Case Study: How DID Helped Turn Atlanta into a Center of Inclusive Innovation

Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) helps entrepreneurs in Georgia build technology companies by connecting them to coaching, capital, customers, campus resources, and talent. ATDC and digitalundivided have collaborated since DID arrived in Atlanta in 2016.

ATDC hopes to make Atlanta a national leader for minority and women-founded startups. Jen Bonnett, ATDC’s general manager, cited Atlanta as a city that is moving forward, saying, “if you’re sick of Silicon Valley and New York, and being considered a second-class citizen due to your gender, race, or sexual identity, Atlanta is the friendly place for you to do a startup”.

To achieve ATDC’s vision, Bonnett says Atlanta must do three things: publicize what they can offer businesses, encourage more collaboration and knowledge-sharing between the many local organizations working with startups, and offer more investment capital. This requires changing people’s perspectives by reinforcing that the city’s transformation will not happen overnight. “This is a 5–10-year game”, says Bonnett.

DID most contributes to ATDC’s mission by raising awareness of specific gaps facing Black and Latinx women entrepreneurs and by developing and inspiring more inclusive programming. The 2016 #Projectdiane report was the first step in this process. Bonnet says, “#ProjectDiane was insane. It taught me what a life of privilege I have led as a white woman. Despite all the challenges I’ve faced — which have been big in technology — I’m still privileged”.

But Bonnett reframes the challenge, saying “Those statistics are the history, so let’s change history. Let’s build great, fundable businesses and help [Founders] get funding”. In order to help more founders do just that, ATDC has worked over the past three years to improve diversity within the organization, mostly by creating partnerships such as the one it has with digitalundivided.