The Advanced Technology Development Center, Georgia’s technology incubator, has named Scott Hardigree its startup catalyst for the Augusta region. In his new role, Hardigree will manage the ATDC @ Augusta educational programming. The ATDC @ initiative offers entrepreneurs coaching via an ATDC staff member and area mentors, in addition to educational programming in several Georgia cities, including Augusta, Athens, Peachtree Corners and Savannah, as well as FlatironCity in downtown Atlanta.

Hardigree, an Augusta native who, along with his family, returned to the city in 2010, is founder of Email Industries, an information services company that creates email-centric intelligence products for major companies, including Oracle and MailChimp. 

A graduate of Augusta State University (now Augusta University) with a degree in communications, Hardigree founded Ecisive, a Jacksonville, Florida-based digital agency, in 1998. The company was acquired five years later. He then co-founded Termedia, a database marketing company, with his brother, Steve, in Orlando, Florida. That firm was later acquired as well.

“In the past seven years, thanks to working with organizations like HACK Augusta, I’ve witnessed Augusta’s startup scene germinate and the technology sector begin to sprout,” said Hardigree. In that time, I, along with many others, have been afforded the opportunity to promote entrepreneurism, work with ambitious entrepreneurs, and advocate the Lean Startup principles that ATDC supports, right here in Augusta.”

Hardigree will work with Augusta entrepreneurs at theclubhou.se, the region’s business and community incubator, and partner with ATDC.

ATDC General Manager Jennifer Bonnett said the addition of Hardigree to the organization underscores the incubator’s mission of helping to create technology startup ecosystems across Georgia.

“Scott is committed to Augusta’s technology community and working with entrepreneurs,” Bonnett said. “He is a proven and successful entrepreneur who will leverage ATDC’s resources to build the ecosystem and connect with Augusta’s other key assets that help fuel the region’s economic development. We’re excited to have him join the ATDC team.”