By Allan Maurer

ATLANTA, GA—About 800 people heard presentations from the 2007 top 10 most innovative technology companies in Georgia at the Technology Association of Georgia’s (TAG) Technology Summit in Atlanta Wednesday.

TAG selected the companies from more than 100 in competition, which it whittled down to a Top 40 list. The Top 10, which included a tie for one spot, are: Asankya, Commerce Science Corporation, Firethorn, IDology Inc., Nexidia, Quellan Inc., Recordant, Scentric Inc., Super Computer International Inc., Vystar, and Wireless Vision.

The Top 40 are chosen are chosen based on a number of criteria, including: degree of innovation; scope and financial impact of innovation; likelihood of success; and promotion of Georgia’s innovative efforts nationally and internationally.

Most competitive group ever

“The Top 40 has gotten better every year,” says Dennis Zakas, a partner with Hunton & Williams and chairperson of the Top 40 Selection Committee.

“It was very tough to come up with the final 10 because this year’s entire group had some incredible technologies. It proves that Georgia is right at the top of the pack in developing successful technology companies.”

The highly successful Summit, which rivaled similar events in North Carolina’s Research Triangle in attendance and enthusiasm, featured keynote remarks by Wired editor Chris Anderson, who outlined the ideas behind his book “The Long Tail.”

“This year’s Top 10 chosen from what by all measures was our most competitive group of companies in the three-year history of unique TAG program,” says TAG President Tino Mantella.

Early stage capital needed

TAG gave its annual lifetime achievement award to Jim Blanchard, retired CEO of Synovus Financial Corp.

The Summit also heard from Rich DeMillo, dean of the college of computing at Georgia Tech and former chief technology officer for Hewlett-Packard. DeMillo’s talk drew parallels from history to suggest that failure to innovate can lead to catastrophe for civilizations, nations, states, or companies. He particularly decried Georgia’s lack of seed funding in favor of later stage companies posing less risk.

TAG is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support its members by generating opportunities for personal, professional and business growth.

TAG is one of the largest state technology associations in the nation with 2,400 members representing technology leaders from over 1500 Georgia-based companies, affiliated technology and business organizations.

TJS editor Allan Maurer can be reached at: allan@techjournalsouth.com

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