Science makes Georgia Great. We propose a method for Georgia to maintain and grow it’s S&T advantage that uplifts all Georgians. 

Science and technology (S&T) support over half of Georgia’s jobs. Georgia is a national leader in agricultural, chemistry, healthcare, and physics-related technologies. These accomplishments are due to our world-class universities, our thriving science and technology (S&T) business sector, and our strong agriculture economy. The S&T ecosystem is what makes Georgia a great state to do business, have a successful career, and get a quality education.

A 2021 economic impact report found that, in Georgia, S&T supports 61 percent of jobs, 71 percent of economic output, and 66 percent of the state’s GDP. In line with national statistics, and contrary to conventional wisdom, these jobs are not just for university graduates; six out of ten S&T professionals in Georgia do not need to hold a bachelor’s degree.

With the Federal government abruptly pulling billions of dollars out of this ecosystem, it is destabilizing a cornerstone of the Georgia economy. To offset this shock, we propose establishing a Georgia Office of Science & Technology Innovation Policy (GO-S&T) to bolster Georgia’s technological competitiveness, accelerate S&T economic growth, and enhance workforce training. Initiatives instigated and coordinated by this GO-S&T will stimulate economic opportunity for all Georgians by aligning efforts across the state within the science and technology space.

Establishing GO-S&T will send a clear signal that Georgia supports its S&T ecosystem and welcomes employers and employees into this thriving portion of its economy. It will ensure investment Georgia makes in homegrown technology and workers stays in Georgia.

To accomplish these goals, the GO-S&T will broadly:

• Align efforts across public, non-profit, and private sectors to identify opportunities to enhance technology-based economic development, facilitate job growth, and attract & retain skilled workers;
• Advise on and recommend science and technology-related policies that will enhance growth and remove impediments to growth.
• Establish new and expand existing STEM education and workforce training initiatives.

Herein we provide background about the Georgia ecosystem, explain why this ecosystem is in peril, provide examples of similar efforts in other states, and describe the details of a proposed GO-S&T. The appendix provides further facts and figures.

Georgia’s economy is thriving. Georgia has the eighth-largest economy in the United States by GDP.

In 2024, Georgia celebrated being named the #1 place to do business, for the 11^th year in a row. The Metro Atlanta Chamber lists 18 Fortune 500 Companies in Georgia.  We have Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport and the ports of Savannah and Brunswick.

The University System of Georgia has 26 public colleges and universities with over 345K students. In 2024, the University of Georgia was ranked number one nationwide for products developed through S&T research. In 2023, Georgia Tech Research Institute recorded an economic impact of $5.3 billion. Emory University-derived Intellectual Property (IP) has led to 18+ FDA new drug approvals, saving tens of millions of lives.

Invest Georgia was created in 2013 to nurture and grow Georgia-based venture capital and private equity, with the goal of fostering new companies, entrepreneurs, and jobs. To date they have fostered: 18 venture funds, 119 Georgia companies, and over 4300 jobs.

In over 30 years, Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), which works to recruit top research talent to universities, build research infrastructure, and commercialize innovations, has turned a $661 million investment into $7,8 billion in grants and venture capital.

Despite these achievements there is room for improvement. Georgia is ranked:

• 22^nd in GDP growth rate in Q4 of 2024
• 22^nd in the nation in technological competitiveness
• 39^th for number of active patient care physicians per capita

And in 2023, 13% of Georgian’s lived in poverty compared to 11% nationally. In 2025, Georgia received an ‘F’ for it’s infant and maternal health.

We are a great state to do business, we attract cutting-edge researchers, and we have a thriving start-up ecosystem. But why aren’t more Georgian’s reaping the benefits? Quite simply: a lack of connectivity between our strong pillars.

