Why Georgia is a Hidden Gem for Cleantech Startups
Explore the strategic benefits of starting, growing and scaling a cleantech startup in Georgia, highlighting state-specific differentiators and resources to help access them
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
Before we dive deep, here is some suggested outside reading.
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
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
Upcoming Events and Opportunities
January starts fast, don’t miss the opportunity to engage with the community and start the year off right.
Shaping Georgia’s Green Building Future — Jan 14 — A panel discussion spotlighting the use of mass timber and low embodied carbon materials, underscoring Georgia’s rising leadership in the green building market.
Cleantech Hustle Hour — Jan 15 — A startup-only meetup for those that hustle even when they aren’t grinding.
ATL Cleantech Connect — Jan 22 — A quarterly social to engage members of the Greater Atlanta cleantech community, focusing this month on the water-energy nexus.
2025 Georgia Cleantech Innovation Outlook — Jan 23 — A lunch-and-learn style virtual meeting digging in on 5 trends and their impact on Georgia cleantech innovators
Greenwashing, Greenhushing and Greenwishing: The Opportunities and Challenges of Marketing and Reporting on Sustainability — Jan 29 — A panel discussion on complexities of greenwashing, its implications for businesses and their stakeholders
Did we miss an event? Do you have an upcoming event that you want included? Please let us know!
Wrap up
That's it.
Here's what you learned today:
- Georgia’s cleantech differentiators should be part of your durable competitive advantage
- Lean into Georgia’s cleantech manufacturing infrastructure, its deep university R&D, and local demand for cleantech solutions
- There are a wealth connectors ready to connect you to Georgia’s assets
It is the beginning of 2025, create a target, milestone or OKR that drives your cleantech idea, product, or business forward by linking to one of the state’s strengths.
We encourage you to take one of the above, low-risk actions today.
PS...If you enjoyed Build Cleantech Faster in Georgia, please consider subscribing or referring this edition to a friend or colleague.