AURP, which made the announcement Dec. 4 at its 2014 International Conference in Boca Raton, Fla., cited the collaborative efforts of Tech Square’s core partners —Georgia Institute of Technology, Gateway Development Services, and The University Financing Foundation — as key to getting the award.

“For 10 years, we have all known that Tech Square is an outstanding research park,” said AURP President Kevin Byrne. “I am very pleased that Tech Square has been recognized and now joins the AURP Academy of Outstanding Research Parks.”

Since launching 10 years ago, Tech Square has emerged to become among the premier research and innovation centers in the country and a model for others to follow. It also has attracted a number of corporate heavyweights that opened innovation centers to tap into Georgia Tech’s faculty and student expertise, including AT&T Mobility, Panasonic, NCR, and ThyssenKrupp.

“We first saw it as an expansion of the campus, and certainly a connection to the greater community and to the business community,” said Chris Downing, associate vice president of the Enterprise Innovation Institute (EI²), Georgia Tech’s chief statewide business and economic development and outreach unit. “It’s turned from that mixed-use activity to something much broader and a nexus for innovation in the Atlanta area.”

This recognition follows the “Innovation” award the Association of Public Land Grant Universities gave to Georgia Tech on Nov. 3 for its statewide economic development efforts across a host of sectors. 

— By Péralte C. Paul