largest focus area. It’s also a win for Georgia because it reflects the strength of the state’s health innovation ecosystem.

“This designation is one of the strongest signals the FDA gives that a technology could change the standard of care,” said Greg Jungles, HealthTech catalyst at ATDC. “For ATDC to have two in the same year is remarkable.”

The Breakthrough Device Program doesn’t waive evidence requirements, but it accelerates learning with the FDA, ATDC’s Jungles said. “That means shorter response times, more frequent meetings, and prioritized review. Teams avoid dead ends and align earlier on study designs and endpoints.”

For the founders of both startups, their technologies come one step closer to moving their innovations to market. Nephrodite’s technology improves the lives of dialysis patients. OrthoPreserve’s device addresses challenges faced by those who suffer from chronic knee pain.

Nephrodite: Advancing Continuous Artificial Kidney Technology

Dr. Nikhil Shah and Dr. Hiep Nguyen, cofounders of Nephrodite, aim to improve care for dialysis patients with end-stage kidney disease who need transplants. These patients often spend three to four hours in a dialysis clinic up to three times a week. Being tethered to stationary machines with needles drawing blood via arm grafts complicates everyday activities — from work tasks to the ability to travel.

Dialysis addresses chronic kidney disease, which means kidneys no longer work properly. The treatments filter out toxins, waste, and other fluids in the blood. Kidney disease costs Medicare $124.5 billion every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And those costs are expected to rise because of increasing rates of kidney failure and chronic kidney disease.

“Dialysis, while lifesaving when it was pioneered in 1952, is incredibly burdensome,” Shah said. Besides being a long process that keeps the patient in a fixed location, it’s physically tiring. “Taking out your blood continually many, many times over, and over the course of four hours is the equivalent of running the Boston Marathon, hitting the finish line, and then someone saying, ‘You’re not done; go do it again,’ ” he said.

A surgeon by training, with expertise in transplantation and oncology, Shah is also an adjunct associate professor in Tech’s School of Interactive Computing. He worked with Nguyen to develop a continuously functioning mechanical artificial kidney, leading to Nephrodite’s formation.

The FDA’s breakthrough designation on its artificial kidney allows the company to pursue approvals to begin tests in human trials.

The company traces its beginnings to a German aerospace facility outside Munich, where Nguyen and Shah watched engineers demonstrate a pediatric artificial heart — the Berlin Heart.

“That’s how we got started,” Shah said. “Seeing an artificial heart that led us to think about doing this for kidneys — because the kidney space has been largely ignored for 70 years.”

Backed by a German federal grant, Nephrodite grew, moving from Germany to Boston, Massachusetts, then to Austin, Texas, before calling Atlanta home. The company joined ATDC and tapped into other Georgia Tech programs. This included the Center for MedTech Excellence and the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Nephrodite also drew on student talent as the researchers quietly worked on their continuous mechanical artificial kidney.

Nephrodite began interviewing patients to find out what they wanted the artificial kidney needed to solve.

They learned patients want the ability to be mobile. Patients also desire an alternative therapy to large needles being inserted into arm grafts because the injection sites are prone to infection and the grafts can fail. In addition, the process can be painful and disfiguring. Finally, patients want a quality of life independent of machines.

“Those quality-of-life needs, especially being free and mobile, were absolutely universal,” Shah said.

Nephrodite began developing the technology to build its device — a filter surgically implanted in the pelvis area.

“We developed an implant designed to run constantly, connected to larger blood vessels in the pelvis to avoid arm graft failures, and paired with an external interface that lets patients sleep at night while the system removes toxins and excess fluid,” Shah explained.

The device also has built-in sensors, with data uploaded to the cloud, enabling medical care teams to remotely monitor their patients while freeing patients from frequent in-clinic visits.

Shah said Nephrodite’s device could restore everyday independence, while potentially lowering infection risk.

“It’s like having an actual kidney, but without all the issues of an unhealthy one,” Shah said.

OrthoPreserve: Innovating a Minimally Invasive Meniscus Implant

OrthoPreserve’s technology aims to address issues from people have with their meniscus, the C‑shaped piece of cartilage in a knee joint that acts as a shock absorber between the thigh bone and shin bone.

