Tech Square officially opened in 2003, and today the area is a thriving innovation ecosystem thanks to a vibrant network of students, faculty, researchers, startup entrepreneurs and global corporations.

One of the area’s guiding principles was to foster a better connection between the Institute and the business community.

President G.P. “Bud” Peterson discussed this connection in the fall during a roundtable event with a handful of corporate executives from companies that opened innovation centers in Tech Square. Currently, 14 corporate innovation centers are clustered in the area.

The area’s growth will only continue between construction of Coda, which represents the next phase of Tech Square, and the recent purchase of the Biltmore.

“Tech Square will continue to be a hub of innovation for the Southeast, and I think we’ll see continued strong growth as the word gets out that it is the place to be,” Peterson told the Atlanta Business Chronicle. “We are grateful to those who first saw the potential of Tech Square before the first shovel full of dirt was moved, and to those who have worked to create one of the most vibrant and creative innovation regions in the southeastern United States.”