Supporting Innovation: Georgia Tech Edison Fund Provides Funding for Early-Stage Technology Companies
November 9, 2007

Thomas Edison often receives credit for inventing the electric light bulb, though his real accomplishment was in making the device -- as well as the phonograph and motion picture camera -- commercially successful. That focus on commercializing innovation is now providing the foundation for a new venture bearing Edison's name at the Georgia Institute of Technology.

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Stephen Fleming, Georgia Tech's chief commercialization officer, will manage the new Georgia Tech Edison Fund.
Launched by a multi-year grant from the Charles A. Edison Fund -- which is named for the inventor's son, a successful businessman and former governor of New Jersey -- the Georgia Tech Edison Fund will provide seed funding for early-stage technology companies that have a close association with Georgia Tech.

"We will focus on startups at the very early stage, because that's the hardest money for an entrepreneur to find," explained Stephen Fleming, Georgia Tech's chief commercialization officer and manager of the new fund. "Once companies have customers, a product and some traction in the marketplace, they can interest larger investors."

Early stage funding in Georgia.

Memestreams: hit this guy up for some cash to sell meme appliances to businesses.