Boosting Brainpower Through Community
As Tech Square’s sun-filled leaves are replaced with sparkling lights and the Biltmore Innovation Center is adorned with decorations, let’s reflect on the abundance of opportunities the community had to gather, learn, and create this fall in Tech Square.
Plan now to be in Tech Square this winter. Whether you are a founder, researcher, student, or investor, the Tech Square ATL winter calendar already has a list of offerings to ignite your imagination, inspire reflection, and strengthen community connections during the short winter days.
Weekly sources of inspiration include TSQ Tuesdays where conversations turn into collaborations, Coffee Connect at The Biltmore on Tuesdays, IPaT GVU Lunch Lectures on Thursdays, and ATDC Feedback Fridays. Monthly opportunities to exchange ideas feature ATDC Entrepreneurs Night, Startup Oasis, Civic Hack Nights, and the TSQ Traveling Library at the Tech Square Research Building. Whether you’re looking to network, learn, or be inspired, there’s a tapestry of opportunities to explore and be inspired by interconnected insights.
Before ringing in the new year, let’s take a moment to celebrate our favorite fall memories!
Get Social: Boost Brainpower
“It’s never too late to make positive changes for your brain health and memory,” shared Dr. Angela Ashley-Caporale, a board-certified neurologist, with attendees in her talk ‘Think Better, Live Smarter: Cognitive Health for All Ages.’ Dr. Ashley-Caporale highlighted the importance of attending social events where you have meaningful interactions, share ideas, and engage with others. Dr. Ashley-Caporale explained that socialization is helpful for brain health because it provides cognitive stimulation, buffers stress, supports emotional regulation, and is associated with decreased neuroinflammation.
This November Lunch & Learn at the TSQATL Clubhouse, held during Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, brought together community members to discover science-backed strategies to strengthen brain health and memory at any age. After the talk and Q&A discussion, which was the first in a series of wellness events, attendees were energized and discussing with others the actionable insights gained on exercise, MIND Diet ingredients, and the recommended seven to nine hours of quality sleep. For those looking for a credible source of information, Dr. Ashley-Caporale recommended the American Academy of Neurology.
Speaking of meaningful interactions, additional events that provided opportunities for the exchange of new ideas and insight were a series of Conversations@TechSquare discussions, hosted by the Georgia Tech Institute for People and Technology (IPaT). This series, designed to be an interactive dialogue, provided a space to explore current challenges, different perspectives, and interdisciplinary solutions. The topics in the series ranged from Georgia Tech’s goal to engage with Georgia’s 159 counties, an in-development Atlanta Ronald McDonald House, and Georgia Tech’s multi-functional VR/AR/XR space, VRlandia.
Every other month, Mikey DiCenso, Innovation Relationship Manager at Tech Square ATL, hosts corporate innovation luncheons for the community to meet, share best practices, and discuss opportunities. These events incorporate networking, a corporate presentation, and small-group discussion with innovation centers and R&D departments of the Centergy building, Tech Square, and the greater Atlanta area. For example, in December, Catalyst by Wellstar presented on how to amplify portfolio companies beyond pilots to a group of 40 attendees. DiCenso said, “Tech Square and the greater Atlanta ecosystem is overflowing with innovation activity.”
In fact, others look to Tech Square and Atlanta for inspiration. At the 2025 e.Builders Forum, hosted by the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA), drew nearly 100 entrepreneurship ecosystem development professionals from across the United States and Canada to learn about how ecosystems, communities, and universities drive growth and connection.
“Tech Square and the greater Atlanta ecosystem is overflowing with innovation activity.”
Carving Out Time for Creativity and Socialization
An additional component of overall brain health and cultivating collaborations is engaging in creative tasks, such as crafting. To achieve this, competitive innovators united to showcase their creativity at both the Pumpkin Carving Contest and Paper Tree Decorating Contest. Against the backdrop of seasonal movies and music, teams brought their vision to life, including using pumpkin-powered battery power for lights and making paper ornaments to decorate the paper tree. The Tech Square Day of Holiday Festivities included a pop-up market, carolers, and conversation in the Biltmore Innovation Center, followed by seasonal drinks and live music in the Centergy Lobby. Attendees gathered to share successes, ideas, and inspirations for the season and new year.
“TSQ Tuesdays provide a welcoming place for attendees to engage in conversations and explore innovative ideas, and it’s this combination of providing a foundational event with featured talks or activities allows for continual creativity, conversation, and connection.”
In addition to holiday festivities, recurring events such as TSQ Tuesdays, which pair social gatherings with featured talks and activities, offer opportunities for community members to connect throughout the year. “It’s great to see how different people attend each week,” says Vicky Fowler, Event Coordinator at Tech Square ATL. Fowler adds, “TSQ Tuesdays provide a welcoming place for attendees to engage in conversations and explore innovative ideas, and it’s this combination of providing a foundational event with featured talks or activities that allows for continual creativity, conversation, and connection.”
Building Community in the Biltmore Innovation Center
Innovation is accelerating at the Biltmore Innovation Center. An example of this place-based innovation ecosystem is the weekly Biltmore Coffee Connects, which provides the community space and time to share ideas. “Cadence builds confidence. Consistency builds community,” said Julie Pierre, Community & Ecosystem Engagement Manager at Tech Square ATL and the Biltmore Innovation Center, who hosts the weekly event. Julie adds, “Together, cadence and consistency create the conditions for trust, belonging, and organic connection. This is why I believe so much in recurring programming.”
Various community-driven events were hosted at the Biltmore, including AI Tinkerers Atlanta events, led by Avoilan Bingham of Drive Capital, where AI practitioners collaborate to build applications and push the boundaries of language models and generative AI. Additionally, Georgia Tech students have coordinated a Let’s Play Georgia Tech with their Chess Lunch & Learns in the Biltmore lobby. Additionally, the November Atlanta CTO club breakfast was held in Studio B. on the top floor of the historic Biltmore Innovation Center.
“Cadence builds confidence. Consistency builds community. Together, cadence and consistency create the conditions for trust, belonging, and organic connection. ”
Winter in Tech Square Will Bring a Season of Reflection and Community Gathering
Stay up to date with the TSQATL calendar and newsletter for the latest tech talks and events, featuring presentations from student groups, Georgia Tech departments, startups, and corporate innovators shaping our community.