Mayor Kasim Reed Celebrates Opening of Switchyards Downtown Club
ATLANTA – January 27, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Mayor Kasim Reed joined co-founders Michael Tavani and Dave Payne, Invest Atlanta President and CEO Dr. Eloisa Klementich, and more than 100 entrepreneurs yesterday for the opening of Switchyards Downtown Club, Atlanta’s newest startup hub and the only business-to-consumer startup hub in the Southeast.
“Atlanta has long been a city that welcomes and nurtures talent, entrepreneurship, and innovation, and I am proud to support Switchyards,” said Mayor Reed. “It’s exciting news that more than 150 innovative startups will work at Switchyards Downtown Club, building the next great tech companies in the heart of Downtown Atlanta.”
Switchyards is based in a renovated 19,000 square-foot building in Downtown Atlanta and will host more than 150 business-members. Invest Atlanta’s Business Expansion and Retention team was a key partner in supporting Switchyards, providing assistance with building permits for the renovation and construction and guidance with Opportunity Zone Certification to assist with job creation.
“Innovation and entrepreneurship are about serendipitous collisions,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, CDcE. “Offering startups a community like Switchyards facilitates the growth of the next generation of business and supports Atlanta as we compete within the 21st century economy.”
“Switchyards is creating an entire building in the middle of Downtown Atlanta focused on programming and content to produce more successful business to consumer startups,” said Michael Tavani. “Atlanta’s startup scene has grown nicely over the last 10 years but is dominated by the city’s strong business to business companies. We hope to change that.”
Switchyard will also be a coffee shop, a location for industry events and an incubator. Visit www.switchyards.com to learn more.
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For more information about the City of Atlanta, please visit http://www.atlantaga.gov or watch City Channel 26. Follow the City of Atlanta on Facebook and Twitter @CityofAtlanta. Follow Mayor Reed on Facebook and Twitter @Kasim Reed
Jenna Garland, Press Secretary
404-330-6612, office
404-357-5579, cell
Anne Torres, Director
404-330-6423, office
404-904-2618, cell
