Explore the strategic benefits of starting, growing and scaling a cleantech startup in Georgia, highlighting state-specific differentiators and resources to help access them.
Andy is Executive Director of the Georgia Cleantech Innovation Hub, driving climate tech innovation in Georgia and the Southeast. With over a decade of experience spanning battery storage, solar, smart grid and refrigerants, he connects entrepreneurs with resources to accelerate sustainable solutions. Andy’s work combines expertise in growth strategy and alliance building to support the region’s transition to a sustainable future.
Hey there,
Ten years ago Boston, LA or the Bay Area was where you wanted to be if you were an innovator in cleantech, today, Georgia is one of those places.
However, Georgia is still overlooked as a source and destination for cleantech innovation. There are three things are holding Georgia back: communication, access and track-record. We have been in the ecosystem of over a decade and will write about it so that is easier for innovators in the state leverage its assets and importantly, so that the word gets spread regionally and nationally.
Today, we are talking about Georgia’s cleantech differentiators and how to use them to your advantage.
We will cover three differentiators for cleantech innovators in Georgia, resources that help innovators tap into the differentiators and what you can do today to access these resources.
Deep Dive
Three differentiators that will help you start, grow and scale your cleantech startup faster in Georgia
To build durable competitive advantage in Georgia, cleantech innovators need to know what the state can offer that others cannot and how to start the journey.
Here are three differentiators in Georgia and recommended actions on how to access them today.
Cleantech-sector specific manufacturing infrastructure
Fast Fact: 41 new clean energy related projects have been announced in Georgia, which are projected to account for over 30,000 jobs and more than $23 billion in investments.
Georgia is in the heart of North America’s “Battery Belt”, a group of states where over $90B in battery supply chain investments were announced between 2020 and 2023. Additionally, Georgia has the largest solar manufacturing facility in the Western Hemisphere and massive EV manufacturing plants. The knock-on impact of a manufacturing base are manyfold, including the building of a skilled labor force through the state’s workforce development engine and the myriad Tier 1/2/3 suppliers to these factories that develop nearby.
Starting Point: The Georgia Center of Innovation in Manufacturing can direct innovators to resources, including prototyping shops, contract manufacturers and workforce development programs, as well as facilitate collaborations between companies, academic researchers and government agencies
Do this today: Reach out to Shirelda Feagen with the Georgia Department of Economic Development
World-class research institutions
Fast Fact: Georgia universities drive over $3B in R&D spend annually.
Collectively, Georgia’s nine R1 or R2 research universities boast nationally-ranked programs in bioproducts, energy and fuels, materials science and engineering, agriculture sciences, environmental engineering and advanced manufacturing. The state’s universities also minted a diverse cohort of >10,000 science and engineering undergraduate and post graduates in 2024.
Starting Point: The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) is a nonprofit, public-private partnership the coordinates with both the University System of Georgia and Georgia’s Department of Economic Development to accelerate commercialization of university technology.
Do this today: Check out GRA’s Georgia Core Facilities Partnership that connects university assets with private sector innovators.
Local corporate demand with global reach
Fast Fact: Atlanta has more Fortune 500 companies (16) than leading cleantech hubs, Boston (14), San Francisco (14) and Los Angeles (11).
With 37 Fortune 1000 company headquarters and a number of multinationals (e.g., Siemens, Google, Microsoft, Amazon) with a strong presence within the state, innovators can have face-to-face conversations with decision-makers at companies that can help them reach global scale. What is most interesting about the cohort of companies in the state is that there is broad representation across multiple sectors, including but not limited to CPG, Logistics, Aerospace, Agriculture and Materials.
Starting Point: The Drawdown Georgia Business Compact (DGBC), which is a state-wide business consortium aimed at achieving net-zero carbon emissions Georgia by 2050 by connecting buyers with solution providers.
Do this today: Contact David Eady, Allison Bridges or Titiksha Fernandes at the DGBC.
Curated Links and Resources
If you’re are cleantech innovator looking to avoid headwinds and a find the straightest path to success in 2025, then here are a few links that you will want to explore this week:
2024 reflections: AI power, elections and more (5 minutes) — A punchy reflection on the 2024; take an extra 10 minutes to reflect your business in 2024.
2025 Georgia Cleantech Innovation Outlook (10 minutes) — 5 macro trends impacting cleantech with focus on there local impact in 2025.
2024 State of Climate Funding (10 minutes) — If you are raising funds in 2025, get a macro level picture of what’s on an investor’s mind.
Understanding Venture Math (10 minutes) — However, don’t forget the microeconomics of fundraising.
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