It’s an exciting week at GATN, as we prepare to launch our new website and throw a grand opening party to celebrate the opening of the new ATC Innovation Center in Alpharetta. We’re also busy with final preparations for our fall lineup of GATN events, including the debut of GATN’s new Lunch and Learn series at the Innovation Center.
All of this activity has made me appreciate just how far GATN has come since we launched. It has been less than two years since a few of our volunteer board-members-to-be and I sat down and brainstormed over the name and mission of our new nonprofit, and how we could begin to connect our local tech companies and help to build a true tech community here in Greater Alpharetta.
GATN Founding Board Members
We decided to think big and invited David Cummings, founder of the Atlanta Tech Village, out to Alpharetta to speak at our launch event on May 8, 2014, the same night as the Taste of Alpharetta festival. And in spite of the 50,000 festival-goers clogging the streets of Alpharetta that evening, you showed up in force, 150 strong, to hear David Cummings, meet your peers, and enthusiastically support the launch of our new, locally-based tech organization.
David Cummings and GATN President Karen Cashion
Since that first evening, we’ve been honored to meet many of you for the first time, get to know you and your companies, hear your ideas, and welcome you as GATN members, sponsors, speakers, and volunteers.
Here’s a brief recap of where we’ve been since that May evening, and a preview of what’s ahead:
- August 2014: Alpharetta Mayor David Belle Isle and Todd Harris, COO of Alpharetta’s Hi-Rez Studios, headline GATN’s August Speaker Series event and share how the company has evolved from a startup to a global success story;
- November 2014: GATN and the ATDC hosted Greater Alpharetta’s first Startup Fast Pitch at Jekyll Brewing. Six local tech startups are chosen to pitch their innovative concepts to Coca-Cola;
- February 2015: Jennifer Van Buskirk, President of Cricket Wireless, shares how to build a blockbuster wireless company in 12 months or less;
- April 2015: GATN’s First Members Only Mixer at Alpharetta’s 5 Seasons Brewing Company;
- May 2015: GATN hosts its First Annual Tech Funding Symposium, featuring well-known angel investors and venture capitalists from the metro area;
- June 2015: Asif Ramji, President of Roswell’s Paymetric, talks double digit growth;
- August 2015: GATN throws the grand opening celebration for the new ATC Innovation Center;
- September 2015: GATN introduces its new, monthly Lunch and Learn Series at the Innovation Center;
- October 2015: GATN’s Fall Speaker Series Event at Microsoft, featuring Rich Napoli, CEO of Object Frontier Software;
- November 2015: GATN and the ATDC host their Second Annual Startup Fast Pitch at Jekyll Brewing with Coca-Cola.
Thank you all for your time, your feedback, and your enthusiastic support as we continue to grow GATN to serve our Greater Alpharetta tech hub, and please keep those suggestions coming—we’re here to serve you and our ever-expanding, local tech community!