Though patients undergo a now-routine surgery to address it, incomplete recoveries are also common. An estimated quarter of patients later experience recurring knee pain. No FDA-approved implant currently exists for this population. Now, OrthoPreserveis developing a minimally invasive, artificial meniscus implant to restore cushioning, relieve pain, and delay — or even prevent — knee replacement for some patients.

“There are a million meniscus surgeries every year, and 25% of those patients still live with recurring pain,” said Jonathan Schwartz, OrthoPreserve’s founder and CEO.

Patients can face daily pain from ordinary activities, such as prolonged standing or walking a dog. Other activities like jogging and recreational sports can trigger flares that can lead to swelling and prolonged discomfort, Schwartz said. “Those patients have no reliable options today,” he said. “We’re building a minimally invasive implant to restore cushioning and help people get back to the activities they love.”

OrhoPreserve’s durable implant restores cushioning, and it could help people return to normal activities and delay invasive knee replacement. Along with this comes potential cost and recovery benefits for the healthcare system. 

Schwartz created the implant as his  Georgia Tech master’s thesis  in the lab of  David Ku  in the Lawrence P. Huang Endowed Chair for Engineering Entrepreneurship and Regents’ Professor in the George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering. After industry experience, Schwartz returned to further develop the technology, building on Georgia Tech’s translational expertise

OrthoPreserve has completed mechanical testing and a successful study. The company is raising a $2 million seed to complete validations and begin human trials, which Schwartz expects to start in 18 months.

“The FDA breakthrough designation validates that nothing like this technology exists, and that it has the potential to disrupt the standard of care,” Schwartz said, adding the U.S.’ market opportunity is roughly $1.5 billion. “We finally have a minimally invasive option to bridge the gap between meniscus surgery and knee replacement.”

What FDA Breakthrough Designation Means for ATDC’s HealthTech Startups

Having a faster and clearer path is a derisking milestone for investors who are evaluating capital intensive medical device technologies, Jungles said.

“This breakthrough device designation is a really big deal for medical device companies,” Jungles said, adding that startups often fear navigating the FDA approval process. “But this designation adds to the legitimacy of their technologies and the problemsthey are solving. The designation will help them get to market faster, assuming their data continues to meet expectations.”

ATDC launched its  HealthTech vertical in 2018, which is now sponsored by Catalyst by Wellstar ATDC’s HealthTech portfoilo companies include medical devices, biotech, and digital health, among other segments.

ATDC’s Role in Accelerating HealthTech Innovation

Nephrodite and OrthoPreserve’s founders noted ATDC’s coaching and programming as critical in navigating fundraising and regulatory milestones. Another factor, they said, was ATDC’s connection to Georgia Tech’s labs and facilities and prototyping support and clinical advisors from across metro Atlanta.

“We meet with ATDC coaches every two to four weeks to troubleshoot and plan,” Schwartz said. “Having that level of seasoned guidance, all without consultant-level costs, has been huge.”

Jungles added that two Breakthrough device designations in the same year reflects ATDC’s selection rigor, noting he’s evaluated hundreds of technologies since the HealthTech vertical launched.

“It reflects the caliber of the companies in ATDC, specifically in the medical device space,” Jungles said. “It’s the strength of their teams, the persistence of the founders, and the collaboration of the ecosystem in Georgia and Atlanta.”

ATDC’s North Star AI Labs Expands Access to AI Tools, Talent, Community for Georgia Entrepreneurs

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ATDC Startups Secure Rare FDA ‘Breakthrough Device’ Status

The post ATDC Startups Secure Rare FDA ‘Breakthrough Device’ Status first appeared on ATDC.

Norfolk Southern Extends Partnership With Georgia Tech’s ATDC

Georgia Parmelee — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 16:38:12 +0000

Norfolk Southern Extends Partnership With Georgia Tech’s ATDC

A $500,000 commitment to sustainable tech entrepreneurs builds on recent economic successes.

Atlanta – Feb. 24, 2026 — Norfolk Southern has extended its partnership with Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), committing $250,000 per year over the next two years to continue powering ATDC’s Sustainability Tech vertical. The renewed investment builds on a successful multiyear collaboration that has positioned ATDC as one of Georgia’s leading platforms for founders developing solutions that address climate, energy, and environmental challenges.

