This document is a directory of service providers in Georgia that are donating their services to support the winners of the GRA/TAG Business Launch competition. It lists over 20 different types of services, such as accounting, business services, consulting, marketing, and web development. The Georgia Research Alliance and Technology Association of Georgia are providing over $400,000 in donated services to the competition finalists from these leading Georgia businesses.

1. The Georgia Research Alliance
and the
Technology Association of Georgia
present
GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Suite of Service Providers
Directory
With appreciation to:

2. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Table of Contents
Accounting………………………………………………………....4‐5
Business Services………………………………………………..…6‐7
Capital Advisors…………………………………………………....8
Consulting………………………………………………………….8
Executive Coaching………………………………………………..9
Executive Search…………………………………………………..10
Financial Consulting……………………………………………….10
Financial Services………………………………………………….11
Hardware………………………………………………………….12
Hosting………………………………………………..…………...12
Human Resouces Services………………………………………..13
Law Firms…………………………………………………….……14
Marketing…………………………………………………….…...15‐16
Media………………………………………………………….…..17
Payroll……………………………………………………………..17
Public Relations…………………………………………………..18
Real Estate………………………………………………………...18
Web Development………………………………………………..19
Other Services………………………………………………….…19
The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and Technology
Association of Georgia (TAG) are proud to be able to
present over $400,000 in services to this year’s finalists.
We sincerely thank these service providers, who
represent leading businesses in the community, who have
generously agreed to donate their services to these
promising young Georgia companies.
Page 2

3. Accounting
Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, L.L.P. (CB&H), is an
innovative certified public accounting and consulting firm fo‐
cused on providing high‐quality financial and
management services to emerging technology and
life‐science businesses. As a distinguished leader among ac‐
counting firms in the Southeast, CB&H brings valuable and
practical advice to our clients through our tax compliance, audit and advisory, com‐
pensation and benefits structuring, business valuations, mergers and acquisition
planning, multi‐state and international tax and
initial public offering management services. CB&H offers the industry
specialization and depth of resources of a national CPA firm coupled with the high‐
est caliber of personal attention, responsiveness, and accessibility emerging busi‐
nesses expect and deserve. Our specialists stand ready, as the Firm of Choice, to
serve emerging businesses through the anticipated challenging stages of growth,
now and in the future. CB&H will be
providing 20 hours of consultation to the GRA/TAG Business Launch
winner. Contact: Dawn Patrick, dpatrick@cbh.com.
Estimated value: $7,000.
Nichols Cauley & Associates, LLC is
a leading public accounting and business
consulting firm providing innovative, quality‐driven, and
client focused services to organizations in a variety of
industries and business lines throughout the United States
and internationally. Nichols Cauley will be providing 35
hours of advisory and/ or consulting services to the
contest winner. Contact: Michael Johnston, mjohnston@nicholscauley.com.
Estimated value: $10,000.
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4. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Accounting
Grant Thornton LLP is the U.S.
member firm of Grant Thornton
International Ltd. In addition to
audit, tax and advisory services, the firm provides mergers and acquisition
services, valuation, internal audit, Sarbanes‐Oxley consulting, integrated cost
reduction, transfer pricing, capital cost recovery, and assistance with capital raising
and initial public offering planning. Early stage companies often find our tax and
valuation services of particular interest. Grant Thornton will be providing 20 hours
of consultations to the contest winner. Contact: Aaron DeSouza,
aaron.desouza@gt.com. Estimated value: $8,000.
McGladrey is the brand under which
RSM McGladrey, Inc. and McGladrey &
Pullen, LLP serve clients’ business
needs. Together, they rank as the fifth
largest U.S. provider of assurance, tax
and consulting services with 7,000
professionals and associates in nearly 90 offices. The two firms operate as separate
legal entities in an alternative practice structure. McGladrey & Pullen is a
licensed CPA firm that provides assurance a services. RSM McGladrey is a leading
professional services firm providing tax and consulting services. Both firms are
members of RSM International, the sixth largest global network of independent
accounting, tax and consulting firms. For more information, visit the McGladrey
Web site at www.mcgladrey.com. Join our Facebook fan page at McGladrey News
and/or follow us on Twitter @ McGladreyPRNews. McGladrey will be providing 20
hours of consultations to the contest winner. Contact: Wes Getman,
wes.getman@rsmi.com. Estimated value: $8,000.
