With money at the forefront of most minds of any company, many oftentimes forget about the other “m” word – messaging. From inception through funding and acquisition, public relations (PR) should play a vital role in the strategy of every startup or business. With several of our community members being part of the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) programs, we invited CEO and Strategist of Rein Communications, Nicole Peternel, to host a Showcase: The Power of PR and share how it is an integral component of success, especially for new companies.

A new season typically denotes a fresh start and perhaps a new opportunity. But does anyone ever talk about the old, the outdated, and the failures instead? At Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club, we embrace (f)all the uncomfortable conversations. That’s why we decided to host a Cocktail Talk, aptly titled “Fall Failures,” on October 4 asking a very big, hard-hitting question.

With September 30, 2021 being International Podcast Day, what better way to celebrate an occasion connecting podcasters, listeners, and supporters than to host a Mind of a Maker activation, which is a demonstration, workshop, or creative activity with community members, at Technology Enterprise Park (TEP)?

On Tuesday, September 21, Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club hosted an exciting Showcase in partnership with EF Block Georgia to launch a city-wide styrofoam recycling initiative with support from the Georgia Center of Innovation, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, and the City of Atlanta, to keep these materials out of landfills and repurpose them into usable materials.

Our Technology Enterprise Park (TEP) community, who are primarily researchers, chemists, and scientists, are known to love a good challenge. Whether it’s a pop quiz around popcorn pyrazines or true or false questions on the science behind baking, they’re always game to put their skills to the test – especially when it’s centered around their professional backgrounds. That’s why our Math + Mimosas activation about cooking conversions was the perfect forum to bring out both our nerdy and fun sides – and catch up over complimentary mimosas, of course.

The morning of the first Monday night professional football game for the 2021 season seemed like the perfect time to gear up and head over to Centergy One to ask our community members the hard-hitting questions centered around the popular sport.

Despite being the ultimate tech-junkies here at Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club, we still enjoy an escape from (virtual) reality with a good book (even if it’s an audiobook or podcast) every now and then. And since we’re always curious as to what our community enjoys and is into as of late, we decided to host a Coffee Talk at Technology Enterprise Park (TEP) last Wednesday following the Labor Day holiday weekend to uncover what reads our members recommend.

Stress affects everyone, but excessive and long-term stress can eventually become harmful – both physically and mentally. In order to help combat the pressures of everyday life, we invited members and guests to take a break from the hustle and bustle and join our Recess host, Liz Cates, in a guided meditation and yoga practice centered around how to relieve stress and be more present in the moment.

At the core of any business is data. Collecting it, reviewing it, interpreting it – no matter your industry, data is a critical component. That’s why we invited three expert panelists to our Fireside Chat focused on how collecting, using, and managing data is crucial to your business.

Wednesday, August 18, we served up traditional and hard lemonades at Technology Enterprise Park (TEP) during our TEP Tunes: The Formative Years Cocktail Talk, where we asked our community members what their favorite songs of their childhood were. Whether it was recollections from people’s first albums to their first concerts to songs their parents instilled in them at a young age, the responses came pouring in – and were wide-ranging!

On the evening of Thursday, August 12, Aubrie Goodson, Senior Chemist at VERO Biotech, led five Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club community members from Technology Enterprise Park (TEP), Centergy One, Tech Square Research Building (TSRB), and Georgia Tech to have a thoughtful conversation during a Power Meal around the topic of technology driving emotional intelligence.

Prior to the Olympic Flame being extinguished on Sunday, August 8, signaling the official end of the historic games, we wanted to host one more themed activation in honor of such a momentous occasion. This summer had been quite the spectacle, with Simone Biles and dressage captivating the headlines, amongst other record-breakers. But what about the unsung heroes? What about the events that require elite athlete-level training, but aren't recognized as official Olympic sports? Enter: Uncommon Olympics – a Coffee Talk we hosted at Technology Enterprise Park (TEP) that shed light on the types of activities that should be in the Olympics, but aren't currently.

With the Summer Olympics in full swing, we at Tech Square ATL (TSQATL) Social Club thought there was no better time than to host an Olympic-themed event of our own at Technology Enterprise Park (TEP). Enter our Five Rings Field Day activation, where we invited community members to form teams and compete for gold in five events, ranging from physical endurance to mental agility – and everything in between!

“One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” These were the words that American astronaut, Neil Armstrong, uttered upon stepping foot on the moon 52 years ago on July 20, 1969. To celebrate this historic day in a playful way, we hosted a Coffee Talk and served little moons (in the form of powdered doughnut holes and Moon Pies) with a side of lunar-themed tunes and trivia for our community members at Technology Enterprise Park (TEP).

Five local Atlanta entrepreneurs met for a live recording discussing when they took their ideas and committed to them becoming a real business venture. Of course, founders should go through customer discovery phases and beyond, but this discussion focused more on the mental and emotional side of making that transition.