Lack of communication between our state agencies, businesses, and universities means the technology and research that could accelerate, enhance, and support Georgia’s overall health and wealth is critically under-utilized. Our policymakers are often left underprepared or under-equipped to effectively address the technologies they should be paying attention to and/or incentivizing. Our state agencies are missing out on vital tools that could enhance public health, resource management, and agriculture services. Our business sector is losing out on profitable technologies and innovations and workforce recruitment opportunities. Our educational institutions are left playing catch-up when supporting relevant work-force training. In short, there is a divide between the state, private, and academic sectors that, if bridged, could further uplift the lives of all Georgians.

Georgia is at a crossroads. To remain a S&T powerhouse, and to retain the highly skilled workers that our institutions graduate, we need to send a clear signal to the world that Georgia is committed to remaining a S&T leader, providing excellent jobs, and a high quality of life. By establishing a GO-S&T, Georgia boldly proclaims that our state is open for business – especially high-tech .

Federal research dollars and datasets are in peril. Annually, Georgia researchers receive over a billion dollars in federal research money. In 2024 National Institutes of Health (NIH) alone awarded $783 M to Georgia which supported 11,500 jobs. This funding drives the innovation economy. Federal datasets, that help our state agencies prepare for and respond to severe storms and adequately serve public health, are disappearing. In Dec 2023, US Government announced that Atlanta would be the location of the US Patient & Trademark Office (USPTO) Southeast Regional Outreach Office, yet, in June 2025, rescinded this announcement. Invest Georgia, a fund created to fuel the Georgia start-up ecosystem, has only received half of it’s promised funding.

Several cross-sector challenges are facing Georgia right now: the closure of many timber processing facilities, booming data center development, the push-and-pull between water needs for industry, agricultural, and citizens, and rural-healthcare access. All of these topics could benefit from high level collaboration between various agencies, the private sector, and research institutions – so that they could understand where to invest to create short-term wins and establish research programs to drive long-term development.

Many states have S&T initiatives. They range from legislative advisory bodies, to direct investment (i.e. Invest Georgia), to bleeding edge research ecosystem development (i.e. GRA).

A survey of other programs yielded the following principles underlying an advanced technological economy

• Top-level government commitment to S&T development and investment;
• Industry investments in R&D;
• Localized hubs of pioneering, industry-leading companies;
• Infrastructure for entrepreneurial mentorship and accessibility to early- and late-stage capital;
• Long-term Federal and state investments in research, education, and innovation infrastructure;
• Top research universities producing world-class research and a highly skilled workforce;
• Extensive patent-law training opportunities.

Some Highlighted Examples:
To directly impact the economy and provide information to the State, Oklahoma has had a Secretary of Science and Innovation since 1998. The Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science & Technology (OCAST) works to advance the state’s economic growth through technological advancement, and is overseen by the Secretary of Science and Innovation. They produce a  In their 2021 impact report, OCAST reported that their “programs have generated a cumulative return on investment (ROI) of 24:1 which means that for every dollar appropriated to OCAST, $24 was returned to the state as the result of follow-on grants and investments, sales revenue and jobs.”

In contrast, Virginia established a Joint Commission on Technology and Science, in 1997, that exists purely as a legislative advisory body. It is “a permanent legislative agency established in 1997, studies all aspects of technology and science, and strives to encourage, promote, and assist in the development of sound technology and science policy in the Commonwealth.” The commission is comprised of seven state delegates and six state senators. To address relevant topics to Virgina, the commission forms advisory subcommittees, such as Artificial Intelligence and Data Protection and Privacy. Each advisory subcommittee, composed of both legislators and subject matter experts, then investigates, generates reports, and makes recommendations and legislative proposals to address specific issues.

The White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP) serves as a bully pulpit to amplify and synergize S&T topics of national interest.  It was established by Congress in 1976 to advise the President on matters of science and technology policy. It is led by a Director and four Assistant Directors covering four topics: 1) environment and energy, 2) national security and international affairs, 3) science, and 4) technology and innovation. Several of its initiatives include but are not limited to: improving STEM education, promoting data accessibility, enhancing innovation, building, and facilitating international scientific partnerships. OSTP is a great example of high-level visibility, strategy, and communication; yet, it operates on a national level and cannot provide the Georgia focus that we need.