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5. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Business Services
The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) is a
nationally recognized science and technology accelerator
that helps Georgia entrepreneurs launch and build successful
companies. ATDC provides strategic business advice and
connects its member companies to the people and resources
they need to succeed. The winner of the competition will be given membership in ATDC’s
award‐winning incubation program. ATDC members receive coaching from experienced
entrepreneurs, belong to a learning community of 30+ technology startups, have access
to flexible office space, and can tap into ATDC’s connections to the people and resources
they need to succeed. Contact: Lance Weatherby, lance@atdc.org. Estimated value:
$10,000.
FRONTLINE Selling, located in Alpharetta GA, is
the premier provider of Demand Creation
outsource and training solutions. Since 2002, our
Demand Creation System (DCS) has helped
hundreds of our clients uncover net‐new selling opportunities by identifying, gaining
access to and engaging with high level decision makers. Congratulations to all the
finalists. We are pleased to offer a choice of either 1 month of Demand Creation
services where FRONTLINE will (on behalf of the selected firm) secure executive level
access within targeted accounts; or (if they prefer, learn how to secure these same
high level meetings for their inside or outside sales team) a 1 day training session of
our RAMP‐UP methodology along with 1 month’s usage of our guided prospecting
software application, Prospecting Productivity Management (PPM). Contact: Mike
Scher at 770‐777‐9336 or e‐mail at mscher@frontlineselling.com. Estimated
value: $10,000
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6. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Business Services
Progility Partners is an Atlanta‐based,
specialty consulting firm that helps clients refine and
execute successful business strategies and drive
profitable growth by maximizing performance,
aligning technology and driving innovation. The
Progility team has extensive hands‐on
operaing executive experience with industry leading as well as early‐stage
companies. Areas of expertise include: Sales & Marketing, Strategic Planning, Product
Management & Development, Service Delivery, M&A Planning & Integration, Business
Transformation, Supply Chain/Logistics Planning, Customer Experience Planning, IT
Governance & Portfolio Management. Progility Partners will be providing 20 hours of
consulting to the winner of the TAG/GRA Business Launch Competition. Contact: Kevin
George, kgeorge@progilitypartners.com. Estimated Value: $5,000.
Abraxas Business Services is a merger and
acquisition advisory and business brokerage
firm. The focus of Abraxas is to work with
business owners in the lower middle market
that have developed companies that are
attractive to strategic buyers, private equity groups, and/or individual investors. Abraxas
will be providing consultation to the contest winner in the areas of optimizing the value
of the business and defining exit strategies for the owners. Contact: David Chambless,
dchambless@abraxiz.biz. Estimated value: $10,000.
Capital Advisors
MARTIN TILSON
Go to market for capital the right way with assistance from those who know.
This service includes Council to the company leadership on the way to approach
capital funding, distinguish important business points and in what order, feed‐
back and review as you practice your presentation, explanation of the methods
and timing to look at potential investors, access to networks. Please contact Josh
Lewis, josh@tagonline.org, for individual contact information. Estimated Value:
$10,000 (to each finalist).
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7. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Consulting
Got framework? Pyramid Consulting, Inc. will provide
up to 40 hours of testing services for your Mobile/Web
application, to include a review of your current Testing
Framework along with our recommendations, and/or a
feasibility analysis of your current test cases to
determine if automation is right for you. Founded in 1996, Pyramid Consulting, Inc.
provides solutions for the enterprise, tailored to your organization's needs. Services
provided span most areas of the SDLC, including Project Management, Development,
and Testing, specializing in test automation of Web and Mobile applications.
Contact: Sanjeev Tirath, sanjeev@pyramidci.com. Estimated value: $6,000.
Fountainhead Consulting Group, Inc. is a Business
Planning, Business Consulting, Business Valuation and
Succession Planning firm. Our Business Planning and
Business Consulting services area includes Steps to Success (STS™), a proven and
practical method of revolutionizing a business and turning it into a fountainhead of
profitability and personal satisfaction for a business owner. Through our unique, step
by step methodology we show business owners how to grow larger, grow faster,
become more profitable yet make their business easier to operate by eliminating the
guesswork and uncertainty involved in growing and managing a business. Our Steps to
Success (STS™) methodology is built upon our experience with over 1,200 businesses
during the past 15 years and as result of using our systematic approach a business
owner obtains the peace of mind to sleep at night knowing that they are doing all that
they can do for their business to be successful. Contact:
George.horrigan@gotofcg.com, Estimated value $12,000.