Launched in 2023 with initial support from Norfolk Southern, the ATDC Sustainability Tech vertical has become one of the fastest-growing and largest verticals at ATDC. Over the past three years, the program has supported more than 35 sustainability-focused portfolio companies and engaged additional startups across ATDC’s broader portfolio. Today, the vertical comprises 29 active companies spanning renewable energy, circular economy technologies, energy efficiency, water tech, ag tech, and climate data solutions.

“ATDC remains at the forefront of cleantech innovation in Georgia,” said Josh Raglin, Norfolk Southern’s chief sustainability officer. “Norfolk Southern and ATDC share a clear vision for developing and deploying technology to help businesses meet their sustainability goals, which is why extending this partnership is so meaningful.”

The partnership:

Supports one-on-one startup coaching, sustainability-focused programming, and specialized resources to guide founders from ideation through commercialization.
Builds a pipeline of innovators across Georgia.
Enhances the state’s economy.

In 2024 alone, sustainability portfolio companies generated more than $15 million in revenue and created or saved 114 jobs. The program has also produced two acquisitions, including ClimeCo’s 2023 acquisition of Ampliphi, which enables companies to combat plastic pollution, and Quest Renewables, acquired by Bravo in 2023.

“We are so pleased to continue our partnership with Norfolk Southern for another two years to support our sustainability technology vertical, which spans critical sectors that work to improve climate sustainability, energy resiliency, and other research areas that have a tangible impact on human well-being,” said John Avery, director of ATDC. “With their support and partnership, we plan to build an even bigger pipeline of founders who are laser-focused on creating meaningful businesses that address today’s challenges.”

The long-standing partnership aligns with Norfolk Southern’s continued investment in growing its Atlanta-based tech capabilities, further reinforcing the company’s presence in Georgia’s innovation ecosystem.

About Norfolk Southern

About Norfolk Southern 

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 22-state freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver approximately 7 million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S. It serves a majority of the country’s population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as major ports across the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes. Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com.

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The post Norfolk Southern Extends Partnership With Georgia Tech’s ATDC first appeared on ATDC.

Igniting Entrepreneurial Spirit

Georgia Parmelee — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 18:41:14 +0000

Igniting Entrepreneurial Spirit

How CREATE-X Shapes Startup Learning at Georgia Tech

At Georgia Tech, innovation lives inside the academic experience. Students apply theory to real world challenges and develop the skills to create impact. CREATE-X, a Georgia Tech entrepreneurial initiative, helps students become founders through various pathways before they graduate. They also gain the confidence to tackle hard problems that can lead to impactful startups.

In this episode of ATDC Executive Bytes, Chris Nedza speaks with Rahul Saxena, director of CREATE-X, about how Georgia Tech integrates entrepreneurial thinking into education and prepares students to solve meaningful problems.

Building Entrepreneurial Confidence Through Practice

CREATE-X develops confidence in students through hands on learning. intentional programming allows them to learn how to identify problems, talk with customers, test assumptions, and refine solutions through structured courses and mentorship.

Saxena explains that innovation remains a defining characteristic of Georgia Tech. Each year, more students seek opportunities to apply what they learn outside the classroom. CREATE-X meets this demand by embedding entrepreneurship directly into academic pathways.

Starting With the Right Questions

Instead of beginning with “What should we build?” CREATE-X teaches students to start with deeper questions about human behavior and unmet needs. Saxena illustrates this using music consumption: Rather than asking how to build a better MP3 player, a stronger question becomes, “Why do people listen to music?” When students understand that people seek music to relax, escape, and enter a flow state, they design simpler, more intuitive experiences. The same problem-first mindset helps students create solutions that truly matter.

Learn. Make. Launch.

CREATE-X structures its programming around a Learn, Make, and Launch framework that guides students from idea to execution. Through courses such as Startup Lab, students learn how to validate problems, conduct customer discovery, and understand real market needs. They then move into the Make phase, where they prototype solutions, test ideas, and refine products through hands on experimentation. For teams ready to move forward, Startup Launch provides a clear pathway to company formation by offering mentorship, milestone driven support, and direct connections to Georgia Tech’s commercialization ecosystem.

Entrepreneurship as an Academic Mindset

CREATE-X positions entrepreneurship as a mindset that strengthens every discipline. Students across engineering, computing, design, business, and the sciences apply entrepreneurial thinking to research, product development, and problem solving.

