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	10/6/2017
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.

Anticipated Paper Breakdown

1. Needs/Wants for an Startup Ecosystem
   1. Economic Factors
   2. Social Factors
   3. Environmental Factors
   4. Government aid
2. Diagnosis of Augusta’s Current State
   1. How does it fulfill and not fulfill the requirements of an innovation district?
   2. What resources are available in Georgia as a whole that can be used in Augusta?
3. Recommendations for how to achieve a Startup Ecosystem in Augusta
   1. What do we need in order to make a successful startup ecosystem in Augusta? (What is missing?)
   2. What would it look like?
   3. How do we make it happen?
      1. Specific suggestions

Resources Needed

Elements of a Startup Ecosystem Technical Skills

• Education rates of local population
• Research on University of Augusta
• How to attract human capital?

Risk Tolerance

• Local Economic Stability
• City's Risk Preparedness

Availability of Capital

• VC, Equity

Visible Successes

• What has already happened there? How can we market the city to best attract human capital and create a city brand?

Collaborative Culture

• Proximity between innovators
• Transportation availability
• Accessibility to travelers

Regulatory Environment

• Potential for tax credits, types of incentives local government can offer

Experienced Mentors

• Who is already there who can act as a mentor?
• Who can we attract there to act as a mentor?
  • Patent and R&D data for the area

Entrepreneurial Culture

• What creates a strong entrepreneurial culture and how can we bring that to Augusta?