The Role of Corporate Innovation Centers
A Case Study of Technology Square in Georgia Tech
About the Project This project was funded as part of a summer 2017 Georgia Innovation Internship of the Science Technology and Innovation Internship (STIP) Program in the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI2) at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Revathi Roopini Veriah is a master student in the School of Public Policy and School of Design. Jan Youtie, and Alfie Meek of EI2 oversaw the completion of this report. Aim The aim of this project was to understand the experience of corporate innovation centers located at Technology Square – Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta and present insights on this growing trend. Methodology The study adopted a comprehensive research methodology leveraging both primary and secondary approaches. News articles , press releases, company website and social media pages were reviewed to investigate the motive behind their presence. Semi structured personal interviews were conducted to further understand this trend.
By Revathi Roopini Veriah Georgia Institute of Technology Enterprise Innovation Institute September 2017 Completed as part of the Summer 2017 Georgia Innovation Internship Program in the Program in Science, Technology, and Innovation (STIP) Policy.
Innovation Districts Innovation ecosystem
Economic Assets
Innovation Drivers
Physical Assets
Networking Assets
Physical assets in the public realm
Networking assets that build strong ties
Innovation cultivators
Physical assets in the private realm
Networking assets that build weak ties
Neighborhood-building amenities
Physical assets that knit the district together and/or tie it to the broader metro area
(all forms of UIC)
Given the vast distinctions in regional economies, the form and function of innovation districts differ markedly across the United States. Yet all innovation districts contain economic, physical, and networking assets. When these three assets combine with a supportive, risk-taking culture they create an innovation ecosystem—a synergistic relationship between people, firms, and place (the physical geography of the district) that facilitates idea generation and accelerates commercialization. Most innovation districts adhere to one of three general models: Anchor plus model, Re-imagined urban area model and urbanizes science park model. The anchor plus model, primarily found in the downtowns and mid-towns of central cities, is where large scale mixed-use development is centered around major anchor institutions and a rich base of related firms, entrepreneurs and spinoff companies involved in the commercialization of innovation.
(Katz & Wagner, 2014)
The re-imagined urban areas model, often found near or along historic waterfronts, is where industrial or warehouse districts are undergoing a physical and economic transformation to chart a new path of innovative growth. This change is powered, in part, by transit access, a historic building stock, and their proximity to downtowns in high rent cities, which is then supplemented with advanced research institutions and anchor companies. The third model, urbanized science park, commonly found in suburban and exurban areas, is where traditionally isolated, sprawling areas of innovation are urbanizing through increased density and an infusion of new activities (including retail and restaurants) that are mixed as opposed to separated. (Katz & Wagner, 2014). With it‘s proximity to Midtown Atlanta and Georgia Institute of Technology, Technology can be classified under the anchor plus model.
Examples of Innovation Districts: “Anchor Plus� Model Location
Name
Anchor institutions
Cambridge
Kendall square- Cambridge Innovation Center
MIT; transit to Harvard
Philadelphia
University City Science Center
University of Pennsylvania Drexel University
St. Louis
Cortex innovation community
St. Louis University Washington University Medical School
Bakery Square- Collaborative Innovation Center
Carnegie Mellon University University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
Detroit Innovation District
Quicken Loans Henry Ford Health System Wayne State University
MC Innovation Institute
Texas Medical Center
Mission Bay
University of California UCSF Medical Center
Converge Square
University of Miami University of Miami Medical Center
Texas A&M Research Park
Texas A&M University
Providence
Providence Innovation District
Brown university University of Rhode Island
Baltimore
University of Maryland Biopark
University of Maryland
Technology Square
Georgia Institute of Technology
Pittsburgh Detroit
Houston San Francisco Miami College Station
Atlanta
Tech Square
Definition Corporate Innovation centers are physical spaces and/or teams set up by organizations in a global tech hub, with the goal of leveraging the startup, industry and academic ecosystem that these hubs provide. -(Capgemini Consulting & Altimeter, 2015)
Technology Square @ Georgia Tech Timeline
Brief history of Technology Square
1997 GT Foundation Purchases Land
In 2003, Technology Square was inaugurated—anchoring a new midtown research, commercialization, educational and living cluster. The development transformed a decaying business district across a freeway adjacent to the university into 2 million ft2 of first-class space for teaching, research, conferences, technology transfer assistance, and government (the state’s economic development agencies relocated to this part of the Georgia Tech campus), business, and retail activities. Focus on networked programmatic elements, capacity building, knowledge pool creation, and technology-based entrepreneurship has fostered the important transformation of Tech Square into an innovation district. (Youtie & Shapira, 2008).