AGSI is a Management & Technology Consulting
company specializing in business technology
effectiveness across the Enterprise. We improve
business performance by reducing costs and
increasing efficiencies. We Optimize ‐ Reducing costs, Increasing Efficiencies, and Im‐
proving Service Delivery by Aligning Enterprise Technology to Strategic Intent and De‐
ploying IT Governance to select & manage
Investments. We Execute ‐ Reducing Costs and Improving Business Process Execution
by Providing Program Oversight, Project Management, and Build/Buy/Implement
Services. We Integrate ‐ Reducing Timeline & Costs and Accelerating ROI by Combining
People, Processes & Technologies to achieve the Strategic Intent of mergers,
acquisitions and organizational change. AGSI is providing consulting services provided
by our firm’s senior executives. Contact: csparrow@agsi.com Estimated value $15,000.
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8. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Executive Coaching
Management Psychology Group is a consulting firm of
professional licensed psychologists with a mission is to help
clients place the right people into the right jobs, to help people grow
to their full potential on the job and to help executive teams become
more effective. MPG is offering the services of our firm to the winning
company for the period of one year free of charge. Contact: Doug Griest,
dgriest@mpgpc.com. Estimated value: $20,000.
C Level Enterprises‐Scholarship for one
Program: CEO boot Camp or C‐Level Boot
Camp‐ Up to $2, 495 Value. These strategic
level management trainings and Boot Camps
can turn executives into world‐class CEOs. They will help raise the performance and
success levels of any senior executive to a world‐class level. During the program,
participants master over a dozen systems, crossing all the major business disciplines
including sales, marketing, finance, operations and product development. These are
practical systems that can be used every month to plan, improve and optimize
businesses. There are also systems and tools for strategy development, hiring,
management, employee development, risk management and corporate vision
development. Contact information: Bob Norton, bob@clevelenterprises.com.
Estimated Value: $2,495.
Executive Search
Executive Strategies, Inc.
(www.esisearch.com) is a national general
management search firm. Founded 1994 by
Holland ”Dutch” Earle, a former human resources executive, ESI serves a variety of
industries and market places including technology, hospitality and travel, professional
services, energy and utilities, communications, healthcare, manufacturing, human
resources, finance and construction. Typical senior management searches are at the
Director/Vice President level and above. At ESI, we strive to find, qualify, and place the
right people in the right jobs for our clients; our impressive local and national client list
and our outstanding search completion record is evidence of our success. In
conjunction with the TAG 2010 Business Launch Competition, ESI is pleased to provide
executive search services to this year’s winner. Estimated at $40,000 this senior level
talent search includes research, candidate identification and prescreening, candidate
interviewing and qualification and other search related services required by the client.
Contact: Dutch Earle, hearle@esisearch.com. Estimated Value: $40,000.
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9. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Financial Consulting
UBS Financial Services is one of the world's largest
wealth management firms, providing a host of
services including investment management,
mortgages and financial planning. Langley
Respess is a Senior Vice‐President, Investments
with UBS and has been helping investors manage money for almost 20 years. Langley
works with a number of technology entrepreneurs and executives in Atlanta, and
sponsors the TAG/ATDC Entrepreneurs Society. UBS is pleased to provide a Financial
Goal Analysis to the winners of this years Business Launch Competition, which will
help the winning entrepreneurs focus on their own personal financial planning
needs. Contact: Langley.respess@ubs.com. Estimated value, $5,000.
Credit Suisse Private Banking USA, a
business within Credit Suisse Securities (USA),
LLC, provides clients with comprehensive
wealth management solutions. Private Banking USA is comprised of professionals
dedicated to delivering expert advice and a comprehensive range of investment
products and services tailored to the complex needs of high net work individuals.
Relationship Managers work with our clients, who are often business owners and
entrepreneurs, to construct customized investment portfolios that reflect the specific
goals, risk tolerance, liquidity requirements and time frames of each individual
client. Credit Suisse Securities (USA), LLC will provide 2 hour discussion regarding
wealth management consultations. Contact: Robert.douglass@credit‐suisse.com.
