Description
In this description enterprise innovation institute annual report 2011.
Enterprise Innovation Institute
Annual Report 2011
Contents
Enterprise Innovation Institute Report Card ......................................................2
A Message from the Vice President ...................................................................3
About the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
) ....................................................4
Services to Health Care Providers ......................................................................6
Innovation Services ............................................................................................8
Technology for Accessibility ..............................................................................10
Connecting Companies to Georgia Tech .........................................................12
Services to Manufacturers ...............................................................................14
Services to Entrepreneurs ................................................................................16
Access to Georgia Tech Resources .................................................................18
The Enterprise Innovation Institute is
headquartered at Technology Square on
Georgia Tech’s campus.
Helped Georgia manufacturing
companies reduce operating
costs by $36 million, increase sales by
$191 million, and create or save 950
jobs. EI
2
served 1,770 manufacturers
during the year.
Assisted 65 Georgia Tech faculty
members, evaluated 219 research
innovations, and helped form 17 new
companies based on this intellectual
property. Assisted by EI
2
, startups
based on Georgia Tech research
innovations created 513 jobs and
attracted nearly $100 million in
investment.
Worked with 243 companies
interested in collaborating with
Georgia Tech, including 18 projects
involving state economic development
agencies. Projects resulting from those
interactions created or saved 1,594
jobs and produced $63 million in
capital investment.
Helped Georgia companies win
$492 million in government
contracts, creating or saving an
estimated 9,843 jobs.
Assisted 83 minority
entrepreneurs, who received
nearly $86 million in new contracts,
increased sales, new bonding or new
?nancing.
Served 493 technology startup
companies that together
generated capital activity (venture
capital investment and mergers/
acquisitions) of more than $97 million.
Companies af?liated with the ATDC
program reported revenues totaling
more than $1.3 billion and some 5,571
jobs. Since 1999, companies
associated with the ATDC have
attracted nearly $2.5 billion in
investment.
Helped Georgia companies
prepare 56 proposals for Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
grants. Companies assisted won more
than $9 million in awards.
Assisted 2,910 students through
EI
2
technology accessibility
services, and saved the University
System of Georgia $1.3 million by
reusing textbooks converted for
students with disabilities.
2011 Report Card
Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
)
Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
) helps
enterprises of all kinds improve their competitiveness through
the application of science, technology, and innovation.
During ?scal year 2011, the Enterprise Innovation Institute:
2
W
elcome to the 2011 annual
report of the Georgia Tech
Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
).
The Enterprise Innovation Institute
is Georgia Tech’s primary business
outreach organization, providing
a comprehensive program of
assistance to business, industry,
entrepreneurs, and economic
developers. Our goal is to help
enterprises of all kinds apply sci-
ence, technology, and innovation to
improve their bottom lines.
Health care costs have become
a major issue for companies in
Georgia and across the nation.
During 2011, we expanded our
services to health care providers,
focusing on technology-based
efforts to serve patients better,
reduce costs, and develop both
innovative solutions and an
expanded work force in health infor-
mation technology. A collaboration
with the Georgia Tech Research
Institute (GTRI) is allowing us to
bring together companies and
nonpro?t organizations in the health
IT space to accelerate innovation
and improve system integration.
To meet a growing demand, we
continued to adapt our services
for entrepreneurs who want to
launch and build startup technol-
ogy companies. In our Advanced
Technology Development Center
(ATDC) program, we involved
successful local entrepreneurs
in providing mentoring and other
assistance through an expanded
entrepreneur-in-residence program.
We also created a new service cat-
egory for ATDC companies – ATDC
Select – which provides a higher
level of support for fast-growth
companies on track to receive
venture capital ?nancing.
Our services to manufacturers,
which have been provided by
Georgia Tech since 1960, also
adapted to changing needs and
economic conditions. We are
reaching out to Georgia companies
with services designed to help ?rms
expand top-line growth and reduce
bottom-line costs. In addition to
traditional services focusing on
process improvement, we now help
companies develop new products,
manage growth, and address the
management issues that small and
mid-sized ?rms often face.
We are now seeing an increased
demand from companies that
want to work with Georgia Tech
in a broad range of areas, while
the economic development and
innovation services we provide to
communities continue to expand.
As we adapt to the new economic
realities and pursue new opportuni-
ties, I assure you that we will remain
focused on our mission – helping
enterprises take advantage of sci-
ence, technology, and innovation
to grow and generate new jobs for
Georgia.
—Stephen Fleming
Vice President and
Executive Director
[email protected]
404-894-1700
A Message from the Vice President
3
About the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
)
Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
) helps enterprises of all
types and sizes – companies, health care providers, entrepreneurs, economic
developers, and communities – improve their competitiveness through the
application of science, technology, and innovation. With more than 200 staff
members statewide, the Enterprise Innovation Institute is the nation’s largest
and most comprehensive university-based program of business and industry
assistance, technology commercialization, and economic development.
A portion of the Enterprise Innovation
Institute staff poses in the courtyard of the
Centergy building in Technology Square.
In addition to its Atlanta headquarters,
EI
2
serves Georgia through of?ces in nine
regions throughout the state.
4
EI
2
Programs Include:
Te Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC)
is a startup accelerator that helps Georgia technology
entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies. ATDC
provides business incubation and acceleration services to
startups through coaching, making connections, and creating
a community of entrepreneurs.
Te Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC) removes bar-
riers for individuals with disabilities by applying technology
in academic and workplace environments. It provides prod-
ucts and services to universities and colleges, government
organizations, nonproft entities, and private corporations.
Community Innovation Services (CIS) provides strategic
support to community leaders interested in sustainable
development that balances economic, environmental, and
social equity factors.
Flashpoint is a startup accelerator program at Georgia
Tech that ofers entrepreneurial education and access to
experienced mentors, experts, and investors in an exciting,
immersive, and shared-learning workspace.
Te Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership
(GaMEP) helps manufacturing companies across Georgia
grow and stay competitive through a solution-based approach
involving technical assistance, coaching, education, and
connections to Georgia Tech, industry and state resources.
Services from the GaMEP help companies increase top-line
growth and reduce bottom-line cost.
Te MBDA Business Center (MBC) provides business and
technical assistance that helps emerging and existing minority
businesses experience signifcant growth and sustainability,
and have long-term impact through the creation of jobs and
revenue.
Te Georgia Tech Lean Consortium provides a forum
and process to advance the knowledge and efective use of
lean principles through shared training and peer-to-peer
relationships.
Te Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center
(GTPAC) helps Georgia companies identify, compete for,
and win government contracts through teaching, mentor-
ing, and coaching – and by providing companies access to
electronic tools for researching and identifying contracting
opportunities.
VentureLab is Georgia Tech’s comprehensive center for tech-
nology commercialization, open to all faculty, research staf,
and students who want to form startup companies based on
their research.
Health@ei2 assists in the implementation of electronic
health records systems, supports innovation and integration
in health information technology, and helps hospitals boost
efciency by adopting process improvement strategies.
Te Program in Science, Technology and Innovation
Policy (STIP), operated by EI
2
and the Georgia Tech School
of Public Policy, aims to establish an internationally recog-
nized initiative focused on research-based, economically-
driven science, technology, and innovation policies.
Te Southeastern Trade Adjustment Assistance Center
(SETAAC), supported by the U.S. Economic Development
Administration, helps manufacturers implement turnaround
strategies to better compete with imports.
Te Strategic Partners Ofce links companies to leading-
edge resources at the Georgia Institute of Technology,
applying Georgia Tech know-how, specialized facilities,
and student talent to such corporate goals as new product
development, improved competitiveness, and transformation
of industrial processes.
Technology Innovation Practices provides a comprehensive
set of services and tools to help economic developers design
and implement strategies for using business incubation activ-
ities to support local economic growth and sustainability.
Te Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech ofers
world-class training and solutions in acquisition and public-
sector contracting for both the government and business
communities.
EI
2
serves Georgia through a network of staff
members located throughout the state. EI
2
services
are supported by the state of Georgia and by the
federal government through such programs as
the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the U.S.
Department of Commerce’s Economic Development
Administration. EI
2
is headquartered in Georgia
Tech’s Technology Square.
5
Services to Health Care Providers
Health care has become a high-priority issue for Georgia businesses.
EI
2
is working with organizations at the local, state, and national levels to
improve the delivery of health care and accelerate the development of new
medical devices and technologies. Projects include assisting primary-care
providers with the implementation of electronic health records systems,
bringing the developers of health information technology systems together to
accelerate innovation and integration, helping hospitals boost ef?ciency by
adopting process improvement strategies, and launching the Global Center
for Medical Innovation (GCMI) – which will create new jobs and expand
innovation in the medical device industry.
Georgia Tech researchers discuss
health care interoperability issues.
Shown are Marla Gorges and Steve
Rushing of the Enterprise Innovation
Institute (EI
2
), and Jeff Evans and Myung
Choi from the Georgia Tech Research
Institute (GTRI).