2000 President Wayne Clough announces Technology Square project. 2003 Technology Square opens 2006 Fifth Street Bridge renovations which triples its width and creates a park-like setting. 2012 Panasonic Innovation Center opens. 2013 ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas Innovation Center opens. AT&T Foundry opens. 2014 The Home Depot Technology Center opens. Tech Square named “Outstanding Research Park” by the Association of University Research Parks.
Tech Square in 2000 (Downing, n.d.)
2015 Worldpay FinTech Accelerator at ATDC launched. High rise student housing – Square on Fifth opens 2016 Delta Air Lines innovation Center announced. Phase II Announced to expand Tech Square – Coda Project 2017 Georgia Tech Foundation acquires the Biltmore Hotel. Emerson opens the Helix Innovation Center at Georgia Tech. (Downing, n.d.) Proposed Coda building (Downing, n.d.)
Tech Square in 2017 (Downing, n.d.)
Components of the Tech Square Innovation Ecosystem
Centers
2017
7
2016
Corporate Innovation Center in Tech Square
4
2015
4
2014
0
2013
Corporate Lab and Technology Centers A Few Blocks Away:
3
2012
Anthem Innovation Studio ATDC Fintech Program sponsored by Worldpay AT&T Foundry Chick-fil-A Innovation Office Delta Air Lines Hangar Innovation Lab Dover Industries Exploratory Emerson “Helix� Innovation Center Keysight Technologies Software Design Center NCR Hosted Solutions Lab Panasonic Innovation Center Southern Company Energy Innovation Center Siemens Data Analytics and Applications Center The Home Depot Technology Center ThyssenKrupp Research and Innovation Center UCB Solutions Accelerator Honeywell Software Development Center Flex Design Center Stanley Black & Decker Digital Accelerator Boeing Manufacturing Development Center
2 0
5
10 (King, 2017)
Corporate Innovation, Technology and Headquarter Locations Nearby
Anthem IT Center Coca-Cola Company Sage Software Worldpay U.S. Headquarters
Academics and Research
College of Architecture College of Business College of Computing College of Science College of Engineering
Professional Education
Global Learning Center
Applied Research
Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI)
Incubators & Startups Global reach: corporate HQ locations Translantion Research Networking Asserts
Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) Venture Lab Enterprise Innovation Institute The Garage- SandboxATL
Arrangement for Engagement
Expression of interest
Expression of Interest: When a company is interested in setting up a corporate innovation center, they directly approach Georgia Tech. On the other hand, they may approach the university's other partners such the Chamber of Commerce or the City government. Alternatively, Georgia Tech approached companies to explain the advantages of locating an innovation center at Tech Square.
Account management
Account Management
Short term arrangements
Short Term Arrangements
Once a company locates in the premises, a team is convened to match their interest. A liaison is appointed to represent the university, research and startup’s interest. For example, if a company’s looking to leverage existing research the liaison will help widen their network by introducing them to professors with similar research.
In this form of collaboration, the client’s expectations are managed through short term arrangements in the form of MOU or letter of intent. To identified priorities in the short and long term- constantly revisited.
What do these companies do?
Corporate innovation centers located at Tech Square have varying core functions. Some of these are: • External innovation sites
• Embedded innovation or product development operations • Large software development centers • Design & prototyping centers • Research labs
• Fewer permanent staff members and more students. • The software / engineering centers are heavy with technical staff but also include students and a management team. • Product Design Centers are heavy on permanent staff usually with several years of prior experience. • Head quarters embedded programs are a blend of the above.
• Advanced engineering sites. Companies develop a portfolio of activities, that operate within different time horizons: Examples of projects and peer engagements corporate innovation centers undertake include:
Short Term
• Evaluating and testing new technologies
• Host design thinking sessions & hackathons
• Developing new products and services or proof of concept
• Executive workshops
• Connecting with startups • Incubate and invest in startups
• Collaborate with students on class projects: VIP & capstone
• Understanding the digital customer
Mid Term
• Identifying potential partners and forging strategic relationships
• Talent acquisition: hire interns & graduates
• Developing an innovation culture within the organization
• Collaborate with startups
• Become a part of an innovation community. • Designing new business models
• Sponsor student competitions
• Technology scouting
• Leverage existing research Long Term • Prototype development & proof of concept
Staffing of the corporate innovation center reflects its operations .They are staffed in several ways: • High number of permanent staff members and fewer students and temporary development teams.·
• Collaborative research • Co-innovation with partners • Peer to peer engagement (King, 2017)
What do these companies do? Company Anthem Innovation Studio ATDC Fintech Program sponsored by Worldpay
Area of research and collaboration Creating new capabilities to enhance the consumer health care experience, improve the quality of care, and lower health care costs. The partnership will fund an entrepreneur-in-residence and additional staffers to mentor emerging companies related to fintech.
AT&T Foundry
Focus on Digital Life, AT&T’s recently-launched home security and automation service, as well as Mobility services, the “connected car”, emerging devices and AT&T U-verse.