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10. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Financial Services
AcuityCFO is a professional services firm that provides broad
financial leadership to small and mid‐sized companies needing to establish a
solid foundation for growth. The firm is re‐defining how financial
services are delivered to companies by
providing access to flexible, high‐quality,
hands‐on financial strategy and
accounting support. AcuityCFO helps
clients understand their financial
position, establish stronger controls and
processes, and anticipate their financial
future. Using a team approach, the needs
of each client is assessed and the right team is tailored, including partners,
controllers, accounting managers, and senior accountants. This approach
provides increased continuity, flexibility, and value. AcuityCFO will provide
CFO consulting services. Contact: Judy Vitale, jvitale@acuitycfo.com.
Estimated value: $10,000.
TechCFO is an executive professional services firm that provides experienced CFOs
and senior finance professionals to deliver project and part‐time financial and
strategic services to technology, life sciences and technology‐enabled service
companies. TechCFO combines deep practical experience, comprehensive resources
and best‐of‐breed practices to deliver objective, high‐value financial and
management consulting services for private, venture‐funded and publicly‐traded
technology businesses through all stages. Contact: neal.miller@techcfo.com.
Estimated Value: $5,000.
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11. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Hardware
Aventis Systems, Inc. assists
budget‐conscious businesses
by fulfilling their IT
equipment needs with
reliable refurbished Dell and
HP lines of servers and storage systems. Aventis also offers a full suite of
business‐class desktops, laptops, workstations, and all hardware components
necessary for upgrades. Aventis Systems, Inc. will be providing the GRA/TAG
Business Launch winner with a Dell PowerEdge server and 5 workstations. For
questions please contact Tiffany Bloomer at 678‐324‐5235 or
tiffany@aventissystems.com. Estimated value: $2,700.
As a global technology provider, Canvas Sys‐
tems delivers quality IT hardware solutions and
services that reduce costs, streamline
operations, mitigate risk and drive business
value. Canvas’ offer includes server and net‐
working technology including a minimum of one server, router, and switch as well
as a basic technology assessment. . Contact: James Davie,
jdavie@canvasssystems.com. Estimated Value: $4,000.
Hosting
Leapfrog Services, Inc., a TAG member and provider of
managed IT services including network administration,
highly available help desk, data backup and disaster
recovery, is pleased to donate up to $15,000 services to
the winner of the 2010 Business Launch Competition.
The type and scope of donated services will be worked out with the award
winner based on their needs and Leapfrog’s capabilities. Services must begin
by June 30, 2011 and may be used for up to one year after inception or until the
award limit is reached. Contact: Claire Arnold, Claire.arnold@ribbit.net.
Estimated value: $15,000.
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12. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Human Resource Services
HR Strategies & Solutions (HRSAS)
provides human resources
leadership and expertise to small
and midsize, private or public
companies. Using our skills and
experience, we help companies establish and implement their HR priorities.
Our efforts provide short‐term results, while creating a foundation to support
the future. HRSAS will provide the winner with a proprietary HR assessment
and a resulting HR Roadmap/Action Plan to support their short and long term
business goals. Contact: Peter.rosen@hrsas.com. Estimated value: $5000.
MICHAEL ROBERTSON HR CONSULTING Is your
organization an engaged team or just a collection of Human Resources?
Michael Robertson is an independent consultant that specializes in assisting
growing technology firms to deliver results with people. Michael has spent his
career working with Management teams to define Human Resources strategies
that impact business. Michael will work the winner to identify and implement
an employee engagement strategy that aligns with the goals of the
organization and will be instrumental in growing the organization to the next
level. Contact: Michael Robertson, michaelrobertsonATL@gmail.com
Estimated Value: $8000.
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13. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Law Firms
Miller & Martin is a full service law firm providing
representation to midsize and start up companies,
including technology companies. Its areas of expertise
include choosing the right entity and organizational
structure, shareholder agreements, protecting
intellectual property, including patents and trademarks, angel and venture capital
financing, mergers and acquisitions, licensing agreements, option plans, taxes,
international transactions and litigation. Miller & Martin will provide the GRA/TAG
Business Launch winner with transactional legal services. Contact: Kent Antley,
kantley@millermartin.com. Estimated value: $7,500.
