Last week, members of the Tech Square community gathered for a secret meeting of the minds. A new event series called Brains in the Bar convened to spark conversation about artificial intelligence. The question that both inspired the gathering and earned attendees their invitation: "Where would you choose a human over perfectly accurate AI?"

Atlanta doesn’t need to reinvent community; it needs to activate it. The next phase of growth for the city’s startup ecosystem won’t come from more events, programming, or even capital. It will come from more people helping each other. And when people know who to connect, what a strong introduction looks like, and perceived risks are reduced, participation increases.

“You are not alone, and your experience is valued.” These are core messages that Dr. Ethan Trinh has for Asian LGBTQ+ immigrant and refugee communities in Atlanta. Dr. Ethan Trinh’s digital humanities project, Stories of In-Betweenness: An AI-Assisted Memory Map of Atlanta’s Asian LGBTQ+ Immigrant and Refugee Communities, has been awarded an Atlanta Interdisciplinary Artificial Intelligence (AIAI) Network 2025-2026 seed grant.

A weekly meetup, prompted by curiosity about the possibilities of building with artificial intelligence (AI), is brewing at the Atlanta Technology Development Center (ATDC). On Monday mornings, builders, founders, and researchers gather first for a cup of coffee, then to share what they’ve been building with AI, get feedback, and brainstorm ideas.

Engaging speakers, thoughtful questions, and dynamic discussion. Tech Talks Business, hosted by Georgia Tech Scheller College of Business Dean Anuj Mehrotra, is like your favorite podcast, covering ideas and topics relevant to business, society, and leadership. But unlike a podcast, Tech Talks Business is held in person, so you can ask your questions and discuss ideas with other attendees after listening to the conversation.

Last semester, faculty, students, and researchers gathered in the Hodges Room at Centergy One for the latest IPaT GVU Lunch Lecture. Dr. Carl DiSalvo, professor in the School of Interactive Computing, took the floor to pose a simple but unsettling question: What if the real power of design is not what we produce, but how we stand with people along the way?

Atlanta has always been a relationship city. Long before “community” became a startup buzzword, introductions powered Atlanta’s business ecosystem, building shared trust and informal networks that opened doors across industries. From real estate and logistics to fintech and SaaS, deals here rarely begin with cold outreach. They begin with, “You should meet…”

On a summer Atlanta afternoon, the temperature can shift block by block. A street lined with trees feels bearable. Two intersections over, asphalt radiates heat and the air hangs heavy. Those differences are not incidental, nor are they harmless. For PhD candidate Ashley Boone, data provides a pathway to change that reality by mapping, interpreting, and mobilizing environmental patterns in the city.

In Atlanta, entire industries can sit a few miles apart and barely speak the same language.

Film, gaming, esports, and nonprofits operate in silos. Founders gain cultural capital but lack visibility outside their circles. The issue is not lack of talent—it's a communications gap. Elise Riley built My Global Presence to bridge that gap.

On Thursday, March 5, 2026, around 90 founders, operators, builders, students, community builders, and neighbors gathered in the Biltmore Innovation Center for Tech Square Game Day. The goal? To connect with colleagues, meet new people, and have fun!

Every Tuesday morning from 9:30 to 10:30 AM, the lobby of the Biltmore Innovation Center fills with conversation.

Coffee Connect, the Center’s weekly networking and social hour, has quickly become a standing fixture in the building’s rhythm.

What started as a six-person, virtual book club is now a volunteer-led network of over 600 women across Atlanta who are building a greener future. When challenges are complex, such as with climate change, nurturing a community is a powerful starting point. This perspective is at the heart of the Atlanta Women in Sustainability, who gather, share stories and ideas, and explore solutions to society’s biggest challenges.

Disguise’s new experience center will bring hands-on workshops, industry events, and the latest visual technology to creators in the Southeast.

“This isn’t a meetup, it’s a movement,” said Jeffrey Gray, Founder and CEO of AgeTech Connect, which is redefining the experience of aging through technology. On January 21, Gray welcomed 150 attendees to the AgeTech Connect 2026 Kickoff, held in partnership with RoboGeorgia at the Biltmore Innovation Center, and shared trends about where the AgeTech ecosystem is headed in 2026, and beyond!

Last week, faculty, students, partners, and sustainability leaders gathered at the Tech Square Clubhouse to celebrate a major milestone for the Center for Sustainable Communities Research and Education, known across campus as SCoRE. The event marked ten years of the Center’s work advancing interdisciplinary sustainability research, education, and community-centered collaboration at Georgia Tech and beyond.