Chick-fil-A Innovation Office
Work with faculty and students to explore design, innovation and development projects among various majors and disciplines- along with the ongoing intern recruitment program.
Delta Air Lines Hangar Innovation Lab
Enhance operations and improve customer experience.
The Home Depot Technology Center
Connect with engineering students who might eventually consider joining the company; explore technologies with the potential to impact retail; and host brainstorming sessions with employees from throughout the business.
Emerson “Helix” Innovation Center
Explore Internet-of-Things and Big Data driven solutions to environmental issues stemming from the design and manufacture of electronic devices and machinery, with a particular focus on the Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning and Refrigeration(HVACR) industry
Keysight Technologies Software Design Center NCR Hosted Solutions Lab
Building a new Keysight-wide software platform for rapid application development. To hire Georgia Tech students and work on mobile applications and cloud computing technologies.
Panasonic Innovation Center
Product development for the Automotive Systems division, which focuses on infotainment systems, sensors, switches, power systems and other products for vehicles.
Southern Company Energy Innovation Center
Employees and partners collaborate to answer the energy industry’s most pressing issues—like electric battery storage, electric car technology, and the role of big data.
Siemens Data Analytics and Applications Center
The center will help transportation providers use big data to improve operations and safety.
ThyssenKrupp Research and Innovation Center
The aim of the collaborations is to develop human interface improvements that could enhance elevator technology
UCB Solutions Accelerator
To develop solutions to help those living with severe diseases. Improve patient care as well as the patient experience by harnessing the power of new technologies.
Source: Press releases
Motivating Factors Opportunities to collaborate with Georgia Tech Collaborate with academics, students, technology leaders and entrepreneurs. Collaborate with Georgia Tech Tap into existing research and technology Tap into the university’s research expertise and entrepreneurial creativity Entrepreneurial and engaged Georgia Tech grads and interns. Collaborate with students Deep talent pool of students Quality of students Work with Georgia Tech students Access to Georgia Tech students Connect with engineering students who might eventually consider joining the company Proximity to research university University welcomes opportunity to work with industry partners The necessary infrastructure in place, Merits of Georgia Tech: global outreach with campuses in Shanghai, China and Metz, France. Proximity to the Georgia Tech campus will facilitate terrific exchanges and cooperation. Environment and culture for innovation- Out of the box thinking Create the right environment and culture for innovation Ecosystem that fosters innovation Explore technologies Georgia Tech is a more hands-on school Georgia Tech's research expertise Host brainstorming sessions with employees Benefits of working outside a traditional corporate environment. Innovate- potential for new ideas to emerge from disciplines outside the company's area of expertise Opportunity to innovate Bring better products to market faster Out-of-the- box thinking Working within this dynamic environment to establish new relationships and tap into fresh ideas and outside perspectives Vibrant innovation community Regional Factors Georgia's entrepreneurial ecosystem- Georgia Tech contributes to this; Tech Square embodies this Supportive business climate in Georgia Atlanta- technical expertise & strong entrepreneurial spirit. Strong workforce Presence of Midtown Atlanta's quality of life Opportunity to collaborate with startups Collaborate with startups Presence of accelerators and incubators. Growing startup community Start up community Engage with startups Prior collaboration with Georgia Tech Prior collaboration with Georgia Tech (6) Opportunities to collaborate with other companies Collaborate with other companies in the area Proximity to other Fortune 500 companies Share best practices
Source: Press releases & news articles
21 1 4 3 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 17 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 1 1 1 9 1 1 3 1 2 1 6 1 2 1 1 1 6 6 4 1 2 1
Indicators to Measure Success
Performance metrics can offer useful and relevant information to support investment decision-making. However, because innovation is an intangible concept, it has to be measured indirectly and therein lays the risk of measurement error and poor quality information if these measures are not chosen through a robust process. (INSTEAD & AlixPartners, 2014)
Metric
Advantages and Disadvantages
Conventional financial tools:
Advantages: Since these financial tools are known benchmarks, Considering that the main objective of innovation for a adoption of these measures is easy. firm is to have a positive financial return, it often helps to use accounting metrics such as “R&D budget as a More targeted financial tools such as : a ratio of percentage of annual sales”, “Shareholder returns”, or number of new ideas per 100 employees, percent of even the correlation of a firm’s public value with its new ideas selected for funding, a ratio of revenue (or R&D activities. Such financial tools are used not only net profit ) from new ideas divided by the average cost to judge the success of innovation, but also to assess of implementation of an idea and aggregate ROI of new the feasibility and the potential of an innovation ideas implemented are better indicators of innovation. project in its early stages. (Mahroum and (Malinoski and Perry, 2011) Bascavusoglu-Moreau, 2015) Disadvantages: Financial indicators do not show how or why a company achieved a particular result. It is better to use financial measures specific to innovation to answer this deeper question, such as the ratio of successful ideas to total ideas generated, or the revenue generated by new ideas. Financial tools may be short-sighted and fail to adequately capture the long-term success of any given innovation. (Mahroum and Bascavusoglu-Moreau, 2015)
Value added to the company; “fail fast; fail cheap.”:
Advantages: Even if projects fail, the learning is valuable.