Saxena emphasizes that success does not require forming a startup. Many students take these skills into industry, research labs, and corporate innovation teams, extending CREATE-X’s impact well beyond campus.

Connecting to ATDC

As startups mature, founders often continue their journey with ATDC, where they access mentorship, funding networks, and growth-oriented programming. CREATE-X and ATDC work together to support founders from early exploration through scalable growth.

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The post Igniting Entrepreneurial Spirit first appeared on ATDC.

ATDC: Nexus of Innovation in Georgia’s Startup Ecosystem

cfarrar6@gatech.edu — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 17:18:09 +0000

ATDC: Nexus of Innovation in Georgia’s Startup Ecosystem

45 Years of ATDC

ATLANTA — In 1980, Georgia government and Georgia Tech alums made a bold bet: they launched a technology incubator to support and grow the state’s burgeoning entrepreneurial ecosystem. Today, 45 years later, the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) at Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute is the model for a university-based science and technology incubator. Now, as the longest running university-based technology incubator in the country, it is the Southeast’s globally recognized nexus of innovation for startups.

As this champion of innovation continues to innovate itself, it is graduating its largest class of companies this month — 17. That’s 17 tech entrepreneurs who are market disrupters, job creators, boosting the economy around the state, and helping metro Atlanta and the rest of Georgia realize its dream to become a top five tech hub in the country.

“Even though our home is at Georgia Tech, ATDC is outward facing,” said ATDC Director John Avery. “We support founders from all over the state and entrepreneurs who moved their companies to Georgia to join ATDC, regardless of their association with Georgia Tech. That means our network of resources is also statewide.”

Those resources are not only financial, including state funding and corporate gifts, they are also human, with entrepreneurs-in-residence and startup and industry-specific catalysts around the state to help any emergent tech company anywhere in Georgia get the support it needs to launch and scale.

What keeps ATDC at the forefront of the entrepreneurial ecosystem after 45 years?

In-depth Coaching, Access to Experts

“It’s really the in-depth coaching that we provide,” said Jen Singh, ATDC’s sustainability technology catalyst. “No other hub has the industry expertise and functional expertise that we have on staff here. You come here to work with the experts. You come here to really go deep on your business and be supported as you go through that startup journey.”

Company founders agree.

“The thing that helped us was access to experts,” said Sander Biehn, founder and CEO of ReadyForSocial, a 2025 ATDC graduating company that creates unified sales and marketing strategies. “Expert EIRs [entrepreneurs-in-residence] helped us with our go-to-market strategy, our pitch decks, etc. Feedback Friday was a unique experience for us that enabled us to try things out, come in, pitch things, and hear feedback not only from the experts at ATDC, but also from other startups that were involved at ATDC.”

Unbiased Startup Advice

Another point of differentiation, ATDC doesn’t take an equity position in its portfolio companies.

“We have no stake in the game from an equity investment perspective,” Singh said. “We’re going to give you unfiltered, unbiased opinions and tell you what you need to be doing with your business. That is best for your business.”

Accelerated Scaling and State Support

A third differentiating factor for ATDC is that it is supported by the state of Georgia.

“ATDC is truly an economic development organization,” Jud Savelle, startup catalyst in Albany, Georgia said. “We have the power of and the blessing of the state behind us for the long term. It’s not your traditional incubator that may have short-term financial targets that must be met to support their organizations. We can play the long game.”

That long game is important to founders and makes economic sense for the state.

“I love that it is a thing that the Georgia government does, because it’s so smart and so strategic,” said Tim Sheehan, a former EIR and founder and CEO of Greenlight, an ATDC unicorn company. “Let me help this company, and by doing so, they will hire lots of people and that will lead to payroll taxes and sales taxes and all kinds of good things for the state. Good things flow from companies getting created in Georgia.”

State support also means ATDC takes its statewide mission seriously. Companies don’t have to relocate to Atlanta from across Georgia to get the benefits of ATDC’s resources. With sites and catalysts in Albany, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, and Savannah, Georgia — as well as educational programming in additional cities — an innovation ecosystem is just around the corner for many entrepreneurs. Founders operating in ATDC’s other sites also have access to Atlanta entrepreneurs and experts through their catalysts and to training, with many classes being offered both in-person and virtually.

