By Mason Ailstock
CEO, Rowen Project
AUBURN, Ga. | By 2035, Rowen is set to create 18,500 jobs, potentially reaching 80,000 at full build-out, ultimately contributing $8-10 billion annually to the Georgia economy. This month, we’re reflecting on the Rowen Region’s position as a destination for global industry and the crucial next steps our innovation community must take to actualize this forecast.
Renowned as a top business destination, Metro Atlanta drives economic growth with a flourishing tech scene, generating job opportunities statewide. Start-up communities like Venture Atlanta and ATDC drive opportunity for our diverse workforce, attracting tech giants like Apple and Google, while new developments like Science Square continue to drive local innovation. While external factors like rising interest rates and inflation have slowed investments in recent years, the cities across the South continue to gain momentum when compared to other regions in the U.S.
Three years ago, just 11.4 percent of all venture capital raised went to the South. In 2023, that figure almost hit 20 percent. Credit: carta
And, Georgia’s innovation ecosystem is not limited to Metro Atlanta. Rowen’s central location and deep understanding of the innovation landscape in the state creates a unique opportunity to facilitate the exchange of ideas, flow of talent and innovative progress.
The Rowen Region, roughly defined as a one hour drive around the Rowen site intersecting Atlanta, Athens-Clarke County, Gainesville and communities around Gwinnett County, is poised to be a hub for collaboration and discovery that will accelerate innovation in Metro Atlanta, Georgia and beyond.
Meissner’s new manufacturing facility in Athens is just one example of how innovation is already sparking in the Rowen Region. Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners is another, and hundreds of ideas are poised to emerge from the more than 50 research and educational institutions within an hour’s drive from Rowen.
Check out these progress reports within the Rowen project.
- Installation of landscaping, irrigation systems and lighting infrastructure continues, while telecommunications and conduit installation was finalized in May.
- Work associated with the Georgia Highway 316 tie-in is ongoing, as curb and gutter installation and paving continues. Telecommunications and electrical conduit installation are now complete along this corridor.
- We continue to make progress on landscaping, grading, drainage, culvert and sidewalk installation, with roundabout details completed at the end of May.
We will continue to have many exciting updates to share as we near the completion of Phase 1 infrastructure. Let me encourage you to follow along via our social media platforms (@RowenLife) or by subscribing to our newsletter at www.rowenlife.com/connect.
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