Investors in new ventures acknowledge that most will fail, and corporate innovation leaders realize that most Disadvantages: of their explorations and tests will lead to dead ends. Although there is great value to failure, it is difficult to (Kirsner, 2015) accept since there are no concrete outcomes.
Indicators to Measure Success
Measure of momentum: Performance metrics often rely on indirect measures of more specific activities, such as the number of number on new ideas generated in a given setting, to act as a measuring stick of how much innovation actually occurred. (Mahroum and BascavusogluMoreau, 2015) Ideas generated and projects developed are also a product of other factors such as working conditions, equipment quality, social and political stability. For this reason well developed performance metrics are usually based on multiple “proxy measuring sticks” of related activities to ensure that the overall metric is as accurate as possible. (Mahroum and BascavusogluMoreau, 2015)
Indicators of value: Corporate innovation centers bring value to companies in other ways such as public branding, networking opportunities, new projects etc.
Advantages: It is easier to monitor the pace of development efforts, for instance the time to market. This is particularly useful in industries where development cycles are long. (Mahroum and Bascavusoglu-Moreau, 2015) Disadvantages: The use of performance metrics is that while they can be a powerful tool for change, organizations and individuals can sometimes lose focus of their real world goals and become side-tracked with activities they believe will affect their own score on a metric. (Mahroum and Bascavusoglu-Moreau, 2015)
Advantage: A corporate innovation center’s main aim may be to develop new products but its location within the innovation ecosystem may produce different outcomes. Such as chance encounters during tail gates or students approaching companies for guidance on capstone projects. Disadvantage: It is difficult to convince investors that these relationships have value and directly measure its outcomes
Cycles of innovation: The success of a corporate innovation center is directly related to the communication and feedback loop. Valuable innovation is possible only is expectations are communicated effectively to the center and results are reincorporated into the organization.
Advantage: Effective communication is necessary for a company’s success. Disadvantage: It may be difficult to structure a chain of command and incorporate a culture of innovation within the organization.
Insights
Corporate Innovation centers can be defined as physical spaces and/or teams set up by organizations in a global tech hub, with the goal of leveraging the startup, industry and academic ecosystem that these hubs provide. - (Capgemini Consulting & Altimeter, 2015) Physical spaces: Innovations Centers help the corporations by bring value from the “outside into their company�. These centers produce results faster than conventional R&D setups but are not a replacement to them. The value of its presence is difficult to measure as not all interactions are quantifiable. Global tech hub: Strong industry presence across different fields are present at Tech Square and they are partnering to gain valuable insight through peer to peer engagement. Leveraging ecosystem: The centers here in Tech Square leverage startup, industry and academic ecosystem. To their advantage. As a network of actors, their interactions and roles are still evolving.
APPENDIX Review of Press Releases, News Articles, Company Website & Social Media List of Interviewees Interview Questions
Review of Press Releases, News Articles, Company Website & Social Media Company
Quote
Source
Corporate Lab and Technology Centers Located in Tech Square:
Anthem As the first Fortune 50 health benefits company with an innovation Innovation Studio center in Technology Square, Anthem will be able to tap into Georgia Tech’s existing research and technology, cultivate strategic relationships, and develop opportunities for collaborating with other technology and innovation companies in the area.
(Georgia Tech, 2016)
Anthem’s commitment to innovation and how its location in the heart of Technology square brings and added benefit from collaborating with neighboring institutions. “This convergence of a global learning area with groups specifically tasked with accelerating and incubating ideas makes this location a fertile ground for our studio to transform health care through innovation,” said Miller
(Anthem Inc., 2016)
NCR, Worldpay US and Kaiser Permanente are among the companies that have made recent relocation decisions, citing the verve of Midtown and its proximity to the research university and other intown colleges.
(Bluestein, 2017)
WorldPay US has partnered with the Advanced Technology Development Center, giving the Georgia Tech Institute of Technology accelerator program $1 million to fund a new fintech vertical for the next three years. WorldPay is also offering up its executives' time to developing courses, teaching classes and coaching startups. "This will drive innovation not just for WorldPay but ensure the next generation of fintech innovation is created right here and we have an opportunity to be a part of that," Buday said.