The critical goal of the GO-S&T is to provide advice on the scientific, engineering, educational, and technological aspects of issues that require State-level attention. The GO-S&T shall serve as a source of scientific and technological analysis for the State of Georgia concerning significant policies, plans, and programs for the state of Georgia.

1. Advise the Governor and General Assembly on matters relating to science, innovation, and technology.
2. Work in coordination with the Department of Economic Development to establish criteria and goals for economic and workforce development in this State in the areas of science, innovation, and technology.
3. Coordinate S&T priorities across the state government. Identify and recommend policies related to science, innovation, and technology.
4. Build bridges across public, private, academic, and non-profit sectors via a focus on strategic issues of importance to the state (i.e., agriculture, health, severe storm resilience).
5. Connect the pipeline from GRA to Invest Georgia to the S&T ecosystem to public and private investment.
6. Establish a reporting portal (similar to the Federal iEdison portal), where all recipients of state funding share public impacts, patients, and innovations – enabling greater transparency into the impacts of state investments.
7. Report periodically to the Commissioner of the Department of Economic Development concerning the administration of the policies and programs of the GO-S&T.
8. Annually report to the Georgia General Assembly on the status of Georgia’s S&T ecosystem and recommended polices. Included in this: S&T workforce and graduate retention.
9. Host a Grand Challenge program to spur innovation and collaboration.

Strategy 1: Secure R&D investment in the state by leveraging private-public partnerships to drive economic and workforce development, and retain workers in the state

• Assist the Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget, the Georgia Research Alliance, and Invest Georgia in the development of the state’s R&D and technological incubator budget;
• Identify opportunities for strategic investment in technologies with relevance to the state’s assets, such as agriculture, biotech, start-ups, and tourism;
• Support the growing start-up ecosystem that is being built around our state’s high-quality university system;
• Encourage a ‘Georgia-First’ initiative for state universities to utilize Georgia-based technology or research organizations for outsourced work;
• Develop incentives to ensure that research, technology, and innovation produced in the state are accessible to and create economic opportunities for the people of Georgia;
• Create a framework and incentives to guide meaningful public-private partnerships.

Strategy 2: Enhance STEM Workforce Development

• Develop educational programs to enhance STEM education in collaboration with the Department of Education;
• Educate the public on emerging S&T topics such as cybercrime and heat-tolerant crops;
• Encourage and foster continued and enhanced collaboration between industry and TCSG (Technical College System of Georgia) to provide relevant training and work-force development certificates and programs that support local economic needs;
• Create S&T Policy Fellowships for undergraduate, graduate students, and post-doctoral training levels in pursuit of GO-S&T priorities;
• Commission reports on the scientific developments and education in Georgia, and identify emerging S&T areas that may benefit Georgians, the Georgia economy, and Georgia research institutions;
• Develop pilot programs and grant opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral research fellows to engage with businesses and business schools, enhancing the probability of successful technology transfer.

Strategy 3: Assist Agencies in developing and implementing S&T policy and strategy

• Commission S&T policy-related reports and technical feasibility analyses at the request of the executive branch agencies or the state legislature;
• Recommend policies that reduce barriers to inter-university and university-business collaboration in the state, such as changes in resource procurement protocols;
• Establish ad-hoc commissions on Government priorities as needed.

Strategy 4 – Maintain Georgia’s leadership in cutting edge technology by promoting collaboration between industry, government, and universities.

• Develop branding opportunities to highlight GA research and commitment to S&T – similar to “Georgia Grown”;
• Host a Grand Challenge program;
• Work with the Department of Education to develop programming to highlight STEM career opportunities with specific attention to technologies developed in the state.

Strategy 5 – Create temporary working groups to address cross-cutting issues that are impacting Georgia (i.e. rural healthcare, data centers)

• Hold cross-sector roundtables and facilitated brainstorming session;
• Conduct deep research into all aspects of a problem;
• Produce roadmaps to success and understand needed investments and legislation.

