Soul of the City: A Tech Cluster Plan for Atlanta Öffentlichkeit

Wiseman, Alexis (Spring 2021)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/hx11xg46s?locale=de
Published

Abstract

Cities are under pressure to compete in the rapidly changing knowledge economy. The standard economic development plans they have used in the past need a serious upgrade. Changes arising from an accelerating technology revolution have made it clear cities must prepare to be a fertile environment for attracting established technology companies and new startups. Yet, while Silicon Valley and other cities have experienced spectacular growth, their residents have paid a heavy price. Economic externalities such as homelessness, gentrification, and other imbalances have led to an atmosphere in which even those who have thrived are looking to leave. Clearly, growth that leaves behind and alienates many citizens, particularly the least advantaged, is ethically wrong. How can cities support the development of tech clusters to achieve economic growth with inclusive prosperity while minimizing externalities? This paper proposes an answer with a detailed model for how to create a tech cluster plan, and how it may be applied to the City of Atlanta. The proposed tech cluster plan relies on several modeling frameworks to explain the organizational structure and an execution model which will define an organization for action and method for enforcing behavioral rules. Altogether, this plan may serve as a template for how cities can develop tech clusters that support equitable growth for all residents.

Table of Contents

1.   Introduction………………………………………………………………… 1



2.   Tech Clusters: Economic Drivers, Origins & Structure……………….…..   4

2.1     Cities Seeking Economic Growth …………………………………………….…   4

2.2     Origins, Innovation, and the Knowledge Economy ………………………….….   5

2.3     Startup Culture and the Entrepreneurship Revolution …………………………..   8

2.4     Origins of High-Risk Entrepreneurship …………………………………………    8

2.5     Tech Cluster Attributes ……………………………………………..………...…    9

2.6     Technopolis Wheel: Tech Cluster Stakeholders ………………………….…..…  13

2.7     Technopolis Wheel: University and Higher Education ………………….…..….  14

2.8     Technopolis Wheel: Large Corporations and Emerging Companies ………..….  15

2.9     Technopolis Wheel: The Role of Government ……………………………….....  16

2.10  Technopolis Wheel: Influencers ……………………………………………...…  17

2.11  Technopolis Wheel: Support Groups, Early-Stage Capital …………………......  17

3.   Tech Cluster Case Studies……………………………………………………………………. 20

3.1   San Francisco/Silicon Valley: Modern American Startup Culture ……..……...    20

3.2   Stanford University: Origins of the Modern Tech Cluster ……………….……    21

3.3   Stanford University: Industry Integrations …………………………………….    22

3.4   Silicon Valley and Tech Cluster Development ………………………………...   23

3.5   Silicon Valley Tech Cluster: Venture Capital and Government Support ……...    24

3.6   SF-Bay Area Economic Externalities ………………………………………….    26

3.7   Tech Cluster Development in Austin, Texas ………………………………..…    28

3.8   Origins of the Austin Tech Cluster ……………………………………………..   29

3.9   Improvements to the Tech Cluster ………………………………………….…..   30

3.10 Expanding the Tech Cluster ………………………………………………...….    31

3.11 Austin Economic Externalities ……………………………………………..…..   33

4.   Atlanta’s Economic Evolution towards Tech Clusters……………………. 35

4.1   Brief History of Inequality in Atlanta ………………………………………......   35

4.2   Housing and the Roots of Racial Division in Atlanta …………………………..   35

4.3   Atlanta’s Intersection of Racism, Housing, Education and Employment ………  37

4.4   Brief History of Business and Economic Development in Atlanta …………….   39

4.5   The Corporate Foundations of Atlanta’s Technopolis Wheel ………………….   43

4.6   Atlanta Government-Led Initiatives to Attract New Technology Business ……   45

4.7   Early-Stage Companies and Accelerators in Atlanta ………………………......    46

4.8   Influencers in Atlanta’s Tech Cluster ………………………..............................   47

4.9   Early-Stage Venture Capital in Atlanta ………………………............................  48

4.10 Atlanta Universities Support Tech Cluster Development …………….………...  51

4.11 New Tech Cluster Development in Atlanta ………………………………..……  54

4.12 Emerging Tech Clusters and Gentrification in Atlanta ……………….………...  57

4.13 The Effort to Mitigate Externalities: Public-led Initiatives ………………..……  61

4.14 Externality Mitigation Targeting Disadvantaged Entrepreneurs …………..……  65

5.   Tech Cluster Plan for Atlanta……………………………….......................  67

5.1 The Ingredients for a Tech Cluster Plan……………………………………….....   68

5.2 Customizing a Complete Tech Cluster Plan for Atlanta …………………...........   69

5.3 Soul of the City: Review of Stakeholders and Assets …………………………...   71

5.4 Soul of the City: Execution Model ……………………………………………....   73

5.5 Example of a P3 in Support of Inclusive Prosperity …………………………….    81

5.6 Future Research Topics for Tech Cluster Plans ………………………................    82

5.7 Conclusions: Ramifications for No Tech Cluster Plan …………………………..   83

Bibliography……………………………………………………………...…..   84

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