6
Matt Erskine, acting assistant secretary for economic
development in the U.S. Economic Development
Administration, is shown at the grand opening of the
Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI).
Medical Device Design Center Opens
Te Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI) has of-
cially opened its doors as the Southeast’s frst comprehensive
medical device innovation center. GCMI is a prototyping
design and development facility that will accelerate the com-
mercialization of next-generation medical devices and tech-
nology. It ofers equipment, clean room facilities, engineering
expertise, and a partner network designed to help bring ideas
from concept to market. Te center’s development was sup-
ported by the U.S. Economic Development Administration,
as well as by partners that include the Georgia Institute of
Technology, the Georgia Research Alliance, Saint Joseph’s
Translational Research Institute, and Piedmont Healthcare.
Health Information Technology Lab Established
Te Interoperability and Integration Innovation Lab (I3L)
has been established to provide a standards-based health
information technology environment in which resources
can be shared, barriers reduced – and new products more
rapidly developed and introduced. Beyond addressing
existing challenges for the health IT industry, the lab will
help participants – academic and nonproft organizations,
as well as providers of both commercial and open source
products – anticipate the trends and opportunities that will
drive health IT in the future. Te lab is operated by EI
2
,
the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), the Institute
for People and Technology (IPaT), and the Georgia Tech
Ofce of Information Technology (OIT). It was funded by
internal investments and the U.S. Economic Development
Administration. It also links to Gwinnett Technical College’s
health IT certifcate program, which is helping expand the
workforce needed by the industry.
New Initiative Accelerates Health IT Advances
An internationally-known health information technology
leader and a top nonproft health IT organization have joined
forces with EI
2
on a new public-private initiative designed to
accelerate the use of health IT to beneft patients and provid-
ers – as well as improve personal and population health.
Open Health Tools Inc., is a multi-stakeholder open source
community in which member organizations collaborate
to create the shared platforms and tools necessary to build
afordable and easy-to-use interoperable health IT solutions.
Also joining the efort as its senior strategic advisor is Robert
M. Kolodner, M.D., who is chief health informatics ofcer
for Open Health Tools and former national coordinator for
health information technology in the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.
Empowering Patients Through Health IT
A groundbreaking community health information
demonstration project based in Rome, Ga., aims to better
engage consumers in their own health care through the use
of health information technology – including secure email
and access to personal electronic health records. Te goal
for the Rome Consumer-Mediated Health Information
Exchange (CMHIE) is to put personal health information
into the hands of patients – beginning with those who have
cancer – so they can better manage their own health. Te
project involves representatives from the Northwest Georgia
Regional Cancer coalition and the major providers of health
care services in the Rome-Floyd County area: Floyd Medical
Center, Harbin Clinic and Redmond Regional Medical
Center. EI
2
is helping to manage and coordinate the efort.
Collaboration Will Boost Workforce in Health IT
Georgia Tech and Gwinnett Technical College, part of the
Atlanta Health Information Technology cluster, have been
awarded $1.65 million to enhance the state’s capabilities in
health IT. Te initiative is part of the federal government’s
Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, a three-agency
efort initiated to support the advancement of 20 high-
growth, regional industry clusters. Te program is designed
to meet the demand for the trained personnel necessary
to achieve higher quality, lower cost, and more patient
centric health care in the state. Te grant was provided
by the Economic Development Administration (EDA),
Employment and Training Administration (ETA), and Small
Business Administration (SBA).
CONTACT: Steve Rushing
[email protected]
404-894-7037
7
EI
2
conducted an economic
impact study for Georgia Tech’s
Center for Organic Photonics
and Electronics (COPE). Shown
here is COPE member Samuel
Graham, an associate professor
in the George W. Woodruff School
of Mechanical Engineering.
Innovation Services
EI
2
Innovation Partners applies innovative ideas, technologies, and policies
that foster value creation for governments, communities, foundations,
entrepreneurs, and small businesses. Programs include assisting
communities with strategic planning and economic growth, fostering
business incubation best practices, supporting relevant research, and
helping advance greater utilization of information technology by local
governments and companies.
8
Helping Paulding County Build its Business
Environment
EI
2
worked with Paulding County – one of the fastest-
growing counties in the nation – to establish an economic
development organization to help expand its business and
industry base. Te project involved a broad range of assis-
tance that included formation of a leadership team focused
on the new initiative, research into what other communities
had done in economic development, and guidance in select-
ing the most appropriate industries to target. Te county,
which is located about 25 miles northwest of downtown
Atlanta, now has an active economic development program
focused on aerospace, automotive, and healthcare frms and
led by an experienced director.
Researchers Assess Investment in Green
Nanotechnology
In the United States alone, government and private industry
together invest more than $3 billion per year in nanotechnol-
ogy research and development. Researchers from EI
2
and
the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy evaluated this
investment to predict what the long-term economic impacts
may be – in new jobs, new product sales, and improvements
in sustainability. Nanotechnology promises to foster green
and sustainable growth in many areas of product and process
development, and the researchers highlighted the need to
assess these potential impacts through the full lifecycle of
product development. Tis would include balancing gains in
efciency and performance against the net energy, environ-
mental, carbon, and other costs associated with production,
use, and end-of-life disposal of these products.
Economic Development Course Celebrates 45 Years
For 45 years, economic developers from Georgia and across
the nation have taken their frst career steps at Georgia Tech’s
Basic Economic Development Course (BEDC) – which
was frst taught in 1967. Participants explore such topics
as community development, strategic planning, marketing
and attraction of companies, business retention and expan-
sion, workforce development, organizational management,
fnance, real estate development, ethics and trends in
economic development. Te course is designed for new pro-
fessionals with public and private agencies, chamber of com-
merce staf, public utilities personnel, local elected ofcials,
and economic development volunteers. More than 2,800
people have graduated from the four-day course, which
is ofered each Spring and accredited by the International
Economic Development Council (IEDC).
Evaluating the Economic Impact of Focused R&D
Organic-based electronics is a major new area of product
development and growth worldwide, and Georgia Tech
is a leader through its Center for Organic Photonics and
Electronics (COPE). Formed in 2003 to develop innovative
research, educational programs, and commercial applica-
tions in organic-based electronics, the center has assisted 25
companies in Georgia and outside the state, and has attracted
more than $13 million in research funding. EI
2
researchers
assessed the economic benefts of the center’s work, consider-
ing impacts on the existing lighting industry in Georgia,
which includes some 133 companies that generate roughly
$2 billion in sales. Te study also focused on the potential for
spinof companies, and the big picture potential for helping
create a new industry in the state.
CONTACT: David Bridges
[email protected]
404-894-6786
Paulding County of?cials are working to attract medical device
?rms to a 100-acre wellness park near this new hospital, set to
open in Hiram in 2014. EI
2
helped the community organize an
economic development of?ce to capitalize on its strengths.
9
4
Kimberli Causby, a staff
member in Georgia Tech’s
Alternative Media Access
Center (AMAC), is shown
providing live remote
captioning for a hearing-
impaired student.
Technology for Accessibility
EI
2
’s alternative media access services help remove social and academic
barriers for individuals with print-related disabilities, including persons who
are blind, visually impaired, or who have a physical or learning disability.
Through its Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC), which is supported in
part by the University System of Georgia, EI
2
provides products and services
designed to ensure that all persons with print-related disabilities have equal
and timely access to print materials at an affordable cost. Examples of these
services include conversion of textbooks into accessible formats, training
in production of Braille materials, and development of software to manage
information about student access needs. A membership organization
headquartered in Atlanta, AMAC serves clients across the nation.
10
5
Students from Georgia Tech’s Alternative Media Access
Center (AMAC) work on projects to help remove social and
academic barriers for individuals with print-related disabilities.
Services Help Persons with Disabilities
Acquire Books
To ensure that students with disabilities have access to the
books they need, the AccessText Network has long provided
electronic publisher fles to campuses across the country. Te
network has recently launched two new services designed
to ensure that persons with disabilities have the books
they need: (1) an authorized exchange program to allow
schools that have student-ready alternative media versions
of textbooks to exchange those fles with other AccessText
member schools, and (2) the Accessible Textbook Finder,
which searches multiple sources of accessible books and
provides links to relevant materials. Te AccessText Network
is a membership exchange network that facilitates the
nationwide delivery of alternative fles for students with
print-related disabilities. Supported by the Association of
American Publishers and other higher education publishers,
the network is a division of EI
2
’s Alternative Media Access
Center (AMAC) program.
Providing Offenders with Access to Braille Training
An enhanced training program designed to teach Braille
transcription, computer skills and business techniques to
soon-to-be-released ofenders could expand the quantity of
printed materials available for persons who are blind or visu-
ally-impaired – while providing ex-ofenders marketable skills
designed to reduce recidivism rates. Known as Providing Real
Opportunities for Income through Technology (PROFITT),
the program is being evaluated at a maximum-security cor-
rectional facility in Texas. Once completed and approved,
the PROFITT curriculum will be made available to other
correctional facilities interested in starting or enhancing
Braille training programs. Te project was funded by the
Second Chance Act, administered by the U.S. Department
of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. PROFITT has been
developed through a partnership of the National Braille
Press, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the
Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC) at Georgia Tech.
