Middle Georgia Innovation Project

The United States Department of Defense – Office of Economic Adjustment (OEA) approved a grant to fund the next step of the Middle Georgia Charrette and Regional Planning Initiative, the Middle Georgia Innovation Project. The initiative is designed to attract businesses and skilled workers to middle Georgia, thus endorsing growth and innovation. In preparation for the following steps, the Middle Georgia Innovation Project has released an Industry 4.0 Disruption and Preparedness survey that they urge people to participate in.

According to the Regional Action Plan that concluded in 2018, The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), a state agency dedicated to implement business growth in Georgia, has spurred on an initiative to include 11 counties in middle Georgia: Houston, Baldwin, Crawford, Jones, Bibb, Monroe, Peach, Pulaski, Putnam, Twiggs and Wilkinson. The mission was to “build on the existing defense industrial base and explore opportunities to diversify the regional economy away from a dependence on Department of Defense contracts.” With the intention to evaluate the goals and potential alternative markets in middle Georgia, the project aimed to develop a plan to utilize all asset opportunities and build relationships, forming a network and shared vision of businesses, leaders and education systems.

All-embracing research went underway as experts gathered data combined with an extensive stakeholder engagement methodology. This laid the foundation and narrowed down the path to the next steps of following through with the initiative. They explored different scenario outcomes based on possible decisions and their potential impact from collaboration and economic diversification. The goal was to find a key shared vision amongst regional stakeholders and implement a strategic plan of action to achieve said goals and “close the gap” between the expected and preferred outcomes for the future. Challenges were identified and plans were placed to address them.

Middle Georgia also has a unique set of “concentrations (islands) of excellence” that, if tapped into, could potentially help expand the economic diversification and growth. Software and cyber security, research to innovation to commercialization continuum, adaptive manufacturing maintenance and sustainment, and intellectual capital and talent (interest in higher level education) are the critical areas the asset mapping workshops identified.

Two apparent themes surfaced from the stakeholder engagement methodology: “Revitalizing and diversifying the regional economy” and “building [a] strong collaborative and connected region.” Immediate action was taken to gather city leaders, Higher Education Institutions, Robins Air Force Base officials and others to create a “regional innovation ecosystem” with the goal to advance the region with growth opportunities in business and draw skilled people towards a common area.

The aforementioned steps paved the road to the next phase of the initiative, thus creating the Middle Georgia Innovation Project.

“The first phase of the planning process allowed regional stakeholders to align around a vision and strategic direction. This next phase explores the actions required to close the gap between the expected and preferred future of middle Georgia. We are presented with a very unique, yet logical, opportunity to expand areas of expertise, which have operated as ‘islands of excellence’ into broader commercial activities and economic diversification, especially building off the concentration of expertise around the Robins Air Force Base. This process is an opportunity to apply meaningful action steps that support the creation of a long-lasting innovation ecosystem. Connecting the innovation across middle Georgia will work to build expansion of our existing business and attract new business to our area,” said Angie Gheesling, Executive Director, Development Authority of Houston County.

The Development Authority of Houston County, Georgia Department of Economic Development, 21st Century Partnership, the Middle Georgia Economic Alliance (MGEA) and the Middle Georgia Regional Commission (MGRC) are leading the way for this growth and advancement project.

According to a press release by the Development Authority of Houston County, the most recent partnership announcements include:

Robins North – a partnership between Central Georgia Technical College and RAFB

Blue Sky – a partnership between RAFB and Mercer University

MGA (Middle Georgia State University) Software Innovation Center – a partnership between RAFB and MGA.

The Synergy Project – a partnership between RAFB, Houston County School District and MGA.

Ft. Valley State University educational partnership with RAFB.

To find out more information, visit https://lab2.future-iq.com/middle-georgia-innovation/ or take the survey at https://www.research.net/r/MiddleGeorgiaIndustry4.

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