Vertical Leaps: Industry Alignment with ATDC Startups

A team effort is essential, but part of ATDC’s success can be traced back to the advent of industry verticals, a strategy of corporate sector sponsors that support startups in their industry or in an industry that is important to their business.

“For most of our history, ATDC was comprised of a few staff and about 30 companies,” Avery said. “Today, because of our corporate practice area funding, we have grown to around 30 staff and 150 startups.”

Corporate practice area funding gives large businesses access to the nimbleness of a startup that can help to solve a problem or enhance the business.

The first vertical, fintech or financial technology, was launched in 2015 with funding support from Worldpay and with the help of then-EIR Sheehan.

“Big corporations — whether they’re fintechs or others — a lot of them struggle with innovation,” Sheehan said. “They struggle with creating new products. Their people and processes aren’t really optimized for that.”

With the creation of verticals, big corporations have ready access to innovation.

“You should spend more time at ATDC and get to know the companies coming out of there,” Sheehan told business leaders when he was an EIR. “You could get a strong feed of innovative companies by staying close to ATDC.”

From those conversations grew the idea of vertical focus areas as an official way for corporations to engage with ATDC and have tailored access to the incubator’s portfolio companies. “This is a strategic way to let the [ATDC] startups in that vertical know that this company is very interested and has put some money up to have the ability to come and meet with you guys and hear what you’re doing,” Sheehan said.

Now there are multiple verticals, including fintech, robotics, sustainability, defense tech, and supply chain and logistics, with sponsoring companies working to support startups in their fields through the hiring of catalysts, the development of curriculum and resources appropriate to startups in their verticals, networking opportunities, and mentoring program participants.

The emerging defense tech and cybersecurity vertical, sponsored by ManTech, has been so successful that ATDC recently hired two new catalysts for a total of three people, all with military backgrounds and experience working with the Department of Defense, to help companies navigate government contracting.

Singh, the sustainability catalyst, supports 28 companies in the SustainabilityTech vertical, sponsored by Norfolk Southern. A day in the life of a catalyst goes a long way toward explaining the success companies in ATDC’s portfolio have experienced.

“I’d say 60% of my job is focused coaching sessions with our companies,” Singh said. “We have a regular cadence where we check in with our companies. There are other times where we really do deep preparatory work. For example, if a company is getting ready to raise venture funding, we can do a lot of work in terms of getting their pitch deck in order.

“The other 40% is really about being out in the ecosystem,” she said. “Recruiting, telling the ATDC story, making sure I’m putting our portfolio companies out there, and evangelizing on behalf of them.” Relationship building is another critical piece, she said, noting ATDC convenes mentors, potential investors in these companies, and potential customers. “I’m a bit of a matchmaker. When companies need things that I can’t provide, who in my network do I know to bring in at the right time?”

Where Unicorns are Real: A Statistical Rarity within the Startup World

Another measure of the success of ATDC’s approach is the fact that four unicorns (privately held startups valued at $1 billion or more) have started with or graduated from ATDC, including Sheehan’s own company, Greenlight. He began to develop the company while an ATDC EIR and Sheehan credits the incubator for much of his success.

“I loved my time at ATDC,” Sheehan said about working as an EIR. “I loved the people I got to work with, both on staff, but also all the entrepreneurs that would come in and meet with me. It was so much fun.”

But the entrepreneurial bug didn’t leave him, and within a month he was developing Greenlight, a debit card and money app to help parents, kids, and teens manage money wisely. Greenlight’s first office was at ATDC.

“It was a great environment to build a company,” he said. “I had all these other entrepreneurs and residents at ATDC who I could talk to. They were super helpful.”

Being a part of a community of entrepreneurs at ATDC who were committed not only to the success of their companies but holding other founders accountable and challenging them on strategies and setbacks is the secret sauce to the success of entrepreneurs there, Sheehan said.

“It was just such a healthy, engaging environment,” he said. “I think that’s the thing that was most helpful to entrepreneurs, is the advice and the healthy debate.”

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The post ATDC: Nexus of Innovation in Georgia’s Startup Ecosystem first appeared on ATDC.