Beyond Braille skills, PROFITT teaches broader professional
skills, including computer operation and computer graphics,
small business management and “soft skills.”
Supporting College Disability Services
Organizations
Te Student Accommodation Manager (SAM) is a secure,
multi-user Web-based application designed to support col-
lege disability support ofces. Te software allows users to
manage case notes, specialized student data, and information
on the accommodations made for students with disabilities.
Te system is entirely Web-based to free users from the need
to install and manage software. SAM applications are now
used nationwide by colleges and universities, supported by
database specialists at EI
2
.
Expanding Services for Persons with Disabilities
During 2011, two new programs were added to the roster
of EI
2
services for persons with disabilities. Tools for Life is
Georgia’s Assistive Technology Act Program that expands
access to assistive technology and devices designed to
provide greater freedom for persons with disabilities. Also
becoming part of the EI
2
program was the Pass It On Center
– the National Assistive Technology Device Reutilization
Coordination and Technical Access Center. As the name
suggests, the center helps meet the need for accessible tech-
nology devices by ensuring appropriate reuse.
CONTACT: Christopher Lee
404-894-8000
[email protected]
11
EI
2
helps connect companies from around the world to the extensive
capabilities of the Georgia Institute of Technology, a $655 million research
institution whose academic programs are ranked seventh among United
States public universities by U.S. News & World Report. EI
2
specialists
match corporate needs with Georgia Tech resources that include world-
class research, unique research facilities, top U.S. science and technology
students, and professional education opportunities that can be tailored to
speci?c industry needs.
Connecting Companies to Georgia Tech
Researchers in Georgia Tech’s
College of Architecture are
helping automate the process
of turning CAD designs into
manufactured products. Here,
they are evaluating custom wall
structures manufactured using
a new process.
12
Panasonic Establishes Innovation Center in Atlanta
Georgia Tech was a key factor in the decision by Panasonic
Automotive Systems Company of America to establish a
new research center in Midtown’s Technology Square. Te
Panasonic Innovation Center will become an incubator
for next-generation automotive infotainment and other
technologies. Te company expects to have 40 software,
electrical, systems and mechanical engineers, and other
support personnel working at the center – and to ofer at
least 15 co-op positions a year to Georgia Tech students. EI
2
specialists helped identify Georgia Tech resources of interest
to Panasonic, and connect the company to Georgia Tech
leadership.
Supporting Non-traditional Industry, Student and
Economic Development Engagements
Te Enterprise Innovation Institute supports regional and
statewide economic development organizations such as the
Georgia Department of Economic Development and the
Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, providing
connections to key Georgia Tech resources in pursuit of
economic development goals. EI
2
and Georgia Tech partners
such as the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) are also
pursuing non-traditional economic development avenues
to open relationships with additional organizations and to
develop a skilled base of technical personnel. One example
is “Random Hacks of Kindness,” an event in which teams
of volunteers attempt to develop open source solutions to a
variety of challenges, including disaster risk management and
climate change adaptation. Founded in 2009 with partners
Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, NASA and the World Bank,
Random Hacks of Kindness has brought together thousands
of experts in development and software design who have
collaborated on signifcant projects worldwide. Georgia Tech
researchers have assisted with organizing the Atlanta portion
of the event, and provided meeting space for the volunteers.
Other non-traditional events supported by Georgia Tech
have included Amped Hack Day, Doing Business with the
NSA, Drupal Camp, MongoDB, Product Camp, Startup
Camp, and Webdirections.org.
Collaborating with the Metropolitan Atlanta
Chamber of Commerce
Te Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and
Georgia Tech share a common mission: economic develop-
ment. In support of that mission, the two organizations have
been working together for many years to bring new jobs to
Atlanta and Georgia, improve the quality of life, and provide
new opportunities for citizens. Te chamber has recently
unveiled a new vision known as “Forward Atlanta” that
includes fve key strategies. Georgia Tech is playing a critical
role in the implementation of four of the fve core strategies,
including jump-starting job growth, catalyzing new busi-
nesses, elevating the quality of life, and driving stronger col-
laborations between higher education and business. To facili-
tate this collaboration, the Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of
Commerce has included representatives from Georgia Tech
on each of its task forces and committees, providing tangible
proof of the Institute’s value to the chamber’s mission.
CONTACT: Carl Rust
[email protected]
404-385-7405
Access to top students is a key factor in attracting companies
to locate in Georgia. EI
2
helps companies connect to
these talented students, and to other unique Georgia Tech
resources.
13
Georgia has approximately 10,000 manufacturers that together account
for 11 percent of the gross state product. EI
2
provides a comprehensive
set of services designed to help these manufacturers improve their
ability to compete in world markets. Services include direct technical and
engineering assistance in areas such as innovation, lean, quality, energy,
and sustainability; professional education courses; networking opportunities,
and connections to Georgia Tech resources. EI
2
is a NIST Manufacturing
Extension Partnership af?liate and serves manufacturers statewide through
the Georgia MEP (GaMEP).
Services to Manufacturers
Dr. Ric Hollstrom (left), owner of OrthoCare
Labs, discusses the company’s products
with Derek Woodham, Georgia Tech
regional manager. Woodham helped the
company redesign its manufacturing
process to increase production.
14
Orthotics Manufacturer Doubles Production
OrthoCare Labs was preparing to move into a new manu-
facturing facility when it contacted GaMEP at EI
2
for assis-
tance. Te collaboration that resulted helped the company
expand its sales by more than $1 million per year, add seven
jobs, save nearly a quarter million dollars – and make a big
investment in the LaGrange, Ga. community. Te company,
which makes custom orthotics, redesigned its manufacturing
organization, replacing a traditional departmental batch
process with fow cells in which a small team works together
to complete products in one continuous operation. Te fow
cells allowed the company to expand production incremen-
tally – while reducing turnaround time, improving quality,
and reducing the risk of error.
Ice Maker Company Boosts Productivity 75 Percent
Te Peachtree City, Ga. facility of Hoshizaki America – a
manufacturer of commercial ice makers, dispensers, refrigera-
tors, and related products – recently cut its costs by more
than $7 million and increased productivity by 75 percent
through implementation of a continuous improvement
system. Te results, produced with assistance from GaMEP
at EI
2
, came about after a lean assessment of the company’s
operations and a series of kaizen events. Kaizen, or rapid
improvement, focuses on a particular process or activity that
identifes and quickly removes waste. Hoshizaki also began
implementing 5S (sorting, straightening, shining, standard-
izing, and sustaining) in each of its manufacturing areas.
Craft Beer Brewer Wins Investment for Growth
Assistance from GaMEP at EI
2
helped an Athens brewer of
craft beers obtain new investment that has put it on the road
to growth. A specialist in strategic business planning met
with the founders of Terrapin Beer Co. to discuss a broad
range of needs, including flling an empty board seat, obtain-
ing legal counsel – and closing an investment contract that
allowed them to buy out the company’s original investment
group. Te investment allowed the 10-year-old independent
brewery to develop growth plans for a new brew house mill
that will expand capacity to meet a growing demand.
West Point Firm Transforms its Business
After its business declined dramatically as a result of
international competition, a manufacturer of textile
machinery sought assistance from EI
2
and its federally-
supported Southeastern Trade Adjustment Assistance Center
(SETAAC). Te program, which helps companies afected by
foreign competition adopt turnaround strategies, shared the
cost of developing and implementing an improvement plan.
As a result of the assistance, the company – renamed West
Point Industries – refocused its engineering and production
expertise on military customers and manufacturers in a broad
range of new industries. Te change helped put the company
on a growth track, with a 25 percent increase in business
projected for 2012.
Long-Term Relationship Boosts Hawkinsville Firm
When Hollingsworth & Vose needed help meeting its corpo-
rate lean and quality objectives, it turned to Georgia Tech – a
trusted ally that has helped the Hawkinsville plant ever since
it was established 23 years ago. GaMEP at EI
2
specialists
helped the company produce a facility layout designed to
optimize its space, led a value-stream mapping project,
provided additional lean training, and helped with the frm’s
recertifcation to the ISO 9001 quality standard. Te com-
pany also participated in the Georgia Tech Lean Consortium.
Te assistance produced signifcant productivity improve-
ments for Hollingsworth & Vose – which manufactures
nonwoven fltration media – and helped it develop a stronger
understanding of lean techniques within its workforce.
CONTACT: Chris Downing, PE
404-894-7700
[email protected]
Gary Sharpe, Hollingsworth & Vose’s lean/quality
manager (left), discusses a production issue with Alan
Barfoot, Georgia Tech’s central Georgia region manager.