The Siavage Law group will provide legal
or consulting services to a Business Launch
finals participant. . SLG prides itself on
being the entrepreneur’s lawyer. The
professionals at SLG have an extensive track record representing hundreds of
emerging technology companies at every stage from initial incorporation through
to liquidity. Contact: Allison Siavage, asiavage@siavagelaw.com. Estimated value:
$2,500.
Ballard Spahr LLP is a national full‐service law
firm with nearly 500 lawyers in 12 offices across
the United States. The Atlanta office, formerly
the intellectual property (IP) law firm of Needle
& Rosenberg, P.C., continues to focus on IP legal services, including patents, trade‐
marks, copyrights, and trade secrets, as well as IP licensing and IP litigation. Our
clients range from small start‐ups to large multinational technology companies, as
well as mid‐size companies and universities. Ballard Spahr will provide
general IP consulting. Contact: Greg Kirsch, kirschg@ballardspahr.com. Estimated
value: $10,000.
With nearly 70 offices throughout the US, Europe, Asia and the
Middle East, DLA Piper represents the most exciting emerging
growth companies in the Southeast United States. We
represent more clients in a broader range of geographies than
virtually any other law firm in the world and have years of
experience providing integrated services to emerging tech companies. DLA Piper
will provide legal services to a competition final participant. Contact:
doug.spear@dlapiper.com. Estimated value: $5,000.
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14. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Marketing
Arketi Group is a public relations and
digital marketing firm that helps
business‐to‐business technology
organizations generate revenue and
accelerate growth through intelligent strat‐
egy, public relations, messaging, lead nurturing and inbound
marketing. Consistently recognized by BtoB magazine as one of the
nation's "Top BtoB Agencies," Arketi’s core belief is that marketing
generates revenue. For more information visit www.arketi.com. Arketi Group will
be providing the GRA/TAG Business Launch winner with
creative/branding services. Services must be used in the 2010 calendar year.
Contact: Sami Jajeh, sjajeh@arketi.com. Estimated Value: $6,000.
iFusion Marketing provides fractional CMO
services to hi‐tech start‐ups and emerging
companies in a variety of industries. Its
principal, Jacqui Chew, brings more than 15
years of experience developing and
executing multi‐channel marketing plans for companies in the enterprise software,
Internet‐enabled, information security and
consumer products and professional services sectors. iFusion will provide
strategic marketing plan development services. Contact: Jacqui Chew,
Jacqui@ifusionmarketing.com. Estimated value: $5,500.
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15. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Marketing
Covalence Marketing | Branding | Communi‐
cations is an integrated marketing firm that
helps B2B companies strategically position
themselves in the marketplace and increase
sales. Clients turn to us to identify what dif‐
ferentiates them from competitors, craft key
messages that can be used consistently
throughout all marketing channels, build
sales with impactful creative and appropriate content, and develop maximum return
on investment by mining available channels and effectively utilizing technology. Learn
more at www.covalencembc.com. Covalence will provide services including conducting
our proven Discovery process that creates audience‐defined messaging, creation of a
public relations plan and writing of three press releases. Services must be used in the
2010 calendar year. Contact: Lynn Hood, lynn@covalencembc.com. Estimated value:
$13,000.
Henriott Marketing Strategies: With over 20 years of
technology marketing expertise Lisa Henriott offers a unique
"CMO to Go" service. Software providers accelerate their
growth using Henriott's go‐to‐market plans, positioning, and
research. Clients like Infor, Manhattan Associates, Servigistics,
Emcien and others benefit from a seasoned marketing
executive who can create the strategy as well as execute the plan. Henriott Marketing
Strategies will work with the winner to facilitate a marketing strategy workshop,
develop a positioning document for the company and its solutions, and define a
marketing plan. Henriott Marketing will also help execute the plan working with other
marketing services providers. Lisa Henriott, lisa@henriottmarketing.com. Estimated
value: $10,800.
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16. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Media
Since 1998, globalspeak, creator and the exclusive
producer of the digital video distribution network, TAG TV and
TAG Radio, has pioneered cutting‐edge new media marketing
and interactive video communications platforms. At the
forefront of the Web Media 2.0 industry evolution,
Globalspeak launched a global channel for the U.S. Dept of
Commerce and pioneered the first live webcast of a World
Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial from Seattle in 1999.