Announcing ATDC Class of 2025: Congratulations Graduates

cfarrar6@gatech.edu — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:18:53 +0000

Announcing ATDC Class of 2025: Congratulations Graduates

A Record 17 Companies to Graduate as Incubator Marks Its 45th Anniversary

The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) today announced 17 startups in its portfolio will graduate from the state of Georgia’s internationally recognized technology incubator.

Companies that comprise the ATDC Class of 2025 reflect a rich diversity of technologies ranging from healthcare and logistics to artificial intelligence and robotics and is the incubator’s largest graduating class in its 45-year history.

“This year’s graduating class reflects the dynamic range of industries where Georgia excels and continues to attract innovation. These companies are advancing meaningful solutions and building on our 45-year legacy as the state’s premier launchpad for startup success.”

With the addition of these 17 companies, ATDC, a program of Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute, will have graduated 248 startups since its founding in 1980.

The companies will be honored at the 2025 ATDC Graduate Gala & 45th Anniversary Reception at the Historic Biltmore Georgian Ballroom on Oct. 21. Georgia House Rep. Todd Jones (R-South Forsyth District 25), chairman of the House Technology & Infrastructure Innovation Committee and tech entrepreneur, will serve as graduation keynote speaker. Donnie Beamer, CFA, senior technology advisor to Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens in the Office of Technology and Innovation, will also give a keynote.

The ATDC Class of 2025 graduating members are:

Finosec – Automated governance platform to save banks time and enhance exam preparedness.
Gatherly – Virtual event platform replicating in-person events in a digital setting.
Max Rewards – Automates process of maximizing credit card rewards and benefits to help cardholders earn thousands in annual rewards and savings.
Orderly Wellness – Healthcare marketplace platform.
PorterLogic – Builds supply chain software.
ReadyForSocial – Provides social selling solutions.
Rippleworx – AI-driven HR tech company.
Skintelligent – AI-powered skincare diagnostics.
Slip Robotics – Robotics for logistics automation.
Solopulse – Advanced radar signal processing software technology.
Speedscale – Cloud-native testing platform.
SpotSource – Vendor management and sourcing platform.
Terzo – SaaS platform for enterprise vendor management.
Vennfi (CharityVest) – FinTech platform for charitable giving.
VoiceWorx – AI voice solutions.
Wave Health Technologies – Medical coding workflow platform.
Wripple – On-demand digital talent platform.

As a group, the class of 2025 raised more than $116 million in investment capital.

To graduate from ATDC, portfolio companies must meet several milestones, including annualized recurring revenue of at least $4 million, an identified scalable business model, the ability to finance growth, or have been acquired.

Success Stories from the ATDC Class of 2025

When ATDC class of 2025 member RippleWorx, an AI-driven HR tech company, joined ATDC, it was a small but ambitious startup with a handful of customers and a little more than $1M in revenue.

“During our time at ATDC, we grew fivefold to more than 50 customers, earned a spot on the Inc. 5000 list twice and positioned ourselves for a successful exit in 2024,” said Angie Sandritter, the company’s CEO. “ATDC was instrumental to the successes, through —Venture Atlanta, TiE, SBIR/STTR programming, and consistent coaching. ATDC helped to transform RippleWorx from an early-stage business into a high-growth company.”

For other graduates, such as PorterLogic, which helps supply chain teams maximize yield and boost productivity, the guidance and coaching they received from ATDC staff was invaluable.

“I give a huge amount of credit to ATDC for getting PorterLogic to be a success, in particular when I was first starting out,” said Jonathan Porter, the company’s founder. “I had no idea where to turn, and ATDC gave me a framework for how to build a startup when I would have been completely lost otherwise.”

The founders of SoloPulse, a sensortech platform that developed signal processing software to create higher-resolution, more detailed radar images from existing hardware, echoed Porter’s sentiments.

“ATDC provided not only an incredible physical space that gave us the infrastructure to focus and grow, but also a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and mentors who shared knowledge, support, and collaboration,” said Allyson McKinney, Ph.D., SoloPulse co-founder and CEO. “That combination of environment and network made all the difference in accelerating our success.”

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The post Announcing ATDC Class of 2025: Congratulations Graduates first appeared on ATDC.