15
Samirkumar Patel, director
of research for Clearside
Biomedical, displays a
prototype microneedle
used to inject therapeutics
into speci?c locations in
the eye. The image behind
him on the screen is a
magni?ed view of a site
where ?uorescent particles
were injected using a
microneedle.
Entrepreneurs play a vital role in creating new jobs and new investment for
Georgia. EI
2
supports these entrepreneurs through a comprehensive set of
initiatives. The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) is
a startup accelerator that helps Georgia technology entrepreneurs launch
and build successful companies. Georgia Tech VentureLab supports
Georgia Tech researchers, graduate students and others as they develop
startup companies based on research innovations. Through the Georgia
SBIR Assistance Program, companies receive help winning Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants from federal agencies. The
MBDA Business Center helps emerging and existing minority businesses
experience growth and sustainability to have long-term economic impact
through the creation of jobs and revenue.
Services to Entrepreneurs
16
ATDC Expands Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program
Te Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) is
known for providing strategic entrepreneurial advice and key
business connections to help grow Georgia-based technology
startup companies. Te startup accelerator has enhanced
those abilities through its entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR)
program, which features experienced entrepreneurs who
have launched multiple companies and can share a wealth of
real-world knowledge. Te EIRs serve as advisors for ATDC
companies in such areas as business strategy, fund-raising,
and team development. Tey also look for opportunities to
connect startups with prospective business advisors, investors,
and customers.
Georgia Tech Selected for NSF I-Corps
Georgia Tech has been chosen to be a founding network
node for the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps
(I-Corps) program, which aims to develop scientifc and
engineering discoveries into useful technologies, products
and processes. Te I-Corps program connects NSF-funded
scientifc research with the technological, entrepreneurial and
business communities to help create a stronger innovation
ecosystem that couples scientifc discovery with technology
development and societal needs.
Innovation Provides Foundation for Security Firm
Te quality of signals transmitted from devices such as smart
phones can degrade dramatically with distance. Atlanta-based
Whisper Communications is taking advantage of that basic
law of physics to provide more secure wireless communica-
tion, including protection for fnancial transactions that will
use the “digital wallet” technology now under development.
Based on patent-pending technology from Georgia Tech, the
Atlanta company has developed an encoding methodology
that makes data signals transmitted beyond its “cone of
silence” useless to any eavesdroppers. Assisted by Georgia
Tech’s VentureLab program, Whisper Communications has
received funding from the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA),
Atlanta-based Imlay Investments, the Georgia Tech Edison
Fund, and a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research
(SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation.
“ATDC Select” Focuses on Fast Growth Firms
In an efort to better serve fast-growth technology compa-
nies that are focusing on venture funding, the Advanced
Technology Development Center has created a new category
of membership known as “ATDC Select.” To be included in
this new level of membership, companies must be screened
and selected based on their readiness for acceleration and ft
with ATDC services and stafng. Over the past two years,
membership in ATDC has grown from about 40 companies
to nearly 400, with members ranging from early-stage
startups to revenue-generating, venture-fundable companies.
“ATDC Select” frms receive more focused and individualized
services.
Startup Receives $4 Million for Ocular Drug
Delivery
Technology developed by researchers from Georgia Tech and
Emory University for delivering drugs and other therapeutics
to specifc locations in the eye has provided the foundation
for a startup company that received a $4 million venture
capital investment. Te Atlanta-based startup, Clearside
Biomedical, plans to develop microinjection technology that
will use hollow microneedles to precisely target therapeutics
within the eye. If the technique proves successful in clinical
trials and wins regulatory approval, it could provide an
improved method for treating diseases that afect the back
of the eye – including age-related macular degeneration.
Research leading to development of the technology was spon-
sored by the National Institutes of Health, and the company
founders received assistance from Georgia Tech’s VentureLab
program.
Contact: Nina Sawczuk
[email protected]
404-385-1597
Eight companies graduated from the ATDC during
the startup accelerator’s 2012 Showcase. Shown with
representatives of the companies are Nina Sawczuk,
general manager of the ATDC (second from left, ?rst
row) and Stephen Fleming, Georgia Tech vice president
and executive director of the Georgia Tech Enterprise
Innovation Institute (right, ?rst row).
17
Access to Georgia Tech Resources
The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the world’s top research
universities, ranked seventh among U.S. News & World Report’s top
public universities and second among U.S. universities for the volume of
engineering research and development conducted. Georgia Tech has more
than 20,000 students enrolled in its Colleges of Architecture, Computing,
Engineering, Liberal Arts, Business, and Sciences, and is among the nation’s
top producers of women and minority engineers. Georgia Tech resources
add to the talents and expertise of EI
2
professionals.
Georgia Tech hosts a variety of symposia and
conferences designed to help industry leaders keep
track of the latest technology developments. Also
contributing to that goal are courses taught through
Georgia Tech’s Professional Education division.
18
Examples of Georgia Tech Resources Include:
Georgia Tech’s Professional Education Program ofers edu-
cation and training in 40 major areas through short courses,
customized training, certifcate programs, and master’s
degrees that help professionals advance their careers, improve
their skills, and stay in touch with industry best practices.
Featured areas include assistive technology, defense technol-
ogy, engineering, enterprise innovation, executive education,
information technology and computing, languages, occupa-
tional safety and health, and supply chain and logistics.
Te Georgia Tech Division of Professional Practice is
home to Georgia Tech’s popular undergraduate Cooperative
Education (Co-op) Program, which helps develop future
leaders for Georgia employers by placing students into
industry jobs. By alternating semesters of work and school,
co-op students gain valuable real-world experience and give
potential future employers an opportunity to evaluate them
prior to graduation. Georgia Tech has the largest voluntary
co-op program among tier-one universities in the United
States.
Te Georgia Tech Manufacturing Research Center
develops and implements next-generation manufacturing
technologies in a broad range of areas, including product
and systems life-cycle management, precision machining,
rapid prototyping/direct digital manufacturing, sustainable
design and manufacturing, factory information systems, and
aerospace manufacturing.
Te Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is Georgia
Tech’s applied research unit. GTRI ofers many resources of
interest to Georgia companies, including:
n Te Accessibility Evaluation Facility helps product
designers measure the accessibility and usability of products
and services – and how well they conform to domestic and
international disability regulations.
n Te Electromagnetic Test and Evaluation Facility can
test virtually any kind of antenna using several diferent test
ranges and laboratories.
n Te Environmental Safety and Occupational Health
Center oversees programs in compliance, sustainability, envi-
ronmental emergency response, and occupational safety and
health issues. It helps Georgia businesses and communities
understand the changing government safety and workplace
regulations.
n Te Food Processing Technology Division develops
new technology to improve the processing efciency and
enhance operations of the food processing and poultry
industries. Researchers work on computer vision technolo-
gies, robotic systems, intelligent processing systems, food and
worker safety systems, and other technologies.
Te Supply Chain and Logistics Institute, part of the top-
ranked School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, applies
scientifc principles to optimize the design and integration of
supply chain processes, infrastructure, technology, and strat-
egy. It focuses on developing new tools for analysis, design,
and management of logistics processes, and new concepts
and strategies for the practice of supply chain engineering.
Te School of Public Policy is one of the world’s top
programs in the feld of science and technology policy.
Te school is a university partner in the European Union’s
network of excellence in technology and innovation policy,
and hosts international conferences on science and technol-
ogy policy. Among the areas of interest are the environment,
communications, transportation, biotechnology and health,
urban development, and workforce and education.
Te Nanotechnology Research Center is the largest facility
of its kind in the Southeast, housing laboratories for both
semiconductor- and biologically-focused nanotechnology.
Facilities, equipment, and expertise at the center are avail-
able to companies interested in interdisciplinary research in
micro- and nano-fabrication and characterization.
Georgia Tech develops and implements next-generation
manufacturing technologies in a broad range of areas,
including robotics.
19
Enterprise Innovation Institute
75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 380
Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA
Phone: 404-385-3871
innovate.gatech.edu
Albany
Savannah
Dublin
Warner
Robins
Macon
Augusta
LaGrange
Carrollton
Columbus
Athens
Atlanta
Gainesville
Cartersville
Georgia Tech Regional Network
North Metro Atlanta: 678-699-1690
South Metro Atlanta: 404-895-5237
Northwest Region: 770-387-4002
Northeast Region: 770-718-3982
West Region: 706-881-0535
Central Region: 478-275-5125
East Region: 706-721-4522
Coastal Region: 912-963-2519
South Region: 229-430-6195
Atlanta Headquarters: 404-385-3871
The services of the Enterprise Innovation Institute are available throughout Georgia.
Contact your nearest Georgia Tech Regional Of?ce for assistance.
doc_156920713.pdf
In this description enterprise innovation institute annual report 2011.
