PRACTICE AREA SPOTLIGHTS ATDC’s model is built around industry-aligned vertical practice areas , each supported by dedicated corporate partnerships. These verticals deliver tailored coaching, resources, and connections that help startups grow faster, smarter, and with real industry traction. While typical incubators might leave advising and strategic support to ad-hoc mentors, the ATDC model means each company accepted into the portfolio and a vertical practice area is eligible for a dedicated coach with a deep well of experience and a vast network in that sector. Coaches lead their practice area but also serve as accessible, strategic resources for founders and their teams. COLLABORATIONS THAT DRIVE MEASURABLE IMPACT When corporations are committed to startups, true collaborations develop. These partnerships taken in unison have added more than $2 million to ATDC’s annual operating budget and are supported by 3 years of financial support for the respective vertical. Each sponsor fuels the specific practice areas of strategic importance — delivering the highest level of coaching, curriculum, and industry connections to help our portfolio companies grow.
ATDC EDUCATE
ATDC’s Educate program is the launchpad for early-stage entrepreneurs across Georgia. As the first tier in ATDC’s incubator model, Educate equips founders with startup fundamentals, helping them validate ideas, build early momentum, and prepare for growth. The Educate program was born in 2004 and serves as a legacy of the ATDC model. In 2024 alone, the Educate curriculum consisted of 170 live and hybrid classes drawing aspiring ideators from across the state. The video-on- demand option ensures anytime, anywhere content is available for idea-stage entrepreneurs in rural or metro areas. • Offers structured startup curriculum covering customer discovery, MVP development, pitch prep, and go-to-market strategy from facilitators who are experts in their field • Weekly programming includes “Feedback Friday”, expert-led workshops, and 1:1 coaching with seasoned mentors • Educate introduces aspiring founders to a community of other founders and a place to find mentorship
Sector aligned startup support
ATDC is a proud player in the Georgia Artificial Intelligence in Manufacturing (Georgia AIM) program whose mission is to
advance AI adoption in Georgia’s manufacturing sector. Georgia Tech is home to the AI Manufacturing Pilot Facility (AI-MPF) as a cornerstone of Georgia AIM which gives nascent companies access to AI tools, lab space, prototyping resources, dedicated coach resources, and connections to manufacturing stakeholders. We are proud of our role in Georgia AIM as it is considered one of the nation’s most ambitious and well-rounded initiatives bridging AI, manufacturing, workforce, and startup ecosystems. Georgia Tech is one of a handful of research universities that are using cutting edge research to drive the next phase of industrialization, ranking #1 among universities for its industrial/ manufacturing program .
Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners operates as a real-world testbed for technologies like autonomous
ATDC Portfolio: Growth in Active Membership 2020–2024
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vehicles, smart infrastructure, drones, remote medical systems, and IoT-enabled health devices, all supported by dedicated 5G, fiber, sensors, and cameras. With the expansion of Atlanta metro to the north, we believe this presence in Peachtree Corners extends our geographic reach beyond Tech Square in Atlanta and allows us to align our incubator portfolio with real-world deployments and more public-private ventures.
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