ATDC Impact Report: Driving Georgia Startup Growth & Innovation

cfarrar6@gatech.edu — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:09:21 +0000

ATDC Impact Report: Driving Georgia Startup Growth & Innovation

45 Years of Statewide Reach & Local Impact

ATDC’s 45-year history of founder success is a testament to a proven model that drives Georgia startup growth and continues to evolve. We are scaling our support systems to accelerate founder momentum through enhanced tools, smarter processes, and expanded access to opportunity.

ATDC’s 2024 Achievements and Economic Impact

Looking Back at 2024

In 2024, we selectively welcomed 34 new companies into the ATDC startup portfolio, bringing our active membership to 141 by the end of 2024. The economic activity generated by these startups supported more than 14,100 new jobs, attracted 216 million in capital, and the companies in aggregate produced 203 million in revenue.

We launched a hybrid startup curriculum to enhance the learning and extend our training access to busy entrepreneurs. We began offering weekly classes and a new online Learning Management System, enabling founders to track progress, milestones, and core competencies more effectively.

We introduced AI-driven coaching tools that deliver scalable, on-demand guidance to our portfolio companies. Our new Venture Match platform offers a self-service solution for founders raising capital that scores venture funds and connects them to the right targets — and at lightning speed.

We expanded into seven cities and regions across Georgia, each an emerging hub of economic activity. Through these regional sites, we bring coaching, resources, and connections directly to local founders, helping fuel innovation in not just Atlanta but Albany, Athens, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Savannah and beyond.

Looking Ahead: Startup Support in 2025

What’s to Come in 2025

In 2025, we are continuing to build upon our momentum, always keeping our portfolio companies at the forefront of our innovation. This next year will bring more Data-Driven Coaching, as we develop systematic assessment tools to provide more tailored, impactful coaching. We will launch advanced matching platforms to connect startups with corporate pilot opportunities and top-tier talent. Additionally, we are excited to present a new suite of services that will offer hands-on support in sales acceleration, marketing, tech stack optimization, and recruiting.

Browse Our 2024 Impact Report

In our impact report, you will find more information about how ATDC drives Georgia startup growth. You will learn about our portfolio companies, our contributions to the startup community, and their innovations shaping the world. To view a larger version of the impact report, simply click on the arrows at the bottom to expand to full screen mode or click here to download the report.

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Building Our Defenses: ATDC Partners with ManTech to Scale Defense Tech Startups

cfarrar6@gatech.edu — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 15:03:18 +0000

Building Our Defenses: ATDC Partners with ManTech to Scale Defense Tech Startups

Expanding ATDC’s Defense and Cybersecurity Efforts to Support Department of Defense

ATLANTA — Eighteen months ago, Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) announced a partnership with ManTech, a company that provides advanced, mission-focused technology solutions and services to the federal government. That partnership would support the Department of Defense in scaling defense tech startups built on cybersecurity-related technologies and emerging innovations.

The partnership with ManTech and the focus on cybersecurity and defense tech startups have been so successful that ATDC recently added two new people to work in this vertical. Bob Nunnally and Jan Norris will work alongside Blair Tighe, a startup catalyst in cybersecurity and defense, who has been in the position since the beginning of the partnership in 2023.

“The expansion of this vertical is in response to an interest by the defense sector to solve immediate problems by onboarding up-and-running, ready-to-go technologies,” said John Avery, ATDC director. “Our goal is to provide a very rich, robust pipeline of talent and companies to solve problems in the defense category.”

The men who work in this vertical all have military backgrounds and experience operating within the Department of Defense, a huge plus for small companies that need to learn to navigate government waters.

They will work together in three areas that, Nunnally said, need to happen simultaneously.

“One is advancing the visibility of ATDC and our mission,” he said. “Second is finding companies that want to be affiliated and can meet the requirements of being part of the ATDC portfolio. And then the third is coaching and growing those companies that are part of the portfolio.”

Supporting DoD Innovation and Georgia’s Defense Ecosystem

Georgia and the Southeast are increasingly important players with the Department of Defense. There are cybersecurity facilities in Augusta and military bases in Columbus and Warner Robins.

The DoD is one of Georgia’s largest employers, accounting for 150,000 direct jobs, more than 330,000 others indirectly, and about $22 billion in economic activity, according to the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.