(Reutzel, 2017)
The new program started as Worldpay was examining where to move its headquarters, Catalfano said. Worldpay would not have first dibs on the new companies or their new innovations, but it would give Worldpay a window into new technologies, while giving those startups a boost.
(Trubey, 2015)
AT&T Foundry “At the AT&T Foundry®, we move quickly, so we need to be located in cities and regions with deep technical expertise and a strong entrepreneurial spirit,” said John Donovan, Senior Executive Vice President of AT&T Technology and Network Operations, AT&T Inc. “Atlanta fits that description perfectly, and we can’t wait to see the groundbreaking infrastructure that will come out of this facility.”
(AT&T, 2013)
ATDC Fintech Program sponsored by Worldpay
The AT&T Foundry® in Atlanta is adjacent to Georgia Tech, and AT&T will tap into the research expertise and entrepreneurial creativity at the university to help accelerate certain projects. In addition, AT&T anticipates attracting local students to the AT&T Foundry® on a regular basis for hackathons, workshops and other events that will help the students hone their technical and business skills.
(AT&T, 2013)
“Georgia Tech and AT&T share a common focus on innovation and are already collaborating in a number of areas,” said Georgia Tech President G. P. “Bud” Peterson. “Having an AT&T Foundry innovation center in Tech Square will create even greater opportunities for our students and faculty, while allowing AT&T to take full advantage of the talent and intellectual resources at Tech, as they participate in the exciting growth of Midtown as an innovation district.”
(AT&T, 2013)
The Atlanta location is ideal for these sorts of events, given the technical and entrepreneurial energy in the region
(AT&T, 2013)
"When we locate a Foundry facility, our number one criterion is to be part of an ecosystem that fosters innovation – which usually occurs at the intersection of premier education, high technology and an entrepreneurial mindset – and those are all things that we found at Technology Square," said Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO, AT&T Mobility. "When I saw the startup company incubators there, and the entrepreneurs and the highquality technical people from Georgia Tech who are driving them, I knew this is where we needed to be. In fact, we're already talking with a startup whose technology could significantly benefit our product offerings.“
(Georgia Tech, 2014)
The Foundry opened one year ago this month at Georgia Tech’s Technology Square, with a goal to “bring better products to market faster,” says Christyna Chandler, former senior marketing manager at the Foundry. The Atlanta Foundry is one of five Foundry locations, four in the U.S. and one in Israel. Developers at these lean innovation centers focus on products and services that can be delivered quickly, using best-of-breed technology partners, while accessing all of the resources of AT&T – making them some of the best-backed innovation centers in existence.
(Kirkpatrick Kennedy, 2014)
“We move quickly at our Foundries, so we need to be located in cities and regions with deep technical expertise and an entrepreneurial spirit,” says Carlton Hill, vice president of device operations and developer services. “Atlanta fits that description perfectly. Not only is it the hometown of AT&T Mobility, but also the city has a great mix of Fortune 500 companies, world-class research institutions and a strong workforce.
(Kirkpatrick Kennedy, 2014)
“And, by locating the Foundry in Tech Square, it provides great opportunities for Georgia Tech students and faculty, while allowing us to tap into the university’s research expertise and entrepreneurial creativity to help accelerate certain projects.” After choosing Atlanta, the selection was narrowed to Technology Square because of the “growing startup community right in the neighborhood,” Chandler says. “It made a lot of sense for us to be part of it.”
(Kirkpatrick Kennedy, 2014) (Kirkpatrick Kennedy, 2014)
Chick-fil-A “This new facility will provide a dedicated space for Chick-fil-A to Innovation Office collaborate with the bright minds of Georgia Tech and develop technology solutions that will benefit our customers,” said Mike Erbrick, CIO and Vice President of Information Technology for Chick-fil-A.
(Georgia Tech,2017)
Delta Air Lines “Delta Air Lines and Georgia Tech have a rich heritage of working Hangar together in everything from research to hiring our co-ops and graduates. Innovation Lab We are delighted that Delta’s collaborative research center will provide even greater opportunities for Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff to work with this outstanding global airline,” said Georgia Tech President G.P. “Bud” Peterson.
(Georgia Tech, 2015)
“This facility is the first of its kind for the domestic aviation industry. Tapping into the bright minds at Georgia Tech is an opportunity to gain new perspectives and approaches across Delta for changes that will advance our business now and for years to come,” said Gil West, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Delta. “At Delta we are continuously seeking to improve and elevate our operations and the customer experience.”
(Georgia Tech, 2015)
Emerson “Helix” President G.P. “Bud” Peterson was present at the grand opening event Innovation and offered a positive assessment of Emerson, saying that he was Center “impressed with Emerson’s innovation speed,” and that “while we’re at the grand opening event today, the Emerson team has been active in the Tech Square community for more than a year, and is already deeply engaged with our students, faculty and our innovation and entrepreneur community.”
