Augusta Startup Ecosystem

McNair Project

Augusta Startup Ecosystem
Project Information
Project Title
Owner	Ben Baldazo, Dylan Dickens, Joe Reilly, Taylor Jacobe
Start Date	9/20/2017
Deadline	10/27/2017
Primary Billing
Notes
Has project status	Active
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Link to DOC: https://docs.google.com/a/rice.edu/document/d/15EtmjxWLLta4SZEW4PlsqxXgA-yEuuZ3OE1Ciin2yHA/edit?usp=sharing

Augusta, Georgia- Want to build a startup ecosystem around the headquarters

• University of Augusta is in the local area
• US CyberCommand is going to locate their headquarters there, and in response, they want to ensure an ecosystem exists there to pull from
  • Needs recruits, programmers
• Want to build a startup ecosystem around the headquarters
• Find all of the important inno people in Georgia
  • How can we piece an ecosystem together?

Tentative Schedule

Week 1: Prep and understand need; research Augusta and what it already has

Week 2: Analyze data on Augusta and Georgia as a whole. Diagnose need. Begin writing final document's section about current state of Augusta

Week 3: Identify ways to fill need. Strategies for drawing in startup ecosystem. Begin writing final document's section about possible solutions

Week 4: Synthesize data and research to form coherent suggestions

Week 5: Final analysis of data. Finish paper.

Resources to pull from

We would ideally have data about:

• Patents in Augusta/Georgia as a whole
• R&D in Augusta/Georgia as a whole
• What it would take to get the innovators to relocate to Augusta
• Factors relating to best Innovation Districts
  • Networking Assets
    • Gathering spaces- shared meeting spaces
    • Accessibility- close proximity
    • Hip vibes
  • Capital Stack
    • Equity
    • VC
    • Tax credits, government aid