Hundreds of subsequent public as well as private sector client projects have resulted
in a spectrum of innovative Web Media 2.0 custom solutions for any marketing,
communication or collaboration challenge. While Business Launch finalist will be
individually taped by Globalspeak during the finals live event for TAG TV, the winner
will be offered 20 hours of new media marketing consulting including requirements
analysis, strategic and creative consultation as well as complete new media design
overview with company or product video syndication plan. Contact:
frank.baia@globalspeak.com. Estimated value: $4,000.
Payroll
Automatic Data Processing, Inc. (Nasdaq: ADP), with
nearly 570,000 clients, is one of the world's largest
providers of business outsourcing solutions.
Leveraging 60 years of experience, ADP offers the
widest range of HR, payroll, tax and benefits
administration solutions from a single source. The
ADP Resource bundle helps you manage your common HR related tasks leaving you
time to focus on more strategic goals. While these basic services may seem straight‐
forward, they can quickly become cumbersome and time‐consuming. Worse, if not
handled properly, these HR management issues can lead to tax consequences or
regulatory punishment. In the litigious era we live in, you simply cannot afford to
make a serious mistake. The competition participant will receive $1,500. Contact:
Ben_Peden@adp.com . Estimated value: $1,500.
Public Relations
W. B. Marks Partners LLC is a public relations consultancy offering strategic
communications services to technology companies. W. B. Marks Partners will work
with the winner to create a public relations strategy including developing a key
messaging framework as well as writing and distributing one press release on a key
company initiative. Contact: Bill Marks, bmarks@markspartners.com. Estimated
value: $5,000.
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17. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Public Relations
Headquartered in Atlanta with offices in Charleston, SC and
Washington, DC, Trevelino/Keller Communications Group is a
communications firm specializing in public relations, branding
and social marketing. Its areas of practice include Technol‐
ogy, B2Business, Lifestyle and GreenWorks, each supported
by online communities. In 2005, Trevelino/Keller founded the
Atlas Alliance, made up of likeminded boutiques that bring
cultural, geographic and specialty expertise to the firm’s cli‐
ents. A sampling of Trevelino/Keller’s clients include Verizon
Wireless, SITA, Ritz & Wolf Camera and Image and Paymetric. Trevelino/Keller
will provide the participant a launch strategy. Contact: Genna Keller,
gkeller@travelinokeller.com. Estimated value: $5,000.
Carabiner Communications helps startup and
high‐growth technology companies connect to
their prospects, customers and partners. From
strategy development and messaging to content
marketing, we drive comprehensive campaigns, as
well as project‐based campaigns, that support
your business objectives and goals. Carabiner will
provide the winner with a Messaging Session and Report; and a “get‐the‐word‐
out” StoryTeller (one month) campaign. Services must be used in the 2010 calen‐
dar year. Contact information: Peter Baron, pbaron@carabiner.com. Estimated
Value: $5,000.
Revell‐Pechar, Inc., founded in 1993, is a PR and
Marketing Communications firm focused on intro‐
ducing innovation. We have launched nearly 120
products and worked with nearly 90 entrepre‐
neurs and venture capitalists since our start. Our
offering for you include a communications needs
analysis/timeline, and then your choice of the following: messaging strategy session;
PR 101 Package: a basic, get‐started press kit and list of journalists to target; media
training/spokesperson prep and public speaking training. Contact: Ann Revell‐Pechar
ann@revellpechar.com. Estimated Value: $5,000.
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18. GRA/TAG Business Launch 2010
Web Development
What’s Up Interactive (www.whatsup.com) is an interactive
marketing agency that focuses on strategic ways to grow our
clients’ businesses online. We begin with a thorough assessment of a
client’s goals, values and opportunities. That forms the
foundation of how we proceed with interactive marketing
strategy that includes design and technology, multimedia (video and
podcasts), search engine marketing, social media, e‐commerce and mo‐
bile platforms. Our partnership leads to an effective ongoing, measurable strategy.
What’s Up Interactive’s clients include the Coca‐Cola Company, Chick‐fil‐A, Fox Broad‐
casting and the Georgia Aquarium. For this year’s Business Launch
Competition winner, What’s Up will develop a micro‐site that conveys the
winner’s strategic vision and value. Estimated value: $7,500.
