Breakthroughs in How discoveries from our state’s universities are changing lives and growing the economy We can all be proud of what’s being discovered and invented at Georgia’s universities.

A leading treatment for Never-before-seen A test that identifies Injection needles so tiny dry eye (Restasis®). technologies to Alzheimer’s years before you barely feel them. A novel approach to stop cyberattacks, symptoms arise. fighting glaucoma. foil phone fraud and pinpoint hidden leaks A more precise in your home plumbing. system to test vision. The world’s most- Bermuda grass A way to detect autism Sensors that A hydrangea prescribed drugs for that’s now the in children two months spot invisible that blooms HIV, taken by 9 out of turf of choice in after birth. contaminants again and again 10 Americans who pro stadiums and wherever you are. throughout have the disease. on world-class the season. golf courses.

All of these breakthroughs emerged from Georgia’s universities in recent years. And they’re just the beginning of what’s to come. * See an impressive list at GRA.org/Breakthroughs Federal R&D Investment In Invention / discovery projects Georgia’s Research Universities proposed to gra ventures

ANNUAL $ Projects $1.4B 150 GRA Founded (1990) $1.2B 120 $1.0B

$800M 90

$600M 60 $400M

$200M 30

0 0 1992 2012 1988 1984 1996 1980 2008 2004 2000 2011 2012 2013 2014

Since GRA’s founding, Federal R&D investment University breakthroughs with commercial potential in the in Georgia universities has grown five-fold. GRA Ventures pipeline have grown steadily in three years.

STEP 1 STEP 2 Strategically invest Seed and shape companies in university research. around inventions. The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA) recruits GRA Ventures provides seed grants to refine and brilliant scientists to Georgia — then provides scale breakthroughs that are commercially viable. state-of-the-art technology to help them discover GRA Industry Fellows become CEOs of these and invent. The talent and technology drive more startups (or connect the companies with research grants to the state. experienced management). Startup companies receiving gra venture fund investment

GRAVF $ TOTAL COMPANY TECHNOLOGY AREA INVESTED INVESTMENT Asankya Cloud computing $483,908 $4,940,704 Clearside Ophthalmic $2,180,993 $34,000,000 Biomedical, Inc. therapeutics Damballa Network security $2,078,623 $59,206,838 Lumense, Inc. Optical sensors $1,499,998 $4,975,000 Pindrop Security Phone anti-fraud $100,000 $47,000,000 security Sentrinsic Industrial controls $400,009 $1,117,259 Soneter Flow meter $1,000,000 $4,000,000 StarMobile, Inc. Mobility $1,000,000 $4,000,000 Urjanet Energy $1,134,994 $8,137,768 TOTAL $9,878,525 $167,337,569

$9.9M in GRA Venture Fund investment in 9 companies has helped draw $167.3M in outside investment

STEP 3 Help the best startups grow faster. GRA Venture Fund, LLC adds crucial early-stage investment to the most promising startups. The public- private fund also generates outside investment from syndicate partners and investors to accelerate growth. Taking university inventions to market in Georgia

For 25 years, GRA has been key in developing Georgia’s ecosystem for university research and commercialization.

Federally Funded Research GRA $ (NIH, NSF, DARPA, DOE) (talent & technology)

University LABS

GRA Ventures Angels, friends & (grants & loans) family, Federal SBIR / STTR University Startups incubators (facilities & expertise) Venture capital & strategic partners GRA Venture Fund, LLC (private equity)

New Business in Georgia Jobs | Investment | Products What it takes to make a breakthrough (and grow Georgia’s economy) Breaking through silos: Business, government and universities work together through GRA. INDUSTRY Government Universities

The collaboration that created GRA 25 years ago is evident today in GRA’s Board of Trustees. Georgia Research Alliance: Three sectors working together