(Mcaulliffe, 2016)
Also present was Mark Dunson, group Vice President of Electronics and Solutions for Emerson, who explained Emerson’s goals for the new center, saying, “Our investment in this collaboration and innovation space is a key part of our strategy to build relationships with academics, students, technology leaders and entrepreneurs.”
(Mcaulliffe, 2016)
“We want to create the right environment and culture for innovation to address industry challenges and better serve our customers,” Dunson said during the meeting.
(Mcaulliffe, 2016)
“In this environment, we’re always open to share ideas and see if there’s an opportunity for collaboration,”
(Emerson, n.d.)
“Working within this dynamic environment allows Emerson to establish new relationships and tap into fresh ideas and outside perspectives that we can then bring back into our business,”
(Emerson, n.d.)
“It takes time to meet other companies and build these relationships, but we’re interested in making those connections and exploring technologies that might be a good fit with our own technology base,” said Wallace. He explained that the only way to do this is to share the Emerson story and learn more about what other technology companies have to offer.
(Emerson, n.d.)
Keysight Technologies Software Design Center
“We selected Georgia Tech and Midtown Atlanta based on several things, including the quality of students coming from Tech’s School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) and School of Computer Science,” said Jay Alexander, Keysight’s chief technology officer.
(Georgia Tech, 2016)
Other critical factors were the quality of research and longstanding partnerships the company has with researchers in those schools, along with a supportive business climate in Georgia and Atlanta’s quality-oflife attributes, he said. In 2014, Keysight made a $120 million in-kind donation of its software to Georgia Tech, which the Institute is deploying to help students become industry-ready engineers by using the same instruments and software used by customers in government and industry.
(Georgia Tech, 2016)
NCR Hosted NCR opened an R&D center in the Centergy Building nearly three years Solutions Lab ago to hire Georgia Tech students and work on mobile applications and cloud computing technologies. That effort was successful – so much so that the center soon moved to a larger space in the nearby Biltmore, which became home to the NCR Hosted Solutions Group. "That first little office in Centergy really exceeded our expectations – we soon had formed a phenomenal team made up mostly of new Georgia Tech grads and interns," said Mike Finley, chief technology officer for NCR’s Hosted Solutions Group. "It hit us right away what a focused and clever group of people we had. They were very entrepreneurial and very engaged – not only in the technology, but also in the kind of business that was being built.“ Panasonic The panelists included Tom Gebhardt, chief operating officer of Innovation Center Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America, whose innovation center opened in 2012, making the company an early adaptor. The program has grown tenfold over the past four years, he said. Gebhardt explained the benefits of working outside a traditional corporate environment. “The ideas that are generated in this center versus what we’d get in our corporate environment are unmatched,” he said. “The mix, the demographic, the diversity, it’s not possible.” Panasonic Automotive Systems Company of America opened an innovation center in the Centergy Building in November 2012. Initially Panasonic opened the facility to gain access to Georgia Tech students and to north Atlanta residents for its Peachtree City, Ga.-based headquarters, said John Avery, group manager for the Panasonic Innovation Center. But once the new innovation location was up and running, he said, it became clear that the Georgia Tech and Technology Square environment could directly benefit product development at the Automotive Systems division, which focuses on infotainment systems, sensors, switches, power systems and other products for vehicles. "We're increasing our innovation focus, connecting with the startup community in midtown and participating in all the good things that are going on there – ATDC and Flashpoint and the Midtown Alliance and the Hypepotamus startup support group," he said. "There's a lot of great things happening at once, which are making midtown into a really significant location."
(Robinson, 2013)
(Georgia Tech, 2016)
(Robinson, 2013)
(Robinson, 2013)
Southern Company No information Energy Innovation Center
No information
Siemens Data Siemens has been a longtime partner of the Institute, and we are Analytics and proud that they are now a part of the vision for Tech Square and the Applications Center strategy that drives Georgia Tech as an institution,' Cross said. 'Georgia Tech plays a strategic role in growing Georgia's entrepreneurial ecosystem and continues to forge paths to new research and innovation that have impact on our city, state, and region. Nowhere is that more evident than in Tech Square and nowhere is it is better realized than in centers like the Siemens Data Analytics and Applications Center.'
(Diamond, 2017)
The Home Depot That partnership lets Atlanta-based Home Depot tap into Tech’s Technology Center research expertise, and more critically, the deep talent pool of students. Home Depot and Tech students will collaborate on new ideas and strategic initiatives for the company. “I cannot tell you what a great opportunity this is for us to be working with some of the best young minds here at Georgia Tech,” said Matt Carey, Home Depot’s chief information officer. “Georgia Tech provides us with a unique opportunity to get fresh, innovative ideas and forward, out-of-the-box thinking from students who will be shaping and developing our world of the future.”