Other Services
The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) is a
start‐up accelerator that helps Georgia technology entrepre‐
neurs launch and build successful companies. Founded in
1980, ATDC has helped create millions of
dollars in tax revenues by graduating more than 120 compa‐
nies, which together have raised more than a billion dollars in outside financing.
ATDC has provided business incubation and acceleration services to hundreds of
Georgia startups—most of which are not based on Georgia Tech research, but
which benefit from the close proximity to the university. Each of the finalists will
receive an annual membership (or renewal if already a member). Contact: Paul
Freet, pfreet@innovate.gatech.edu. Estimated value: $200.
ATDC/TAG CapVenture is a unique and
powerful training program to educate and
equip early stage company
executives for smarter and more productive capitalization of their
business. The program is optimized for those seeking their first
institutional round of financing. Each finalist will receive a spot in the program.
Contact Amanda Shook, ashook@tagonline.org. Estimated value: $2,000.
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19. Other Services
Rapidly Expand Your Network in Georgia’s Largest Technology
Community. Connect with peers and decision makers at every
level of an organization. With over 10,000
members—and with over 150 meetings and special events
every year—TAG gives you a unique opportunity to quickly
expand your network of personal and professional contacts.
All finalists will receive an annual membership (or renewal, if
already a member). Contact: Rachel@tagonline.org.
Estimated value: $1,000.
The Technology Association of Georgia hosts a weekly
interview of leaders in the technology community and
features it on TAGtv.com, which gets almost 30,000
unique visitors a month. TAG also blasts a link to the
video to its 16,000 person database. TAG will be
conducting interviews with each of the finalists on
TAGRadio, an estimated value of $5,000 per
finalist.
2010 marks a new direction for
StartupLounge. We are shifting our
conversation away from funding businesses to
building businesses. This doesn’t mean that we think that funding businesses is
unimportant. However, other grassroots organizations are picking up that banner
and our voice, frankly, is no longer needed in that particular discussion. For any
organization to remain relevant, it must evolve. The StartupLounge podcast has
approximately 18,000 subscribers around the world. The Atlanta StartupLounge
community has 2,000 companies and will expand to Savannah, Tampa and Research
Triangle by the end of this year. Estimated value $5,000.
Venture Atlanta, Georgia's technology
innovation conference, has officially open its call
for presenters for this year's event on
October 12 ‐ 13 at the Georgia Aquarium.
Organizers are seeking technology or technology enabled businesses in all stages of
growth that are currently raising or looking to raise capital within the next 12 months.
Finalists will receive special consideration by the Venture Atlanta selection team.
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20. About the GRA/TAG Business Launch
The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) and the Technology Association of
Georgia (TAG) joined forces to support the creation and growth of new
companies that will strengthen and expand Georgia's strategic high‐tech
clusters. This is an event designed to help a local start up technology‐based
company launch its business. The contest winner and finalists will receive over
$400,000 in cash and prizes. This is GRA and TAG’s way to reward high‐tech
entrepreneurship and assure a deserving Georgia start up company has
everything in place to be successful.
Purpose
The purpose of the GRA/TAG Business Launch Competition is to support
economic development in Georgia by encouraging and supporting the
creation and growth of new companies that will strengthen and expand
Georgia's strategic high tech clusters. To accomplish this, the competition has
two specific goals:
 to motivate and support entrepreneurs in creating new high tech
businesses in Georgia that will support and expand existing strategic
clusters, and
 to create greater awareness within the investment community that
Georgia is a great place to launch and grow high tech businesses.
Program
Entrepreneurs interested in launching a new Georgia company within targeted
technologies and industries are invited to compete for a cash prize and a suite
of related professional services that is valued at more than $200K. The
competition offers entrants the opportunity to be mentored by a successful
high tech entrepreneur. Entrants must legally reside in the State of Georgia.
All awards will be conditioned on the company launching and/or maintaining
its operations in Georgia.
How to Get Involved
The GRA/TAG Business Launch competition is held each year, with the
culmination being with the Finals competition in the beginning of June.
Information about the event can be found year‐round on our website,
www.tagonline.org.
For immediate information on how to get your company involved—
contact Melanie Brandt, TAG’s Chief Operating Officer, at
404.920.2037 or melane@tagonline.org.