Over the past several years, the Southeastern region’s largest city, Atlanta, has gone from being “one of the best kept secrets” in tech to a vibrant ecosystem merging with a flock of billion-dollar tech businesses. Many of those businesses are making their way to West Midtown, a once-abandoned neighborhood that is now one of the trendiest places to live. With over 40% of the U.S. population in the Southeast, we have a diverse and exponentially growing population that tech companies such as Airbnb, Nike, and Ford Motor Co.. are locating here to seize. As Big Tech development seeks out our haven of top tech and talent, Atlanta sets the tone for what’s next.
West Midtown is rapidly becoming a hotspot for company expansions, and three hyper-new towers, including 8West and The Interlock, are the magnets. Georgia Tech anticipates expanding into the West Side district with an innovation center focused on life sciences, which will bring even more buzz from diverse founders and investors. “Microsoftx already holds a sizable footprint across Atlanta, which it has grown significantly in the past few years.” Savannah Sicurella, Atlanta Business Chronicle. The company is planning to continue that expansion into Fulton and Douglas counties, totaling more than 1 billion in investment dollars.
Airbnb is also one of multiple West Coast tech giants to migrate to Atlanta. “In the past year, Microsoft Corp. and Google have announced significant expansions. Microsoft could add 15,000 jobs on Atlanta’s Westside in the BeltLine neighborhood, Grove Park.” Savannah Sicurella, Atlanta Business Chronicle
Airbnb may be setting the stage to move into Interlock’s (a multi-use hub for entertainment, dining, and shopping) second phase, which will include office space for tech-savvy companies and startups. Airbnb alone plans to occupy at least three floors of office space when it moves into its new and permanent Atlanta location.
“Atlanta’s strong university system and its commitment to educating communities of color as the next generation of engineers played an important role in Airbnb selecting Atlanta for the tech hub,” Erin Schilling, Atlanta Business Chronicle. Like Airbnb, large tech companies expanding into the Southeast open doors to Georgia residents and give them a plethora of opportunities to pursue careers in tech.
For more updates on development around Atlanta, visit Evatlanta.com
