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I am happy to report that I am now looking in the rearview mirror, in respect to the 2009 Georgia Technology Summit.  Anyone who has ridden “point” on a major event, including planning and executing a wedding, will know what I mean when I say that I was happy that the team pulled it off, and thrilled that it’s behind us.  Unlike a wedding, where one would hope a do-over isn’t required, we will gear up to repeat the performance in a short few weeks.
The Top 40 Innovative Company competition has become a focal point of the Summit.  Since there has been some confusion surrounding it’s orign, history, and purpose, I went back to the key originator, Dennis Zakas, to be sure I conveyed the accurate story.  ‘09’ represented the 5th year of the Top 40, and Dennis has led this effort in each of those years.  A special shout out to Dennis for his hard work, and to Ron Donlinsky who has added his marketing acumen to the mix, each of those years. Chris Mangum was also a key player in those early years.  Allen Moseley and Dawn Patrick were providing leadership from the TAG Board of Directors level, in year one and year two.
I was on the job for just a brief time when the first Top 40 was launched, so I take zero credit for its creation. So, I recently went back to Dennis to be sure that my facts were straight.  That’s always a good idea, BTW, for those that simply enjoy shooting something out there, with no real basis of fact other than what they have heard along the water cooler (or the twitter-rama in this case), it just might be something to consider.
I asked Dennis how the Top 40 came into being.  The central point was to provide a showcase for innovation of technology in Georgia.  The Top 40 (as opposed to some other number) was based on logistics - it was how many booths could fit in the Cobb Galleria lobby.  That TAG was needing to generate additional revenue was also factored in.  At that time, TAG was struggling to work its way back up from the tech-bust.
During the first few years, everyone was charged $1,000 to participate.  Then, after several conversations with some of the leadership, including Dennis and Stephen Fleming, we evolved to what I think is a better model.  The new model provided scholarships for those companies that were younger and without significant revenue.  We also added options where companies could upgrade for more seats at the Summit and more prominent placement of their exhibit booth. The task force, many of whom are entrepreneurs, innovators and investors (like Sig Mosley, Ben Dyer, and Stephen Fleming), became comfortable with this model. Most of us felt/feel that we were/are offering the best “trade show” space in the state.  What’s it worth to have 1200 leaders visit your booth?  What would you pay if you were going to a trade show, like GTS, somewhere else?  If your company has revenue, why would we provide this opportunity for free?  Finally, as Dennis says, “don’t apply if you don’t want to participate by the rules”.  Since we have had over 400 participants, applying, in the last 5 years....and its growing, the interest is obviously there.  It was important, we believed, to spell out the rules clearly on our web site, which we have.  We have now given out about 10 scholarships in the past few years. The program, again, is about innovation in Georgia technology. It’s not designed for any particular segment of our population (e.g. young companies).  We have, and will continue, to encourage everyone to submit their application.  If they qualify for a scholarship we will be more than happy to provide it.
Finally, I want to thank the many volunteers that have spent hours reviewing and judging the competitors.  These are high-level accomplished leaders who believe enough in this program to devote their time.  I, for one, am most appreciative. 

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