Enterprise Innovation Institute
Annual Report 2011
Contents
Enterprise Innovation Institute Report Card ......................................................2
A Message from the Vice President ...................................................................3
About the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
) ....................................................4
Services to Health Care Providers ......................................................................6
Innovation Services ............................................................................................8
Technology for Accessibility ..............................................................................10
Connecting Companies to Georgia Tech .........................................................12
Services to Manufacturers ...............................................................................14
Services to Entrepreneurs ................................................................................16
Access to Georgia Tech Resources .................................................................18
The Enterprise Innovation Institute is
headquartered at Technology Square on
Georgia Tech’s campus.
Helped Georgia manufacturing
companies reduce operating
costs by $36 million, increase sales by
$191 million, and create or save 950
jobs. EI
2
served 1,770 manufacturers
during the year.
Assisted 65 Georgia Tech faculty
members, evaluated 219 research
innovations, and helped form 17 new
companies based on this intellectual
property. Assisted by EI
2
, startups
based on Georgia Tech research
innovations created 513 jobs and
attracted nearly $100 million in
investment.
Worked with 243 companies
interested in collaborating with
Georgia Tech, including 18 projects
involving state economic development
agencies. Projects resulting from those
interactions created or saved 1,594
jobs and produced $63 million in
capital investment.
Helped Georgia companies win
$492 million in government
contracts, creating or saving an
estimated 9,843 jobs.
Assisted 83 minority
entrepreneurs, who received
nearly $86 million in new contracts,
increased sales, new bonding or new
?nancing.
Served 493 technology startup
companies that together
generated capital activity (venture
capital investment and mergers/
acquisitions) of more than $97 million.
Companies af?liated with the ATDC
program reported revenues totaling
more than $1.3 billion and some 5,571
jobs. Since 1999, companies
associated with the ATDC have
attracted nearly $2.5 billion in
investment.
Helped Georgia companies
prepare 56 proposals for Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR)
grants. Companies assisted won more
than $9 million in awards.
Assisted 2,910 students through
EI
2
technology accessibility
services, and saved the University
System of Georgia $1.3 million by
reusing textbooks converted for
students with disabilities.
2011 Report Card
Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
)
Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
) helps
enterprises of all kinds improve their competitiveness through
the application of science, technology, and innovation.
During ?scal year 2011, the Enterprise Innovation Institute:
2
W
elcome to the 2011 annual
report of the Georgia Tech
Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
).
The Enterprise Innovation Institute
is Georgia Tech’s primary business
outreach organization, providing
a comprehensive program of
assistance to business, industry,
entrepreneurs, and economic
developers. Our goal is to help
enterprises of all kinds apply sci-
ence, technology, and innovation to
improve their bottom lines.
Health care costs have become
a major issue for companies in
Georgia and across the nation.
During 2011, we expanded our
services to health care providers,
focusing on technology-based
efforts to serve patients better,
reduce costs, and develop both
innovative solutions and an
expanded work force in health infor-
mation technology. A collaboration
with the Georgia Tech Research
Institute (GTRI) is allowing us to
bring together companies and
nonpro?t organizations in the health
IT space to accelerate innovation
and improve system integration.
To meet a growing demand, we
continued to adapt our services
for entrepreneurs who want to
launch and build startup technol-
ogy companies. In our Advanced
Technology Development Center
(ATDC) program, we involved
successful local entrepreneurs
in providing mentoring and other
assistance through an expanded
entrepreneur-in-residence program.
We also created a new service cat-
egory for ATDC companies – ATDC
Select – which provides a higher
level of support for fast-growth
companies on track to receive
venture capital ?nancing.
Our services to manufacturers,
which have been provided by
Georgia Tech since 1960, also
adapted to changing needs and
economic conditions. We are
reaching out to Georgia companies
with services designed to help ?rms
expand top-line growth and reduce
bottom-line costs. In addition to
traditional services focusing on
process improvement, we now help
companies develop new products,
manage growth, and address the
management issues that small and
mid-sized ?rms often face.
We are now seeing an increased
demand from companies that
want to work with Georgia Tech
in a broad range of areas, while
the economic development and
innovation services we provide to
communities continue to expand.
As we adapt to the new economic
realities and pursue new opportuni-
ties, I assure you that we will remain
focused on our mission – helping
enterprises take advantage of sci-
ence, technology, and innovation
to grow and generate new jobs for
Georgia.
—Stephen Fleming
Vice President and
Executive Director
[email protected]
404-894-1700
A Message from the Vice President
3
About the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
)
Georgia Tech’s Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI
2
) helps enterprises of all
types and sizes – companies, health care providers, entrepreneurs, economic
developers, and communities – improve their competitiveness through the
application of science, technology, and innovation. With more than 200 staff
members statewide, the Enterprise Innovation Institute is the nation’s largest
and most comprehensive university-based program of business and industry
assistance, technology commercialization, and economic development.
A portion of the Enterprise Innovation
Institute staff poses in the courtyard of the
Centergy building in Technology Square.
In addition to its Atlanta headquarters,
EI
2
serves Georgia through of?ces in nine
regions throughout the state.
4
EI
2
Programs Include:
Te Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC)
is a startup accelerator that helps Georgia technology
entrepreneurs launch and build successful companies. ATDC
provides business incubation and acceleration services to
startups through coaching, making connections, and creating
a community of entrepreneurs.
Te Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC) removes bar-
riers for individuals with disabilities by applying technology
in academic and workplace environments. It provides prod-
ucts and services to universities and colleges, government
organizations, nonproft entities, and private corporations.
Community Innovation Services (CIS) provides strategic
support to community leaders interested in sustainable
development that balances economic, environmental, and
social equity factors.
Flashpoint is a startup accelerator program at Georgia
Tech that ofers entrepreneurial education and access to
experienced mentors, experts, and investors in an exciting,
immersive, and shared-learning workspace.
Te Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership
(GaMEP) helps manufacturing companies across Georgia
grow and stay competitive through a solution-based approach
involving technical assistance, coaching, education, and
connections to Georgia Tech, industry and state resources.
Services from the GaMEP help companies increase top-line
growth and reduce bottom-line cost.
Te MBDA Business Center (MBC) provides business and
technical assistance that helps emerging and existing minority
businesses experience signifcant growth and sustainability,
and have long-term impact through the creation of jobs and
revenue.
Te Georgia Tech Lean Consortium provides a forum
and process to advance the knowledge and efective use of
lean principles through shared training and peer-to-peer
relationships.
Te Georgia Tech Procurement Assistance Center
(GTPAC) helps Georgia companies identify, compete for,
and win government contracts through teaching, mentor-
ing, and coaching – and by providing companies access to
electronic tools for researching and identifying contracting
opportunities.
VentureLab is Georgia Tech’s comprehensive center for tech-
nology commercialization, open to all faculty, research staf,
and students who want to form startup companies based on
their research.
Health@ei2 assists in the implementation of electronic
health records systems, supports innovation and integration
in health information technology, and helps hospitals boost
efciency by adopting process improvement strategies.
Te Program in Science, Technology and Innovation
Policy (STIP), operated by EI
2
and the Georgia Tech School
of Public Policy, aims to establish an internationally recog-
nized initiative focused on research-based, economically-
driven science, technology, and innovation policies.
Te Southeastern Trade Adjustment Assistance Center
(SETAAC), supported by the U.S. Economic Development
Administration, helps manufacturers implement turnaround
strategies to better compete with imports.
Te Strategic Partners Ofce links companies to leading-
edge resources at the Georgia Institute of Technology,
applying Georgia Tech know-how, specialized facilities,
and student talent to such corporate goals as new product
development, improved competitiveness, and transformation
of industrial processes.
Technology Innovation Practices provides a comprehensive
set of services and tools to help economic developers design
and implement strategies for using business incubation activ-
ities to support local economic growth and sustainability.
Te Contracting Education Academy at Georgia Tech ofers
world-class training and solutions in acquisition and public-
sector contracting for both the government and business
communities.
EI
2
serves Georgia through a network of staff
members located throughout the state. EI
2
services
are supported by the state of Georgia and by the
federal government through such programs as
the National Institute of Standards and Technology
Manufacturing Extension Partnership and the U.S.
Department of Commerce’s Economic Development
Administration. EI
2
is headquartered in Georgia
Tech’s Technology Square.
5
Services to Health Care Providers
Health care has become a high-priority issue for Georgia businesses.
EI
2
is working with organizations at the local, state, and national levels to
improve the delivery of health care and accelerate the development of new
medical devices and technologies. Projects include assisting primary-care
providers with the implementation of electronic health records systems,
bringing the developers of health information technology systems together to
accelerate innovation and integration, helping hospitals boost ef?ciency by
adopting process improvement strategies, and launching the Global Center
for Medical Innovation (GCMI) – which will create new jobs and expand
innovation in the medical device industry.
Georgia Tech researchers discuss
health care interoperability issues.
Shown are Marla Gorges and Steve
Rushing of the Enterprise Innovation
Institute (EI
2
), and Jeff Evans and Myung
Choi from the Georgia Tech Research
Institute (GTRI).