Timber: The recent closure of pulpwood processing facilities have dealt a large blow to the timber industry – an important part of Georgia’s economy. There are right-now and long-term solutions that Georgia could invest in to fill the immediate hole and build an even more robust timber industry. This requires the timber industry, scientists, researchers, the government, and business to come together for a comprehensive plan of action.

Data Centers: The data center explosion has taken our state by storm. As we enter into a new economy and way of doing business – it is important for planners, government offices, businesses, and scientists to come together to discuss what is happening now, what can happen in the future, and how we can be sustainable for all Georgians.

Healthcare: Georgia was ranked 43^rd in health care, 46^th in healthcare system performance, and 50^th in senior healthcare in recent years in several studies (cite, cite, cite). Lack of access to healthcare, including transportation, is a key underlying factor of this problem. There have been efforts across Georgia’s public, nonprofit, and private sectors to address this issue. The Georgia Department of Community Health offers a Non-Emergency Medical Transportation program to help eligible Medicaid members get to doctor’s appointments (cite). Moreover, non-profit clinics that provide healthcare at little to no cost in underserved communities can be found in the Georgia Charitable Care Network (cite). Private foundations such as the Georgia Health Foundation award grants that fund these non-profits (cite). Despite these individual efforts, Georgia still ranks among the lowest in healthcare.

Education: Georgia’s Pre-K -12^th grade education ranked 30^th in the nation, with a lower high school graduation rate than the national average in 2019 (cite). This trend is particularly troubling concerning the future of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) industries in the state. In 2020, Georgia’s STEM sector saw an annual venture capital investment of about $1.5 billion, compared to the $150 million median of U.S. states (cite). Georgia was in the bottom half of states in 8th grade science in 2015 and 4th grade math in 2019, meaning that few Georgians have the quality STEM education needed to compete for these jobs(cite). Currently, the Georgia Department of Education incentivizes excellence in STEM education by offering a STEM certification that recognizes their efforts (cite).

Food insecurity: In Georgia, 1 in 8 people are going hungry (cite). Food insecurity can lead to an increased risk of asthma in children, decreased mobility in seniors, and overall nutritional deficiencies that contribute to a multitude of other health concerns (cite). Efforts to address these issues have been limited and disparate. Georgia offers a food stamp program to low income families that only make ~136% of the Federal Poverty Line. This equates to a gross household income of just $36,075 per year for a family of 4 ( cite). However, the Georgia Food Bank Association and member food banks are working to increase access to food across the state (cite). Yet despite these efforts, 1 in 6 children in Georgia are still food insecure (cite).

Funding for GO-S&T does not require tax increases and represents a self-sustaining investment in Georgia’s future. Between FY 2021-2023, 15-22% of appropriated funds by the Legislature were unspent and used to refill the state’s Revenue Shortfall Reserves.

Investments by the Georgia Research Alliance have yielded more than 10-fold returns on dollars invested and generated thousands of jobs since 1991.  However, Massachusetts has deployed nearly double the capital, all within a state several times smaller than Georgia. Sufficient investment in S&T policies will demonstrate that Georgia is Open for Business.

The authors acknowledge the following individuals for helpful comments and discussion.
Caitlin J. Couch, Elizabeth Hutt Pollard, Karen Jackson, Callie Wigington, Elijah Ullman, members of Emory ESCAN.

Below is a sample of programs that were identified by ChatGPT in Nov and Dec of 2025.

