Building Regional Momentum Through Partnerships, Talent and Investment
Robin is Director of Grid Strategy and Solutions for Georgia Power Company focusing on advancing emerging solutions to better plan, optimize and operate the grid. Her work is driven by a passion for shaping the future of energy.
Prior to current role, Lanier lead New Ventures and Environmental Regulatory & Strategy at Georgia Power Company.
Henk Both lead Anzu Partners' energy investment vertical, focusing on early-stage hardware and software companies in high-growth industries like energy, aerospace and life sciences.
Previously, he earned a PhD in Chemistry from Stanford and worked in Boston Consulting Group’s Energy practice, specializing in energy storage, power generation and business operations.
Taylor Chance is the Director of Corporate Innovation at Engage, the collaborative innovation and corporate venture platform comprised of category-leading corporations in the Southeast that have joined forces to support startups building the future of enterprise technology.
Prior to Engage, she held a variety of strategy and consulting roles for companies such as GXG, Marriott International and Gartner.
Brooke Perez is the Regional Economic Development Manager for Metro North at Georgia Power, supporting the success of her communities through leadership development, strategic planning, job creation strategy and assisting companies with expansion efforts.
Brooke is also a UGA graduate and actively serves on multiple boards supporting education, workforce development and leadership initiatives.
Miguel Granier is the Managing Director of Cox Cleantech Accelerator by gener8tor, a 12-week program supporting early-stage climate innovation startups.
With nearly two decades of experience financing businesses from startup to growth stage, he has led investments across nine countries and three continents. Miguel has also served on the boards of several non-profits, including Greentown Labs, Village Capital and Global Growers Network.
Leaders from Southern Company, Georgia Power, Anzu Partners, Engage and Cox Cleantech Accelerator gathered to explore how the Southeast can become a launchpad for first-of-a-kind (FOAK) clean energy technologies. This pivotal stage—where innovations move from lab validation to real-world deployment—is notoriously risky and resource-intensive. Yet, as panelists argued, the Southeast has the tools, talent and growing ecosystem to meet the moment. What’s needed now is strategic coordination to turn early-stage innovation into scaled impact.
Corporates as Catalysts for Early Deployment
A central theme was the vital role of large corporations in de-risking new technologies. The panelists highlighted how utilities and corporate partners are offering more than just financial support—they’re providing real-world pilot sites that validate technologies, speed up iteration, and attract investor confidence. One example included startups testing energy and HVAC solutions with companies like Waffle House, showing how well-known brands can lend credibility and help clean tech firms gain commercial traction. This kind of partnership-driven model is increasingly critical for technologies that require more than software-scale timelines and funding cycles.
Talent, Retention and the Need for a Startup Flywheel
While the Southeast is home to top technical institutions like Georgia Tech, the region still lacks a deep bench of startup veterans who have scaled companies and reinvested in the ecosystem.
Programs helping startups build local roots—like corporate innovation networks and cleantech accelerators—are key to long-term retention.
Founders may still be tempted by coastal tech hubs, but access to infrastructure, supportive networks and quality of life keep many in place. The challenge now is to build a flywheel effect, where each successful exit seeds the next generation of talent, mentorship and reinvestment.
Closing the Capital Gap: Rethinking Local Investment
Clean tech deployment often stalls in the “valley of death,” where capital needs outpace risk tolerance. The panel discussed how traditional venture models remain cautious about FOAK projects due to long payback periods and regulatory complexity. One panelist stressed the need for more patient capital from regional investors willing to take informed risks. Family offices and local funds were encouraged to see clean tech not just as a moral imperative or a philanthropic cause, but as a viable investment class with layered value propositions—from environmental impact to job creation. Unlocking this mindset shift could create a pipeline of regionally aligned capital.
The Southeast’s growing network of accelerators, innovation hubs and public-private initiatives is helping startups navigate permitting, site selection, and supply chain challenges. Still, more alignment is needed. The panel emphasized the importance of strong local relationships, fast access to support, and clear communication across sectors. Cities, utilities and universities each play a role in smoothing the path from idea to deployment. One speaker noted that clean energy startups shouldn’t be more than one or two introductions away from key decision-makers. Momentum is building, but institutional coordination and intentional ecosystem design are crucial to sustaining it—especially for scaling first-of-a-kind (FOAK) technologies beyond the pilot phase.
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