6
Matt Erskine, acting assistant secretary for economic
development in the U.S. Economic Development
Administration, is shown at the grand opening of the
Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI).
Medical Device Design Center Opens
Te Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI) has of-
cially opened its doors as the Southeast’s frst comprehensive
medical device innovation center. GCMI is a prototyping
design and development facility that will accelerate the com-
mercialization of next-generation medical devices and tech-
nology. It ofers equipment, clean room facilities, engineering
expertise, and a partner network designed to help bring ideas
from concept to market. Te center’s development was sup-
ported by the U.S. Economic Development Administration,
as well as by partners that include the Georgia Institute of
Technology, the Georgia Research Alliance, Saint Joseph’s
Translational Research Institute, and Piedmont Healthcare.
Health Information Technology Lab Established
Te Interoperability and Integration Innovation Lab (I3L)
has been established to provide a standards-based health
information technology environment in which resources
can be shared, barriers reduced – and new products more
rapidly developed and introduced. Beyond addressing
existing challenges for the health IT industry, the lab will
help participants – academic and nonproft organizations,
as well as providers of both commercial and open source
products – anticipate the trends and opportunities that will
drive health IT in the future. Te lab is operated by EI
2
,
the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI), the Institute
for People and Technology (IPaT), and the Georgia Tech
Ofce of Information Technology (OIT). It was funded by
internal investments and the U.S. Economic Development
Administration. It also links to Gwinnett Technical College’s
health IT certifcate program, which is helping expand the
workforce needed by the industry.
New Initiative Accelerates Health IT Advances
An internationally-known health information technology
leader and a top nonproft health IT organization have joined
forces with EI
2
on a new public-private initiative designed to
accelerate the use of health IT to beneft patients and provid-
ers – as well as improve personal and population health.
Open Health Tools Inc., is a multi-stakeholder open source
community in which member organizations collaborate
to create the shared platforms and tools necessary to build
afordable and easy-to-use interoperable health IT solutions.
Also joining the efort as its senior strategic advisor is Robert
M. Kolodner, M.D., who is chief health informatics ofcer
for Open Health Tools and former national coordinator for
health information technology in the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services.
Empowering Patients Through Health IT
A groundbreaking community health information
demonstration project based in Rome, Ga., aims to better
engage consumers in their own health care through the use
of health information technology – including secure email
and access to personal electronic health records. Te goal
for the Rome Consumer-Mediated Health Information
Exchange (CMHIE) is to put personal health information
into the hands of patients – beginning with those who have
cancer – so they can better manage their own health. Te
project involves representatives from the Northwest Georgia
Regional Cancer coalition and the major providers of health
care services in the Rome-Floyd County area: Floyd Medical
Center, Harbin Clinic and Redmond Regional Medical
Center. EI
2
is helping to manage and coordinate the efort.
Collaboration Will Boost Workforce in Health IT
Georgia Tech and Gwinnett Technical College, part of the
Atlanta Health Information Technology cluster, have been
awarded $1.65 million to enhance the state’s capabilities in
health IT. Te initiative is part of the federal government’s
Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, a three-agency
efort initiated to support the advancement of 20 high-
growth, regional industry clusters. Te program is designed
to meet the demand for the trained personnel necessary
to achieve higher quality, lower cost, and more patient
centric health care in the state. Te grant was provided
by the Economic Development Administration (EDA),
Employment and Training Administration (ETA), and Small
Business Administration (SBA).
CONTACT: Steve Rushing
[email protected]
404-894-7037
7
EI
2
conducted an economic
impact study for Georgia Tech’s
Center for Organic Photonics
and Electronics (COPE). Shown
here is COPE member Samuel
Graham, an associate professor
in the George W. Woodruff School
of Mechanical Engineering.
Innovation Services
EI
2
Innovation Partners applies innovative ideas, technologies, and policies
that foster value creation for governments, communities, foundations,
entrepreneurs, and small businesses. Programs include assisting
communities with strategic planning and economic growth, fostering
business incubation best practices, supporting relevant research, and
helping advance greater utilization of information technology by local
governments and companies.
8
Helping Paulding County Build its Business
Environment
EI
2
worked with Paulding County – one of the fastest-
growing counties in the nation – to establish an economic
development organization to help expand its business and
industry base. Te project involved a broad range of assis-
tance that included formation of a leadership team focused
on the new initiative, research into what other communities
had done in economic development, and guidance in select-
ing the most appropriate industries to target. Te county,
which is located about 25 miles northwest of downtown
Atlanta, now has an active economic development program
focused on aerospace, automotive, and healthcare frms and
led by an experienced director.
Researchers Assess Investment in Green
Nanotechnology
In the United States alone, government and private industry
together invest more than $3 billion per year in nanotechnol-
ogy research and development. Researchers from EI
2
and
the Georgia Tech School of Public Policy evaluated this
investment to predict what the long-term economic impacts
may be – in new jobs, new product sales, and improvements
in sustainability. Nanotechnology promises to foster green
and sustainable growth in many areas of product and process
development, and the researchers highlighted the need to
assess these potential impacts through the full lifecycle of
product development. Tis would include balancing gains in
efciency and performance against the net energy, environ-
mental, carbon, and other costs associated with production,
use, and end-of-life disposal of these products.
Economic Development Course Celebrates 45 Years
For 45 years, economic developers from Georgia and across
the nation have taken their frst career steps at Georgia Tech’s
Basic Economic Development Course (BEDC) – which
was frst taught in 1967. Participants explore such topics
as community development, strategic planning, marketing
and attraction of companies, business retention and expan-
sion, workforce development, organizational management,
fnance, real estate development, ethics and trends in
economic development. Te course is designed for new pro-
fessionals with public and private agencies, chamber of com-
merce staf, public utilities personnel, local elected ofcials,
and economic development volunteers. More than 2,800
people have graduated from the four-day course, which
is ofered each Spring and accredited by the International
Economic Development Council (IEDC).
Evaluating the Economic Impact of Focused R&D
Organic-based electronics is a major new area of product
development and growth worldwide, and Georgia Tech
is a leader through its Center for Organic Photonics and
Electronics (COPE). Formed in 2003 to develop innovative
research, educational programs, and commercial applica-
tions in organic-based electronics, the center has assisted 25
companies in Georgia and outside the state, and has attracted
more than $13 million in research funding. EI
2
researchers
assessed the economic benefts of the center’s work, consider-
ing impacts on the existing lighting industry in Georgia,
which includes some 133 companies that generate roughly
$2 billion in sales. Te study also focused on the potential for
spinof companies, and the big picture potential for helping
create a new industry in the state.
CONTACT: David Bridges
[email protected]
404-894-6786
Paulding County of?cials are working to attract medical device
?rms to a 100-acre wellness park near this new hospital, set to
open in Hiram in 2014. EI
2
helped the community organize an
economic development of?ce to capitalize on its strengths.
9
4
Kimberli Causby, a staff
member in Georgia Tech’s
Alternative Media Access
Center (AMAC), is shown
providing live remote
captioning for a hearing-
impaired student.
Technology for Accessibility
EI
2
’s alternative media access services help remove social and academic
barriers for individuals with print-related disabilities, including persons who
are blind, visually impaired, or who have a physical or learning disability.
Through its Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC), which is supported in
part by the University System of Georgia, EI
2
provides products and services
designed to ensure that all persons with print-related disabilities have equal
and timely access to print materials at an affordable cost. Examples of these
services include conversion of textbooks into accessible formats, training
in production of Braille materials, and development of software to manage
information about student access needs. A membership organization
headquartered in Atlanta, AMAC serves clients across the nation.
10
5
Students from Georgia Tech’s Alternative Media Access
Center (AMAC) work on projects to help remove social and
academic barriers for individuals with print-related disabilities.
Services Help Persons with Disabilities
Acquire Books
To ensure that students with disabilities have access to the
books they need, the AccessText Network has long provided
electronic publisher fles to campuses across the country. Te
network has recently launched two new services designed
to ensure that persons with disabilities have the books
they need: (1) an authorized exchange program to allow
schools that have student-ready alternative media versions
of textbooks to exchange those fles with other AccessText
member schools, and (2) the Accessible Textbook Finder,
which searches multiple sources of accessible books and
provides links to relevant materials. Te AccessText Network
is a membership exchange network that facilitates the
nationwide delivery of alternative fles for students with
print-related disabilities. Supported by the Association of
American Publishers and other higher education publishers,
the network is a division of EI
2
’s Alternative Media Access
Center (AMAC) program.
Providing Offenders with Access to Braille Training
An enhanced training program designed to teach Braille
transcription, computer skills and business techniques to
soon-to-be-released ofenders could expand the quantity of
printed materials available for persons who are blind or visu-
ally-impaired – while providing ex-ofenders marketable skills
designed to reduce recidivism rates. Known as Providing Real
Opportunities for Income through Technology (PROFITT),
the program is being evaluated at a maximum-security cor-
rectional facility in Texas. Once completed and approved,
the PROFITT curriculum will be made available to other
correctional facilities interested in starting or enhancing
Braille training programs. Te project was funded by the
Second Chance Act, administered by the U.S. Department
of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. PROFITT has been
developed through a partnership of the National Braille
Press, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the
Alternative Media Access Center (AMAC) at Georgia Tech.