Arizona – Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA): Innovation Challenge (AIC) grants; broader state “Competes Fund.” (Arizona Commerce)

Outputs: Since 2010: 3,000+ applicants, 160 awardees, $6B+ combined portfolio value; 43 recorded exits. (Arizona Commerce)

Colorado – OEDIT’s Advanced Industries (AI) Accelerator: proof-of-concept, early-stage capital, and export grants for seven advanced industries. (Colorado OEDIT, Oedit Colorado)

Outputs: Annual reports document commercialization grants and follow-on outcomes (proof-of-concept awards, company formation, and leveraged capital). (Oedit Colorado)

Georgia – Georgia Research Alliance (public–private) & Georgia Dept. of Economic Dev. Center of Innovation: research commercialization and industry cluster services. (gra.org, Georgia DEcD)

TEConomy BIO report and state sources show the broader GA life sciences sector at $27.2B direct impact and 78k+ jobs; GRA publishes formal methodology for measuring commercialization impacts. (Georgia DEcD, galifesciences.org, gra.org)

Maryland – TEDCO: state innovation authority investing across translational research, seed, and venture; detailed annual and impact reports. (tedcomd.com)

Outputs: Total $2.3B in Maryland economic activity from six core programs (multiplier-adjusted). Earlier France Institute/TEConomy work found $1.6B in returns; TEDCO’s 2022 annual report tracks portfolio jobs growth. (tedcomd.com, Department of Budget & Management)

Massachusetts – MassTech Collaborative (Innovation Institute) & Mass. Life Sciences Center (MLSC): cluster investments, M2I2, life sciences capital/workforce grants. (Mass.gov, masstech.org)

Outputs: MLSC reported 1,584 new jobs created by supported companies in FY2023 and ongoing capital/workforce deployment; MassTech annuals document M2I2 and other innovation infrastructure investments. (Mass.gov)

New Jersey – Commission on Science, Innovation & Technology (CSIT): grants (e.g., Catalyst/Seed, SBIR matching) to early-stage companies. (NJEDA, NJCSIT)

North Carolina – Office of Science, Technology & Innovation (Dept. of Commerce): runs the One NC Small Business (SBIR/STTR match) program. (NC Commerce)

Outputs: Continuous awards to NC small businesses; program pages consolidate impact/success metrics and cohorts (430+ firms to date in press/university reporting). (NC Commerce, Office of Research and Innovation)

New York – NYSTAR (Empire State Development): statewide network of Centers of Excellence/CATs, MEPs, Hot Spots & incubators. (esd.ny.gov)

Outputs: (2022–2023 window) Incubators/Hot Spots generated $552M in economic gains with ~2,000 jobs created/retained; CATs produced $395M impact and ~500 jobs in the same period, per ESD reporting. (fuzehub.com, Stony Brook University)

Ohio – Third Frontier (Dept. of Development): large, long-running tech-based economic development program (capital, networks, commercialization). (Cloudinary)

Outputs: $6.6B economic impact and ~41,300 jobs (first seven years), with estimates of ~$10 return per public dollar. While older, it’s one of the most rigorous third-party evaluations of a state tech fund. (media.cleveland.com, dayton-daily-news, MedCity News)

Pennsylvania – Ben Franklin Technology Partners (BFTP): four regional public–private funds for tech startups and manufacturing innovation. (Economy League of Greater Philadelphia)

Outputs: $6.1B boost to PA’s economy, $400M in state tax receipts, 16,006 jobs (direct + spillover). Independent analysis by the Economy League. (Ben Franklin Technology Partners)

South Carolina – SCRA (public nonprofit charter): grants, investments, facilities via SC Launch affiliate. (SCRA: South Carolina Research Authority)

Outputs: $1.33B statewide economic impact; 6,624 jobs supported; ~$92k average salary at member/portfolio firms (USC Darla Moore School analysis). (SCRA: South Carolina Research Authority, UPSTATE BUSINESS JOURNAL)

Tennessee – LaunchTN (TN Tech Dev. Corp.): SBIR/STTR matching & commercialization programs (state-backed PPP). (LaunchTN)

Outputs: State budget testimony cites $900M+ economic impact and ~1,000 high-quality jobs since 2017; $4.5M matched to 30 firms in FY24 cycle. (Tennessee State Government, LaunchTN)

Virginia – Virginia Innovation Partnership Authority/Corporation (VIPA/VIPC): consolidated state innovation authority (research→seed→scale). (vipc.org)