Inspiring Innovation Under the Stars: University of Georgia’s Innovation District Hosts Night at the Hub

With over 40,000 students and 3,000 faculty members, the University of Georgia’s campus is filled with thinkers, dreamers and doers who aspire to better the future. Keeping the goal of connecting the right people, places and programs to bring ideas to
life in mind, core functions and key partners of the Innovation District gathered at the Delta Innovation Hub on Mon., Sept. 8 for Night at the Hub, an event held for the university community to learn more about the work core functions are doing to foster innovation, as well as opportunities to get involved.

The Delta Innovation Hub bustled with conversation and laughter as faculty, partners and students gathered over drinks and hors d’oeuvres and discussed the innovative work happening at the University of Georgia and beyond. Guests heard from Executive
Director Chris Rhodes and leadership from the Innovation District core functions, including the UGA Small Business Development Center, Innovation Gateway, Office of Business Engagement, UGA Entrepreneurship Program, as well as Innovation District key partners, such as the UGA Law School’s Business Law Clinic and New Media Institute.

While the UGA Small Business Development Center, Innovation Gateway, UGA Entrepreneurship Program and Office of Business Engagement have been pillars of the Innovation District since its inception, the Business Law Clinic and New Media Institute have more recently become key partners of the Innovation District. Night at the Hub provided an opportunity for the entire ecosystem to come together and educate the university community on the resources and support available within the Innovation District.

“The UGA Law School’s Business Law Clinic provides free legal services to small businesses, entrepreneurs, and non-profits, both affiliated with UGA and just generally in the community,” said Willow Tracy, Clinical Associate Professor & Business Law
Clinic Director. “We operate during the academic year and we operate it like a little law firm. Each year we typically do about 3,000 hours of service through the clinic.”

These services are provided by law students, offering an experiential learning opportunity that benefits both law students and those who utilize the Business Law Clinic’s resources.

The New Media Institute (NMI) connects students with various industry and university needs as a partner of the Innovation District. Through their partnership, students provide interactive, digital solutions to challenges entrepreneurs or startups face.

“At the New Media Institute, we love bringing people together—faculty, staff, students, and industry partners—all in one space to explore creative applications of emerging tech. Our students don’t just learn skills like coding, design, or immersive storytelling.
They actually put them to work, tackling real challenges with creative solutions,” said Chris Gerlach, lecturer at the New Media Institute. “Thanks to the Innovation District, we’re better equipped to connect our student talent with big opportunities, building projects and partnerships that help launch the next generation of digital leaders.”

Night at the Hub reaffirmed that innovation continues to grow and thrive across the University of Georgia’s campus. The Innovation District is developing partnerships with the nineteen different colleges and schools housed within the university to expand their
innovation efforts and increase their reach and impact. Dean Philip Hong of the School of Social Work, Dean Matthew Auer of the School of Public and International Affairs and others were among those in attendance at Night at the Hub.

“The Innovation District has been great for identifying collaborations for my own faculty and school,” said Dr. Matthew Auer, Dean of the School of Public and International Affairs.

Many of the small businesses and startups that have come to life through the Innovation District seek to better the lives of others, including AMG Detection, Aruna Biomedical and NXT Biologics, among others. Public service is at the heart of what University of
Georgia innovators strive to do every day.

“Public Service and Outreach plays a key point in being able to connect small businesses that the Small Business Development Center is working with and then introducing them into the larger ecosystem that is available at UGA,” said Stacy Jones, Vice President for Public Service and Outreach. “Whether that’s a food flavor through FoodPIC, or introducing them to the Business Law students, things in the Innovation Gateway… the voices of small businesses from all 159 counties can come in through
SBDC and be connected.”

Through events like Night at the Hub, the Innovation District is amplifying and expanding its message of connecting the right people, places and programs to bring ideas to life, while training tomorrow’s entrepreneurs to be skilled, experienced and versatile problem solvers.

“There are a lot of resources and assets on campus,” said Chris Rhodes, Executive Director of the Innovation District. “The Innovation District exists to help connect people to those assets.”