The Georgia Research Alliance (GRA), a commercialisation group working with universities in the US state of Georgia, has promoted Justin Burnsto chief innovation officer.
Burns will also continue to serve as vice president for innovation and entrepreneurship, a role he has held since joining the Georgia Research Alliance in March 2024.
“This step reflects GRA’s commitment to building a more connected, effective innovation ecosystem across the state. Georgia has world-class research and growing entrepreneurial momentum. Our focus now is on strengthening the pathways from lab to market, aligning capital and partners, and helping more companies start, scale, and stay in Georgia.”
Justin Burns
GRA is a public-private partnership, operating as a nonprofit, between the University System of Georgia and the state’s Department of Economic Development. It is also affiliated with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce.
GRA was set up to increase the impact of university research and entrepreneurship in the state.
It does this through a three-pronged approach. First, it helps recruit researchers to Georgia’s universities. Second, it invests in lab facilities. Finally, it provides both seed capital and, through the GRA Venture Fund, larger amounts to spinouts.
Since its launch in 1991, GRA has invested $728 million — money allocated by the state – including venture capital funding and research grants.
Its network of partner universities in the state includes the University of Georgia, Augusta University, Emory University, Clark Atlanta University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Mercer University, and the Morehouse School of Medicine.