Douglas J. Hertz, Chair Dr. C. Ross Ethier Kelly L. Loeffler Dr. Valerie Montgomery Rice President and CEO GRA Eminent Scholar, Biomedical SVP, Corporate Communications, President and Dean United Distributors, Inc. Engineering Marketing and Investor Relations Morehouse School of Medicine Georgia Institute of Technology Intercontinental Exchange Larry L. Gellerstedt, III, Vice-Chair Joseph W. (Joe) Rogers, Jr. President and CEO James B. Hannan Charles H. (Pete) McTier Chairman Cousins Properties, Incorporated Chief Executive Officer and President Retired Trustee and Past President House, Inc. Georgia-Pacific, LLC Robert W. Woodruff Foundation Paul S. Amos II William H. (Bill) Rogers, Jr. President, Aflac Darryl Harmon Jere W. Morehead Chairman, CEO COO, Aflac US Southeast Regional President President SunTrust Dr. Ricardo Azziz John W. Somerhalder, II President Robert F. (Bob) Hatcher Allen S. Moseley Chairman, President and CEO Georgia Regents University President and CEO General Partner AGL Resources MidCountry Financial Corporation Noro-Moseley Partners Dr. Mark P. Becker Lizanne Thomas President Edward S. Heys, Jr. Thomas E. Noonan Partner-in Charge - Southern Region Georgia State University and Birmingham General Manager Jones Day Managing Partner Cisco Energy Management W. Paul Bowers Clyde C. Tuggle Deloitte President and CEO Charles H. (Charlie) Ogburn Senior Vice President, Chief Public Affairs Company Thomas H. (Tommy) Holder Non-Executive Chairman of the Board and Communications Officer Chairman and CEO Crawford & Company The Coca-Cola Company Dr. Carlton E. Brown Holder Construction President Kenneth J. Ostrowski William D. Underwood Clark Atlanta University Henry M. (Hank) Huckaby Director President Chancellor McKinsey and Company Mercer University Chris Carr University System of Georgia Commissioner Dr. G.P. (Bud) Peterson T. Rogers Wade Georgia Department of Economic William H. (Bill) Linginfelter President Chairman Development Area President - Georgia/ Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Public Policy Foundation REGIONS Financial Corporation Thomas G. Cousins Parker H. (Pete) Petit Dr. James W. Wagner Chairman Emeritus Dennis P. Lockhart Chairman and CEO President Cousins Properties, Incorporated President and CEO MiMedx Group, Inc. Emory University Federal Reserve of Atlanta David M. Ratcliffe Felker W. Ward, Jr. Chairman and CEO, Retired Principal Pinnacle Investment Advisors, LLC Heartfelt thanks to our supporters

The generosity of individuals and organizations has driven GRA’s operations and management for 25 years. If you’d like to join our efforts to expand university research to grow the economy, visit GRA.org/donate.

Ackerman Family Fund of the Georgia Pine Level Foundation Dr. Kathleen K. Robichaud Georgia Community Foundation Georgia Power Foundation, Inc. RockTenn Acuity Brands, Inc. GRA Eminent Scholars Mark and Beth Sanders The Aflac Foundation, Inc. GRA Staff The Sartain Lanier Family Foundation, Inc. AGL Resources Private Foundation Health, Education + Research Associates, Inc. Mr. J. Connor Seabrook Dr. J. David Allen and Family Douglas J. Hertz Family Foundation Mr. Gary Shows The Ray C. Anderson Foundation Holder Construction Group, LLC Siemens AT&T Georgia The Imlay Foundation, Inc. Jonathan and Deborah Solomon Julie and Jim Balloun Jackson Spalding Mr. Tom Stribling Mr. Frank Barron Angelika and Nikil Jayant SunTrust Bank Trusteed Foundations: Bell Family Foundation The JJCJ Foundation, Inc. Thomas Guy Woolford Charitable Trust Mr. and Mrs. James H. Blanchard Jones Day SunTrust Foundation Bradley-Turner Foundation, Inc. Abraham J. and Phyllis Katz Foundation Ms. Lizanne Thomas CF Foundation, Inc. Mr. Dennis P. Lockhart The Tull Charitable Foundation The Coca-Cola Company Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company The University Financing Foundation The Coca-Cola Foundation Ms. Kelly L. Loeffler UPS Foundation Cooper Family Charitable Foundation, Inc. The Marcus Foundation, Inc. Versal Mr. and Mrs. Richard W. Courts IV Mr. Charles H. McTier Foundation, Inc. Cousins Foundation, Inc. Mr. Phil Moise Mr. Felker W. Ward Cousins Properties Foundation David and Mary Moore The Weathertop Foundation CSX Corporation Mr. Allen S. Moseley Wells Fargo Mr. Bradley Currey, Jr. Reg and Diana Murphy Williams Family Foundation of Georgia, Inc. Deloitte Thomas E. Noonan Family Foundation Robert W. Woodruff Foundation, Inc. R. Howard Dobbs, Jr. Foundation, Inc. Norfolk Southern Foundation , Inc. Mr. Charles H. Ogburn Flowers Foods, Inc. Dr. Walter A. Orenstein John and Mary Franklin Foundation, Inc. Mr. Kenneth J. Ostrowski General Electric Company The Peyton Anderson Foundation Genuine Parts Company Mr. David M. Ratcliffe Georgia-Pacific Foundation, Inc. Regions Financial Corporation By any measure, it was a bold new idea for Georgia. Twenty-five years ago, several of the state’s most prominent leaders in government, industry and academia united for one purpose: Building greater collaboration among the state’s universities to expand scientific research and launch new companies.

The result was the Georgia Research Alliance. Today, GRA continues to strengthen the research enterprise in Georgia by working in partnership with the University System of Georgia. GRA also helps seed and shape new companies launched out of university labs — to support the state’s economic development strategy and create the companies and jobs of Georgia’s future.

GRA’s first priority is to expand research capacity at our eight partner universities:

The University of Georgia Georgia Regents University Mercer University Emory University Clark Atlanta University Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia State University Morehouse School of Medicine

191 Peachtree Street • Suite 849 Atlanta, Georgia 30303 • 404.332.9770 GRA.org

On the cover: researcher Hope Gole cuts molds out of polymer to advance nanotechnology research. Photographer: Rob Felt.