Beyond Braille skills, PROFITT teaches broader professional
skills, including computer operation and computer graphics,
small business management and “soft skills.”
Supporting College Disability Services
Organizations
Te Student Accommodation Manager (SAM) is a secure,
multi-user Web-based application designed to support col-
lege disability support ofces. Te software allows users to
manage case notes, specialized student data, and information
on the accommodations made for students with disabilities.
Te system is entirely Web-based to free users from the need
to install and manage software. SAM applications are now
used nationwide by colleges and universities, supported by
database specialists at EI
2
.
Expanding Services for Persons with Disabilities
During 2011, two new programs were added to the roster
of EI
2
services for persons with disabilities. Tools for Life is
Georgia’s Assistive Technology Act Program that expands
access to assistive technology and devices designed to
provide greater freedom for persons with disabilities. Also
becoming part of the EI
2
program was the Pass It On Center
– the National Assistive Technology Device Reutilization
Coordination and Technical Access Center. As the name
suggests, the center helps meet the need for accessible tech-
nology devices by ensuring appropriate reuse.
CONTACT: Christopher Lee
404-894-8000
[email protected]
11
EI
2
helps connect companies from around the world to the extensive
capabilities of the Georgia Institute of Technology, a $655 million research
institution whose academic programs are ranked seventh among United
States public universities by U.S. News & World Report. EI
2
specialists
match corporate needs with Georgia Tech resources that include world-
class research, unique research facilities, top U.S. science and technology
students, and professional education opportunities that can be tailored to
speci?c industry needs.
Connecting Companies to Georgia Tech
Researchers in Georgia Tech’s
College of Architecture are
helping automate the process
of turning CAD designs into
manufactured products. Here,
they are evaluating custom wall
structures manufactured using
a new process.
12
Panasonic Establishes Innovation Center in Atlanta
Georgia Tech was a key factor in the decision by Panasonic
Automotive Systems Company of America to establish a
new research center in Midtown’s Technology Square. Te
Panasonic Innovation Center will become an incubator
for next-generation automotive infotainment and other
technologies. Te company expects to have 40 software,
electrical, systems and mechanical engineers, and other
support personnel working at the center – and to ofer at
least 15 co-op positions a year to Georgia Tech students. EI
2
specialists helped identify Georgia Tech resources of interest
to Panasonic, and connect the company to Georgia Tech
leadership.
Supporting Non-traditional Industry, Student and
Economic Development Engagements
Te Enterprise Innovation Institute supports regional and
statewide economic development organizations such as the
Georgia Department of Economic Development and the
Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, providing
connections to key Georgia Tech resources in pursuit of
economic development goals. EI
2
and Georgia Tech partners
such as the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) are also
pursuing non-traditional economic development avenues
to open relationships with additional organizations and to
develop a skilled base of technical personnel. One example
is “Random Hacks of Kindness,” an event in which teams
of volunteers attempt to develop open source solutions to a
variety of challenges, including disaster risk management and
climate change adaptation. Founded in 2009 with partners
Google, Microsoft, Yahoo!, NASA and the World Bank,
Random Hacks of Kindness has brought together thousands
of experts in development and software design who have
collaborated on signifcant projects worldwide. Georgia Tech
researchers have assisted with organizing the Atlanta portion
of the event, and provided meeting space for the volunteers.
Other non-traditional events supported by Georgia Tech
have included Amped Hack Day, Doing Business with the
NSA, Drupal Camp, MongoDB, Product Camp, Startup
Camp, and Webdirections.org.
Collaborating with the Metropolitan Atlanta
Chamber of Commerce
Te Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and
Georgia Tech share a common mission: economic develop-
ment. In support of that mission, the two organizations have
been working together for many years to bring new jobs to
Atlanta and Georgia, improve the quality of life, and provide
new opportunities for citizens. Te chamber has recently
unveiled a new vision known as “Forward Atlanta” that
includes fve key strategies. Georgia Tech is playing a critical
role in the implementation of four of the fve core strategies,
including jump-starting job growth, catalyzing new busi-
nesses, elevating the quality of life, and driving stronger col-
laborations between higher education and business. To facili-
tate this collaboration, the Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of
Commerce has included representatives from Georgia Tech
on each of its task forces and committees, providing tangible
proof of the Institute’s value to the chamber’s mission.
CONTACT: Carl Rust
[email protected]
404-385-7405
Access to top students is a key factor in attracting companies
to locate in Georgia. EI
2
helps companies connect to
these talented students, and to other unique Georgia Tech
resources.
13
Georgia has approximately 10,000 manufacturers that together account
for 11 percent of the gross state product. EI
2
provides a comprehensive
set of services designed to help these manufacturers improve their
ability to compete in world markets. Services include direct technical and
engineering assistance in areas such as innovation, lean, quality, energy,
and sustainability; professional education courses; networking opportunities,
and connections to Georgia Tech resources. EI
2
is a NIST Manufacturing
Extension Partnership af?liate and serves manufacturers statewide through
the Georgia MEP (GaMEP).
Services to Manufacturers
Dr. Ric Hollstrom (left), owner of OrthoCare
Labs, discusses the company’s products
with Derek Woodham, Georgia Tech
regional manager. Woodham helped the
company redesign its manufacturing
process to increase production.
14
Orthotics Manufacturer Doubles Production
OrthoCare Labs was preparing to move into a new manu-
facturing facility when it contacted GaMEP at EI
2
for assis-
tance. Te collaboration that resulted helped the company
expand its sales by more than $1 million per year, add seven
jobs, save nearly a quarter million dollars – and make a big
investment in the LaGrange, Ga. community. Te company,
which makes custom orthotics, redesigned its manufacturing
organization, replacing a traditional departmental batch
process with fow cells in which a small team works together
to complete products in one continuous operation. Te fow
cells allowed the company to expand production incremen-
tally – while reducing turnaround time, improving quality,
and reducing the risk of error.
Ice Maker Company Boosts Productivity 75 Percent
Te Peachtree City, Ga. facility of Hoshizaki America – a
manufacturer of commercial ice makers, dispensers, refrigera-
tors, and related products – recently cut its costs by more
than $7 million and increased productivity by 75 percent
through implementation of a continuous improvement
system. Te results, produced with assistance from GaMEP
at EI
2
, came about after a lean assessment of the company’s
operations and a series of kaizen events. Kaizen, or rapid
improvement, focuses on a particular process or activity that
identifes and quickly removes waste. Hoshizaki also began
implementing 5S (sorting, straightening, shining, standard-
izing, and sustaining) in each of its manufacturing areas.
Craft Beer Brewer Wins Investment for Growth
Assistance from GaMEP at EI
2
helped an Athens brewer of
craft beers obtain new investment that has put it on the road
to growth. A specialist in strategic business planning met
with the founders of Terrapin Beer Co. to discuss a broad
range of needs, including flling an empty board seat, obtain-
ing legal counsel – and closing an investment contract that
allowed them to buy out the company’s original investment
group. Te investment allowed the 10-year-old independent
brewery to develop growth plans for a new brew house mill
that will expand capacity to meet a growing demand.
West Point Firm Transforms its Business
After its business declined dramatically as a result of
international competition, a manufacturer of textile
machinery sought assistance from EI
2
and its federally-
supported Southeastern Trade Adjustment Assistance Center
(SETAAC). Te program, which helps companies afected by
foreign competition adopt turnaround strategies, shared the
cost of developing and implementing an improvement plan.
As a result of the assistance, the company – renamed West
Point Industries – refocused its engineering and production
expertise on military customers and manufacturers in a broad
range of new industries. Te change helped put the company
on a growth track, with a 25 percent increase in business
projected for 2012.
Long-Term Relationship Boosts Hawkinsville Firm
When Hollingsworth & Vose needed help meeting its corpo-
rate lean and quality objectives, it turned to Georgia Tech – a
trusted ally that has helped the Hawkinsville plant ever since
it was established 23 years ago. GaMEP at EI
2
specialists
helped the company produce a facility layout designed to
optimize its space, led a value-stream mapping project,
provided additional lean training, and helped with the frm’s
recertifcation to the ISO 9001 quality standard. Te com-
pany also participated in the Georgia Tech Lean Consortium.
Te assistance produced signifcant productivity improve-
ments for Hollingsworth & Vose – which manufactures
nonwoven fltration media – and helped it develop a stronger
understanding of lean techniques within its workforce.
CONTACT: Chris Downing, PE
404-894-7700
[email protected]
Gary Sharpe, Hollingsworth & Vose’s lean/quality
manager (left), discusses a production issue with Alan
Barfoot, Georgia Tech’s central Georgia region manager.
