About GCATT

Formed in 1991, GCATT is a program of the Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), a public/private partnership fostering technology-based economic development across the state.

Although GCATT is based at Georgia Tech, it supports research programs in advanced telecommunications at the Georgia Research Alliance's six research universities which also include The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, The Medical College of Georgia, Clark Atlanta University, and Emory University.

GRA Advanced Telecommunications Timeline

Eminent Scholars and Industry Guided Research Program

The hub of the GRA technology investment strategy is the Eminent Scholars program. Renowned scientists are recruited to Georgia from many parts of the world to lead extraordinary programs of research and development with high potential economic development impact for the state. Advanced communications is a primary area of focus. To date, more than 70 Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholars have been recruited to: The University of Georgia, Medical College of Georgia, Emory University, Clark Atlanta University, Georgia Institute of Technology, and Georgia State University. LEARN MORE >>>

The GCATT Building

GCATT hosted the Opening Celebration of its new building on July 17, 1996. The building was the product of Georgia's vision to become the world center for telecommunications technology. Since then, GCATT has worked to meet that goal by fostering collaboration among state government, universities, and the communications industry.GCATT moved to Centergy at Technology Square in November 2005 while its policy group, now known as the Center for Advanced Policy, set up shop at 500 10th Street NW (in the Institute of Paper Science and Technology building).

Yamacraw - Design Focused Research

Founded in 1999 as a five-year, $100 million project under then-Governor Roy Barnes, Yamacraw was a strategic initiative to kick-start a design industry in Georgia for broadband communication systems, devices and chips. Yamacraw was instituted as the Georgia Electronic Design Center at Georgia Tech in 2004. LEARN MORE >>>

Technology, Commercialization, Policy - The GCATT Model

In 2001 GCATT welcomed its third Executive Director and GRA Eminent Scholar, Dr. Nikil Jayant. Under his stewardship, GCATT established a three-prong effort to guide its future focus:

• Technology: Discover new technologies through advanced telecommunications research programs at Georgia's research universities,
• Commercialization: Market innovations through technology transfer, intellectual property licensing, a start-up company incubator, and new venture development programs, and
• Policy: Lead public policy initiatives through work with government and industry decision-makers to address vital issues such as competition, access, and infrastructure.

This effort joins a history of successful three-part approaches on which GCATT operates. The first was its founding premise -- to bring together government, academia, and industry to promote Georgia as an advanced technology hotspot. The second was the development of its three areas of concentration in research -- digital content processing, networking, and system solutions.

By incorporating the TCP initiative, GCATT positions itself as the only organization of its kind establishing and fostering relationships between the decision makers, scholars and industry scientists currently developing Georgia as an advanced technology leader.