Additionally, the DoD engages with the Georgia Tech Research Institute, Georgia Tech’s nonprofit, applied research organization, to develop innovations for the Army, Air Force, Navy, and other DoD units designed to keep the U.S. safe.

The DoD plans to help grow the Atlanta ecosystem by working with emerging technology programs, such as ATDC, in ways that benefit Georgia Tech, ATDC, the companies themselves, and the DoD. It’s an important sector that will help ensure the security — both physical and cyber — of our nation, while positively impacting the economy in the region.

Bridging Entrepreneurs with Defense Opportunities

An important part of the job for the three team members is helping entrepreneurs find the right people at DoD to talk with about their technology and helping companies ensure compliance with DoD and intelligence regulations.

“The federal government needs technology around supply chain, risk management, maintenance, contested logistics,” Norris said. “There’s a list of critical technology areas published regularly for which DoD is looking for solutions and capabilities.”

And ATDC is well-placed to provide the technology needed.

“There’s a need on the DoD side to continue to do things smarter, faster, and cheaper,” Nunnally said. “It’s technology that’s resident in the brilliant young minds of entrepreneurs. ATDC can be the bridge to solve some of the most important and challenging problems. It’s a matter of — can we take this brilliant idea on the napkin and make that company sufficiently strong and competitive to win that work?”

It’s a question Avery believes can be answered with a resounding affirmative. “We think this is probably going to become our most active and impactful vertical,” he said.

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The post Building Our Defenses: ATDC Partners with ManTech to Scale Defense Tech Startups first appeared on ATDC.

ScanTech, a Computed Tomography CT Scan Company Combines Forces with Mars Acquisition Corp.

cfarrar6@gatech.edu — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 14:57:58 +0000

ScanTech, a Computed Tomography CT Scan Company Combines Forces with Mars Acquisition Corp.

ScanTech and Mars Merger Creates ScanTech AI Systems

BUFORD, Georgia and NEW YORK — ScanTech Identification Beam Systems, LLC (ScanTech), an innovator of next-generation ‘fixed-gantry’ computed tomography (CT) screening systems and 2007 ATDC Graduate company, and Mars Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, entered into a definitive business combination agreement resulting in ScanTech becoming a publicly listed company.

Buford-based ScanTech and Mars, based in New York, will merge with newly-formed subsidiaries of ScanTech AI Systems Inc. ScanTech AI Systems is a newly-formed Delaware holding company and serves as parent to the ScanTech and Mars subsidiaries. ScanTech AI Systems is listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol STAI.

Accelerating Growth and Innovation in CT Scanning Technology

“We are excited about this business combination, as it not only testifies to our achievements, but, more importantly, the future growth potential of our industry-leading, ‘fixed-gantry’ CT scanning technology,” said ScanTech CEO, Dolan Falconer, who earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nuclear engineering from Georgia Tech. “We believe that this step will provide us with the opportunity to accelerate our innovation and market reach. We are delighted to take the next step in our growth trajectory as a public company.”

ScanTech believes it has developed one of the world’s most advanced non-intrusive ‘fixed-gantry’ CT baggage and cargo logistics screening technologies. ScanTech utilizes proprietary artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities to develop state-of-the-art fixed-gantry CT scanners that accurately and quickly detect hazardous and contraband materials.

Karl Brenza, CEO of Mars, commented: “This merger with ScanTech represents an opportunity to bring a leading-edge security scanning technology company to the public market. We are confident that this partnership will enhance ScanTech’s capabilities and position it for sustainable growth.”

Transaction Overview

The combined company is expected to have an estimated post-transaction enterprise value of 149.5 million, consisting of an estimated equity value of 197.5 million and 48 million in net cash, assuming no redemptions by Mars’ public shareholders. Net cash will come from Mars’ approximately 72 million of cash in trust (assuming no shareholder redemptions).

Upon the closing of the transaction, and assuming none of Mars’ public shareholders elect to redeem their ordinary shares and that no additional shares are issued upon the closing of the transaction, it is anticipated that:

Mars’ public shareholders will retain an ownership interest of approximately 42% of the combined company,
the sponsors, officers, directors, and other holders of Mars founder shares will retain an ownership interest of approximately 12% of the combined company, and
the ScanTech security holders will own approximately 46% of the combined company.

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