(Georgia Tech, 2017)
When Home Depot opened a new innovation center on the campus of Georgia Tech in early 2015, it had three objectives: connect with engineering students who might eventually consider joining the company; explore technologies with the potential to impact retail; and host brainstorming sessions with employees from throughout the business.
(Ellison, 2016)
“It’s an innovation center outside of the shadow of our corporate office,” says Anthony Gregorio, who oversees the facility. “It allows us to do quite a bit without being influenced by the rest of the organization.”
(Ellison, 2016)
Proximity to other Fortune 500 companies in the Tech Square building has its benefits, too. “When you look at the type of company we are, we don’t necessarily invent technology, but we invent ways to use technology that’s out there,” says Key. “So the more integrated we are with other businesses the better.” The innovation center also hosts meetups and events that bring in entrepreneurs and software developers from outside Home Depot.
(Ellison, 2016)
“Home Depot would like to engage startups downstairs to integrate ourselves into the Tech Square community,” said Martin Key, the director of the Technology Center, during the opening ceremony. The Home Depot Technology Center will work with a select group of Georgia Tech students to operate the Center, as well as explore partnerships with Georgia start-ups.
(Puchalski, 2015) (Borges, 2015)
ThyssenKrupp “We deliberately said we wanted to break out of our corporate grind Research and and process to create a group in this environment specifically to get Innovation Center out-of-the-box thinking,” said Thomas Felis, vice president of ThyssenKrupp Elevator Americas’ research innovation center at Technology Square.
UCB Solutions Accelerator
(Paul,2015)
There, ideas are turned into innovations with the help of a collaborative environment, a lab and sometimes switching on a 3D printer or flying a drone. The location couldn’t be better. The campus of Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta is one of the world’s most prestigious hubs for creative engineering. It offers a unique blend of business, education and research, so we can collaborate with students and the other research facilities. Georgia Tech also gets top marks in all the academic disciplines relevant for our business. The university welcomes the opportunity to work with industry partners and have the necessary infrastructure in place, including access to 400 start-up companies and a global outreach with campuses in Shanghai, China and Metz, France.
(Tetley Scott, 2015)
"We evaluated the scores of major U.S. engineering programs on a national basis, and considered what you might call the personality of each university," he said. "Georgia Tech was a more hands-on school than MIT and certain others – which is what we were looking for. And when we also considered the infrastructure, the lab space available, and the Georgia Tech Manufacturing Institute, we decided to come here.“
(Robinson, 2013)
UCB, the global biopharmaceutical company, is one of the newest innovation centers, having just opened the UCB Solution Accelerator this week. Its goal is to drive collaboration between the company and Georgia Tech to develop solutions to help those living with severe diseases. Jeff Wren, head of UCB’s Neurology Patient Value Unit, explained how the centers demonstrate that problems cannot be solved just by the research and development units typically found at a company’s corporate headquarters. “We have to go beyond our own walls,” Wren said. “We need to see transformation, but no single entity can create that transformation on their own. So if we want to see this transformation take place we have to be networked, and that is one of the reasons we are here.”
(Georgia Tech 2016)
This significant collaboration is an opportunity for UCB colleagues to tap into Georgia Tech’s state of the art machine learning and advanced analytics resources. Together we will strive to improve patient care as well as the patient experience by harnessing the power of new technologies.
(Madara, 2016)
Regular readers will know this is not the first step in our partnership with Georgia Tech. We have launched several collaborative initiatives including a project designed to use big data to benefit epilepsy patients.
(Madara, 2016)
The new ‘Solution Accelerator’ is a natural extension of a partnership that has flourished in recent years. It places UCB in the heart of a vibrant innovation community where we can grow, learn and explore new ways to deliver for patients with severe diseases.
(Madara, 2016)
In fact, the beauty of being co-located with Georgia Tech in Technology Square is the potential for new ideas to emerge from disciplines outside the areas in which we have an established reputation – neurology and immunology.
(Madara, 2016)
Our experience of collaboration and open innovation tells us that sometimes the best ideas come from interactions between experts from different fields.
(Madara, 2016)
"Establishing a presence in Technology Square is a natural extension of our existing relationship with Georgia Tech," said Jeff Wren, head of UCB's Neurology Patient Value Unit. "We are thrilled to join this vibrant innovation community to learn and grow our own capabilities. We are confident that co-location and proximity to the Georgia Tech community will enable us to quickly develop quality solutions that will create real value for the patients we serve.“
(Madara, 2016)
Corporate Lab and Technology Centers a Few Blocks Away Honeywell Software Development Center
Honeywell today announced that it is joining Georgia Tech’s Center for the Development and Application of Internet of Things Technologies (CDAIT), reinforcing its commitment to grow its Atlanta presence.
