The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) announced that GeoDigital International Inc., a leader in big spatial data and analytics, will move its North American headquarters from Canada to Atlanta, creating approximately 50 new high-tech jobs in Fulton County over the next year. Based in Ontario since its founding in 2005, GeoDigital will move its headquarters to an 11,200-square-foot, state-of-the-art office space in Atlantic Station.
“Georgia is a hub for headquarter relocations – especially for technology companies,” said GDEcD Commissioner Chris Carr. “Since the beginning of our fiscal year, which concluded not even three weeks ago, we have announced ten corporate headquarter relocations and more than 4,200 technology jobs in Georgia. It’s clear that fast-growing global companies such as GeoDigital are finding our state the ideal location to better reach customers nationwide.”
The newly created jobs will encompass a number of functions, including executive management, information technology, research and development, sales, marketing, project management, finance and accounting, and human resources. To help fill future employment opportunities, GeoDigital plans to work with Kennesaw State University and the Georgia Institute of Technology to create apprenticeship programs.
GeoDigital is at the forefront of the fast-growing autonomous, or self-driving, vehicle industry. Using precision technology called LiDAR, a kind of ‘laser range finder’, combined with high-definition imagery, GeoDigital is creating the industry’s most detailed 3D maps of the entire North American highway system. These ‘digital roads’ include data on topography, road surfaces, lanes, and other information critical to the safe and smooth driving experience of autonomous cars. GeoDigital is providing these services to a major automaker, as well as several Tier 1 suppliers.
GeoDigital is also using this technology to help efficiently inspect thousands of miles of power lines for asset and vegetation issues, serving the vast majority of the country’s largest utility companies, including PPL, Xcel Energy, Tennessee Valley Authority, and many of the Southern Company entities. By digitizing vegetation management, utility companies can better predict and respond to areas that are at risk of causing outages and better inform their crews while keeping them safer. GeoDigital solutions also assist compliancy with recent federal regulation to protect the nation’s power grid against vegetation outages.
“GeoDigital is excited to join and add to the vibrant mix of Atlanta-based technology employers,” said Chris Warrington, president and CEO of GeoDigital. “Given our growth and the tremendous market potential for GeoDigital’s big spatial data and analytics software, we simply got to the point where we needed greater access to high-tech talent and international travel routes. Atlanta meets both of those needs. Equally important, the region will be a great place to live and work for our team.”
Shirlynn Brownell, GDEcD project manager, assisted GeoDigital on behalf of Georgia and partnered with the Metro Atlanta Chamber and Georgia Power.
“GeoDigital’s headquarters relocation speaks to the talent, innovation and growth coming out of the technology ecosystem in metro Atlanta,” said Brian P. McGowan, executive vice president and chief operating officer for the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “We are thrilled to welcome GeoDigital to the growing base of international companies that are choosing Atlanta as their operating hub and look forward to working with the team as they grow their presence in the region.”
About GeoDigital
GeoDigital, a leader in big spatial data and analytics software, is transforming industries by unlocking the power of spatial insight. Big spatial data combines precise 3D maps – built on remote sensing and imaging technologies such as LiDAR – with analytics software to solve complex geospatial challenges. GeoDigital then adds location-based work management software to turn that geospatial insight into action for safer, more efficient remote operations. From ensuring the reliable delivery of power by better managing critical infrastructure and the vegetation that surrounds it, to paving the way for autonomous cars with digital roads, GeoDigital is expanding the frontiers of our digital planet to deliver real-world benefits.
Founded in 2005, GeoDigital operates in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Its investors include NGP Energy Technology Partners, North Sky Capital, EnerTech Capital and Emerald Technology Ventures. Visit www.geodigital.com to find out more.
About the Georgia Department of Economic Development
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state’s sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, align workforce education and training with in-demand jobs, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a destination for arts and location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.