C-Level forum focused on growth and scaling strategies such as mergers & acquisitions, divestitures, alliances/strategic partnerships, and venture capital.

About

TAG’s Corporate Development Society provides a series of networking opportunities and educational content sessions geared towards the ecosystem of Corporate Development professionals in the Atlanta area.

Through our series of events, we aspire to develop a well-connected Community of corporate development professionals and to provide that Community with a forum for growth and discussion of industry trends, issues, and concepts.

What is Corporate Development?

Corporate Development is a discipline that involves developing, planning, and executing strategies to grow and develop companies either through organic or inorganic methods. Inorganic growth strategies most often include mergers & acquisitions, divestitures, alliances/strategic partnerships, and venture capital.

Corporate Development is performed across the spectrum of company sizes and ownership structures:

· Startups/Early Stage

· Middle Market and Private Equity-Backed

· Large Cap/Enterprise

Georgia Startup Stats

The BIP Ventures mid-year report for 2024 highlights key shifts in venture capital, including investment strategies, sectors, and private market opportunities.

Shift in Investment Strategies: The venture capital market has shifted from the “growth at any cost” mentality to a more measured approach, focusing on follow-on and later-stage deals. This change reflects a heightened sense of responsibility and recalibration in funding.

Sector Focus: Healthcare Tech, Consumer Tech, and Fintech remained strong in 2023, but SaaS, particularly AI-driven startups, saw significant investment. However, investors are cautious about distinguishing genuine innovation from hype.

Private Market Opportunities: Despite market challenges, the private market remains robust, with startups staying private longer and VC activity back to pre-pandemic levels. This environment favors well-equipped private investors and promising startups.

The report highlights the following Georgia startup statistics for 2024:

  • Investment Growth: Georgia saw a significant increase in startup investments, with a focus on healthcare tech, fintech, and AI-driven solutions.
  • Funding Rounds: The number of funding rounds increased, particularly in seed and early-stage investments.
  • Sector Leadership: Georgia startups are leading in innovative sectors such as AI, cybersecurity, and healthcare technology.

For more details, you can read the full report here.

Audience

  • The ecosystem of Corporate Development professionals includes Dealmakers, Investors, Bankers, Legal and Financial Advisors, and M&A Consultants.

     

Background

The TAG Corporate Development Society was founded in 2017 by senior industry leaders from IBM Corporation and Morris, Manning & Martin LLP, one of the leading technology law firms in the country. The Society is run by a group of 18 Board of Directors. Our Board Alumni Group contains more than 100 members!

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Featured C-Level speakers: ParkMobile; NCR; Chairman IBM Global Acquisitions Committee (NYSE: IBM); CEO AT&T Intellectual Property (NYSE: T); CEO SecureWorks (NASDAQ: SCWX); CEO Paymetric (NYSE: VNTV); CEO Kabbage (SoftBank); CFO EarthLink (NASDAQ: ELNK); COO The Weather Company (NYSE: IBM); CSO Assurant (NYSE: AIZ); President Sprint (NYSE: S); President Aflac Ventures (NYSE: AFL); MD Intel Capital (NASDAQ: INTC); MD Hewlett Packard Ventures (NYSE: HPQ); MD UPS Strategic Enterprise Fund (NYSE: UPS); Georgia Secretary of State (Georgia); CEO Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC); President Atlanta Technology Angels (ATA).

View Past Events

Corporate Development Society Board

Christy Rushing
Society Board Chair

CorpDev Consulting

Scott May
Immediate Past Society Board Chair

JM Search

Ann McDonald
Past Society Board Chair

Morris, Manning & Martin LLP

Sarah Broberg
Society Marketing Chair

Carabiner Communications

Tim Christie
Membership Chair

CorpDev Consulting

Greg Gossett
Society Finance Chair

Deloitte

Marcelo Bernal

MassPay

Leigh Ann Groome

Waymo

Noel Hardin

Cox Enterprises

Amit Jain

Roadz

Joe Nau

Alantra

Evan Ottaviano

Bennett Thrasher

Peter Stewart

Cyviz

Recent Corporate Development News

CoreSite Releases 2025 State of the Data Center Report Underscoring the Critical Role of Colocation and Connectivity in Enterprise Hybrid IT Infrastructure

CoreSite, an American Tower company (NYSE: AMT) empowering critical business and AI workloads that impact everyday life through interconnected data center solutions, today released its 2025 State of the Data Center Report, which examines the latest data center and cloud computing trends, strategies and requirements. Now in its sixth year, the 2025 report finds business and IT leaders are navigating a world where they must increasingly rely on digitization – particularly emerging technologies like AI – to innovate, generate revenue and modernize their organizations, all while managing costs in an uncertain economic environment.

Read More

Comcast Business Wraps Up Small Business Month Across the South with Celebration, Connection, and Community Impact

Throughout Small Business Month, Comcast Business reaffirmed its commitment to empowering entrepreneurs and strengthening local economies by celebrating the resilience, innovation, and growth of small businesses across the Southeast.

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Comcast Leader Honored as WAOK Trailblazer for Purpose-Driven Leadership, Impact in Communications

Quiana Pinckney, Comcast Central Division Vice President of Division Communications, was named a 2025 Trailblazer by News & Talk 1380 WAOK during the prestigious annual Trailblazers Awards celebration in Atlanta. The event, hosted by the radio show On Point with Juandolyn Stokes, honored exceptional women who are breaking barriers, making significant contributions to their fields, and inspiring the next generation through purpose-driven leadership.

Read More

More Corporate Development News at TAGWire

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