(Honeywell,2017)
“We are looking forward to working closely with Honeywell’s team to leverage their IoT-related capabilities,” said Alain Louchez, Managing Director of CDAIT. “Our goal is to quickly advance our relationship to respond to the growing demands and opportunities in the IoT space. The proximity to the Georgia Tech campus of Honeywell’s new Atlanta home will facilitate terrific exchanges and cooperation.” At CDAIT, Honeywell looks to enhance its understanding of the many dimensions and challenges of the IoT space through collaborative research and activities with its fellow board members and Georgia Tech faculty and students.
(Honeywell,2017)
Flex Design Center leverage the academic, start-up and corporate innovation community here in Midtown. Stanley Black & Decker Digital Accelerator Boeing Manufacturing Development Center
(King, 2017)
leverage the academic, start-up and corporate innovation community here in Midtown.
(King, 2017)
For more than 25 years, Boeing has supported a variety of manufacturing research activities at Georgia Tech, such as developing control systems on cranes, mobile platforms and robotics for moving parts in a factory environment, and active flow control for aircraft wing tips. The Institute is one of 10 primary strategic secondary schools that Boeing partners with on research worldwide.
(Diamond, 2017)
Corporate Lab and Technology Centers a Few Blocks Away Boeing is the 17th company to open an innovation center on Georgia Tech’s campus. The centers tap into the innovation neighborhood’s vibrant network of students, faculty and researchers, as well as area startups and established companies.
(Diamond, 2017)
“Georgia Tech’s long and productive relationship with Boeing includes immersive educational support for our students, collaborative research, and development of aerospace innovations,” said Steve Cross, Georgia Tech executive vice president for Research. “Our relationship is an exemplar for industry-university engagement as we meet jointly shared aspirations for the future of education and the advancement of technology.”
(Diamond, 2017)
“This advanced center will let Georgia Tech students collaborate with Boeing engineers to help drive the development of innovative factory automation solutions in aerospace,” said Greg Hyslop, Boeing chief technology officer and senior vice president of Engineering, Test & Technology.
(Diamond, 2017)
List of Interviewees
Organization
Designation
Name
Date
Georgia Tech
Associate Vice President for Economic Development
Greg King
SandBox ATL
Co-founder
Scott Henderson
5-Jul
Senior Project Manager
Juliana Golemi
6-Jul
Manager
Steve Chen
6-Jul
Thyssenkrupp
Electronic Engineer
Shawn Park
18-Jul
Georgia Tech
Senior Director, Industry Collaboration
Bill Cutts
18-Jul
Pannasonic
Group Manager- Innovation Center
John Avery
18-Jul
Georgia Department of Economic Development
Director- Center of Innovation for Information Technology
Glen Whitley
19-Jul
Vice president
Michael Britt
19-Jul
Lead Member Technical Staff
Carl Bedingfield
20-Jul
EI2 Keysight Design and Test Software
Southern Company AT&T Foundary
Georgia Tech
Associate Vice President for International Carl Rust Initiatives and Principal Director for Industry Collaboration
14-Jun
21-Jul
Interview Questions For Industry partners:
For university partners:
1. Tell me about yourself and your role in this center. 2. Tell me about your corporate innovation hub here at Tech Square. When did this center open? 3. How does this center relate to your company’s main office or other offices? 4. How is your center’s operation different from your company’s other research centers? 5. What motivated your company to set up a center at Tech Square over other places? 6. How has your motivation changed over time? 7. Why did you choose to set up an innovation center over other partnership options (such as embedded labs or landing parties? 8. What services or assistance do you receive from Georgia Tech and Tech Square? Do you have any account managers or other people who work with you? What services do they provide? 9. What are the advantages of being a part of Tech Square? 10. What are the main drawbacks of Tech Square? 11. Have there been opportunities to collaborate and network with other companies at Tech Square? 12. What do you see the future for Tech Square to be? 13. What insights do you have about measurement and indicators to represent success or failure of corporate innovation hubs at Tech Square?
1. What is your role within tech square? 2. How does GT attract corporate innovation hubs to set up centers in tech square? 3. What motivates companies to set up centers in tech square over other places? And how does this change over time? 4. Why do they choose to set up centers over other partnership options (such as embedded labs or landing parties? 5. How would you define a corporate innovation hub? 6. How does having this corporate innovation hub benefit GT? 7. Are there ways by which these benefits can be monetized? 8. What do you see the future for tech square to be? 9. Why do you think these organizations prefer this small collaborative environment? 10. Do these companies have any incentives to relocate? How are they incentivized? 11. What kind of ongoing relationship exist between GT and these companies? Is there follow up post occupancy? 12. How are businesses attracted? Do Atlanta Chamber of Commerce or UIDC (University Industry Demonstration Partnership) play any role?
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