15
Samirkumar Patel, director
of research for Clearside
Biomedical, displays a
prototype microneedle
used to inject therapeutics
into speci?c locations in
the eye. The image behind
him on the screen is a
magni?ed view of a site
where ?uorescent particles
were injected using a
microneedle.
Entrepreneurs play a vital role in creating new jobs and new investment for
Georgia. EI
2
supports these entrepreneurs through a comprehensive set of
initiatives. The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) is
a startup accelerator that helps Georgia technology entrepreneurs launch
and build successful companies. Georgia Tech VentureLab supports
Georgia Tech researchers, graduate students and others as they develop
startup companies based on research innovations. Through the Georgia
SBIR Assistance Program, companies receive help winning Small
Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants from federal agencies. The
MBDA Business Center helps emerging and existing minority businesses
experience growth and sustainability to have long-term economic impact
through the creation of jobs and revenue.
Services to Entrepreneurs
16
ATDC Expands Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program
Te Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) is
known for providing strategic entrepreneurial advice and key
business connections to help grow Georgia-based technology
startup companies. Te startup accelerator has enhanced
those abilities through its entrepreneur-in-residence (EIR)
program, which features experienced entrepreneurs who
have launched multiple companies and can share a wealth of
real-world knowledge. Te EIRs serve as advisors for ATDC
companies in such areas as business strategy, fund-raising,
and team development. Tey also look for opportunities to
connect startups with prospective business advisors, investors,
and customers.
Georgia Tech Selected for NSF I-Corps
Georgia Tech has been chosen to be a founding network
node for the National Science Foundation’s Innovation Corps
(I-Corps) program, which aims to develop scientifc and
engineering discoveries into useful technologies, products
and processes. Te I-Corps program connects NSF-funded
scientifc research with the technological, entrepreneurial and
business communities to help create a stronger innovation
ecosystem that couples scientifc discovery with technology
development and societal needs.
Innovation Provides Foundation for Security Firm
Te quality of signals transmitted from devices such as smart
phones can degrade dramatically with distance. Atlanta-based
Whisper Communications is taking advantage of that basic
law of physics to provide more secure wireless communica-
tion, including protection for fnancial transactions that will
use the “digital wallet” technology now under development.
Based on patent-pending technology from Georgia Tech, the
Atlanta company has developed an encoding methodology
that makes data signals transmitted beyond its “cone of
silence” useless to any eavesdroppers. Assisted by Georgia
Tech’s VentureLab program, Whisper Communications has
received funding from the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA),
Atlanta-based Imlay Investments, the Georgia Tech Edison
Fund, and a Phase I Small Business Innovation Research
(SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation.
“ATDC Select” Focuses on Fast Growth Firms
In an efort to better serve fast-growth technology compa-
nies that are focusing on venture funding, the Advanced
Technology Development Center has created a new category
of membership known as “ATDC Select.” To be included in
this new level of membership, companies must be screened
and selected based on their readiness for acceleration and ft
with ATDC services and stafng. Over the past two years,
membership in ATDC has grown from about 40 companies
to nearly 400, with members ranging from early-stage
startups to revenue-generating, venture-fundable companies.
“ATDC Select” frms receive more focused and individualized
services.
Startup Receives $4 Million for Ocular Drug
Delivery
Technology developed by researchers from Georgia Tech and
Emory University for delivering drugs and other therapeutics
to specifc locations in the eye has provided the foundation
for a startup company that received a $4 million venture
capital investment. Te Atlanta-based startup, Clearside
Biomedical, plans to develop microinjection technology that
will use hollow microneedles to precisely target therapeutics
within the eye. If the technique proves successful in clinical
trials and wins regulatory approval, it could provide an
improved method for treating diseases that afect the back
of the eye – including age-related macular degeneration.
Research leading to development of the technology was spon-
sored by the National Institutes of Health, and the company
founders received assistance from Georgia Tech’s VentureLab
program.
Contact: Nina Sawczuk
[email protected]
404-385-1597
Eight companies graduated from the ATDC during
the startup accelerator’s 2012 Showcase. Shown with
representatives of the companies are Nina Sawczuk,
general manager of the ATDC (second from left, ?rst
row) and Stephen Fleming, Georgia Tech vice president
and executive director of the Georgia Tech Enterprise
Innovation Institute (right, ?rst row).
17
Access to Georgia Tech Resources
The Georgia Institute of Technology is one of the world’s top research
universities, ranked seventh among U.S. News & World Report’s top
public universities and second among U.S. universities for the volume of
engineering research and development conducted. Georgia Tech has more
than 20,000 students enrolled in its Colleges of Architecture, Computing,
Engineering, Liberal Arts, Business, and Sciences, and is among the nation’s
top producers of women and minority engineers. Georgia Tech resources
add to the talents and expertise of EI
2
professionals.
Georgia Tech hosts a variety of symposia and
conferences designed to help industry leaders keep
track of the latest technology developments. Also
contributing to that goal are courses taught through
Georgia Tech’s Professional Education division.
18
Examples of Georgia Tech Resources Include:
Georgia Tech’s Professional Education Program ofers edu-
cation and training in 40 major areas through short courses,
customized training, certifcate programs, and master’s
degrees that help professionals advance their careers, improve
their skills, and stay in touch with industry best practices.
Featured areas include assistive technology, defense technol-
ogy, engineering, enterprise innovation, executive education,
information technology and computing, languages, occupa-
tional safety and health, and supply chain and logistics.
Te Georgia Tech Division of Professional Practice is
home to Georgia Tech’s popular undergraduate Cooperative
Education (Co-op) Program, which helps develop future
leaders for Georgia employers by placing students into
industry jobs. By alternating semesters of work and school,
co-op students gain valuable real-world experience and give
potential future employers an opportunity to evaluate them
prior to graduation. Georgia Tech has the largest voluntary
co-op program among tier-one universities in the United
States.
Te Georgia Tech Manufacturing Research Center
develops and implements next-generation manufacturing
technologies in a broad range of areas, including product
and systems life-cycle management, precision machining,
rapid prototyping/direct digital manufacturing, sustainable
design and manufacturing, factory information systems, and
aerospace manufacturing.
Te Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is Georgia
Tech’s applied research unit. GTRI ofers many resources of
interest to Georgia companies, including:
n Te Accessibility Evaluation Facility helps product
designers measure the accessibility and usability of products
and services – and how well they conform to domestic and
international disability regulations.
n Te Electromagnetic Test and Evaluation Facility can
test virtually any kind of antenna using several diferent test
ranges and laboratories.
n Te Environmental Safety and Occupational Health
Center oversees programs in compliance, sustainability, envi-
ronmental emergency response, and occupational safety and
health issues. It helps Georgia businesses and communities
understand the changing government safety and workplace
regulations.
n Te Food Processing Technology Division develops
new technology to improve the processing efciency and
enhance operations of the food processing and poultry
industries. Researchers work on computer vision technolo-
gies, robotic systems, intelligent processing systems, food and
worker safety systems, and other technologies.
Te Supply Chain and Logistics Institute, part of the top-
ranked School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, applies
scientifc principles to optimize the design and integration of
supply chain processes, infrastructure, technology, and strat-
egy. It focuses on developing new tools for analysis, design,
and management of logistics processes, and new concepts
and strategies for the practice of supply chain engineering.
Te School of Public Policy is one of the world’s top
programs in the feld of science and technology policy.
Te school is a university partner in the European Union’s
network of excellence in technology and innovation policy,
and hosts international conferences on science and technol-
ogy policy. Among the areas of interest are the environment,
communications, transportation, biotechnology and health,
urban development, and workforce and education.
Te Nanotechnology Research Center is the largest facility
of its kind in the Southeast, housing laboratories for both
semiconductor- and biologically-focused nanotechnology.
Facilities, equipment, and expertise at the center are avail-
able to companies interested in interdisciplinary research in
micro- and nano-fabrication and characterization.
Georgia Tech develops and implements next-generation
manufacturing technologies in a broad range of areas,
including robotics.
19
Enterprise Innovation Institute
75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 380
Atlanta, Georgia 30308 USA
Phone: 404-385-3871
innovate.gatech.edu
Albany
Savannah
Dublin
Warner
Robins
Macon
Augusta
LaGrange
Carrollton
Columbus
Athens
Atlanta
Gainesville
Cartersville
Georgia Tech Regional Network
North Metro Atlanta: 678-699-1690
South Metro Atlanta: 404-895-5237
Northwest Region: 770-387-4002
Northeast Region: 770-718-3982
West Region: 706-881-0535
Central Region: 478-275-5125
East Region: 706-721-4522
Coastal Region: 912-963-2519
South Region: 229-430-6195
Atlanta Headquarters: 404-385-3871
The services of the Enterprise Innovation Institute are available throughout Georgia.
Contact your nearest Georgia Tech Regional Of?ce for assistance.
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