{"686847":{"#nid":"686847","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Graduation Gift Empowers Rising Entrepreneurs","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhen Georgia Tech alumnus Christopher W. Klaus\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/news.gatech.edu\/news\/2025\/05\/02\/tech-visionary-chris-klaus-empowers-georgia-tech-grads-launch-startups\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eannounced\u003C\/a\u003E he would personally cover the incorporation costs for graduating Tech students who sought to launch a startup, he wanted the gift to ignite their entrepreneurial spirit and elevate Atlanta\u0027s startup culture.\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EFor hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs, including Raghav Balasubramaniam, founder and CEO of Overcast, and Shreyas Mavanoor, co-founder of Cortexa Labs, the gift helped turn ideas into action.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022The incorporation gift genuinely shaped the future of my company,\u0022 said Balasubramaniam, who graduated in the spring with a master\u2019s in computer science. \u0022It allowed me to formalize Overcast at a time when it was just an idea on paper, and that legitimacy changed our trajectory for the better. The network that comes with this opportunity played an equally important role, giving me the space, mentorship, and push I needed to learn quickly, refine the product, and accelerate the company in a matter of months.\u0022\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003ENow, Klaus\u2019 offer, which includes access to GT Spark \u2014 a curated, community-driven experience with workshops, hands-on support, and mentorship from experienced founders and operators \u2014 will be extended to this semester\u0027s Georgia Tech graduates.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMavanoor, who graduated with a master\u2019s degree in cybersecurity, and his co-founder viewed the gift as a \u0022chance to supercharge\u0022 their startup\u0027s ability to engage with customers and potential investors, as well as a commitment to creating a collaborative and vibrant startup culture in Atlanta. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EA Boston Consulting Group\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/media-publications.bcg.com\/Leveling-Up-Unlocking-Entrepreneurship-Growth-Potential-for-Atlanta.pdf\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Estudy\u003C\/a\u003E found that increasing the number of local startups and graduate retention are key components of the city\u0027s goal to become a top-five U.S. tech hub. \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022This type of support for graduates signals that they\u0027re serious about fostering a strong startup ecosystem within the Atlanta area and retaining the talent that graduates from Tech,\u0022 Mavanoor said.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EAs the leader of Fusen, a startup accelerator that connects students with founders, mentors, investors, and early-stage funding to launch new ventures, Klaus remains a driving force behind Atlanta\u2019s technology sector growth. His philanthropic support helped establish\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/create-x.gatech.edu\/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003ECREATE-X\u003C\/a\u003E, Tech\u2019s flagship entrepreneurship program, which celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2024 and has launched more than 500 student startups. This gift is made in memory of Klaus\u0027 son, Will, a fellow Yellow Jacket who was passionate about technology, startups, and helping others get started. \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Take the leap,\u0022 Balasubramaniam advises this semester\u2019s graduates who will benefit from Klaus\u2019 philanthropy. \u0022Incorporating provides a legitimate structure to what would otherwise just be a whiteboard idea. The earlier you start, the more time you have to iterate, make mistakes, and discover what the company should become. The risk may seem large at first, but the upside of starting now outweighs it.\u201d\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EMavanoor offered similar advice, telling graduates not to let uncertainty stop them from taking advantage of joining the GT Spark community.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003E\u201cMake use of it, because if not now, then when? I wouldn\u0027t worry about trying to solve every problem before incorporating because there is so much to learn when starting a business, and this is a great advantage to join this professional network that can help you along the way,\u0022 he said.\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\u003Cp\u003EThe priority deadline to apply for the gift is Dec. 19, and the final deadline is Jan. 13, 2026. For more information on the application,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/commencement.gatech.edu\/node\/598\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003Eclick here\u003C\/a\u003E.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Renowned tech entrepreneur and Georgia Tech alumnus Christopher W. Klaus will continue covering the incorporation costs for graduating Tech students seeking to launch a startup. "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003ERenowned tech entrepreneur and Georgia Tech alumnus Christopher W. Klaus will continue covering the incorporation costs for graduating Tech students seeking to launch a startup.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Renowned tech entrepreneur and Georgia Tech alumnus Christopher W. Klaus will continue covering the incorporation costs for graduating Tech students seeking to launch a startup. "}],"uid":"36418","created_gmt":"2025-12-10 17:36:22","changed_gmt":"2025-12-12 14:37:15","author":"sgagliano3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","location":"Atlanta, GA","dateline":{"date":"2025-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","iso_date":"2025-12-10T00:00:00-05:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"678820":{"id":"678820","type":"image","title":"Students at Commencement","body":null,"created":"1765388947","gmt_created":"2025-12-10 17:49:07","changed":"1765388947","gmt_changed":"2025-12-10 17:49:07","alt":"Students at Commencement","file":{"fid":"262905","name":"54491028517_03c0c5def6_o.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/10\/54491028517_03c0c5def6_o.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2025\/12\/10\/54491028517_03c0c5def6_o.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":4259670,"path_740":"http:\/\/hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2025\/12\/10\/54491028517_03c0c5def6_o.jpg?itok=2MWhU9Lx"}}},"media_ids":["678820"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/commencement.gatech.edu","title":"Commencement Information"}],"groups":[{"id":"583966","name":"CREATE-X"},{"id":"655285","name":"GT Commercialization"}],"categories":[{"id":"133","name":"Special Events and Guest Speakers"}],"keywords":[{"id":"40171","name":"fall commencement"},{"id":"84471","name":"Chris Klaus"},{"id":"194496","name":"incorporation costs"},{"id":"192255","name":"go-commercializationnews"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"193658","name":"Commercialization"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71871","name":"Campus and Community"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:steven.gagliano@gatech.edu\u0022\u003ESteven Gagliano\u003C\/a\u003E \u2013\u0026nbsp;Institute Communications\u003C\/p\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":[],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}