Microsoft opens its second US Innovation Center, this one in Atlanta

Kip Kniskern

Microsoft Innovation Centers

Microsoft is opening its second US “Microsoft Innovation Center”, this one based in Atlanta, and marking the occasion with a grand opening today. The center, located in Atlanta’s historic Flatiron building, is part of Microsoft’s renewed commitment to engage with startups, governments, students, and faculty.

“We envision the MIC at Flatiron City becoming a destination for entrepreneurs, academia and corporations,” says Arun Nijhawan, managing principal at Lucror Resources. “A place for people with diverse backgrounds to meet, exchange ideas, leverage their respective strengths and truly innovate. We see each feature of the MIC, whether it be the HoloLens or cloud-based services, as assets for Atlanta’s vibrant entrepreneurial community, as well as for its established industry players.”

The innovation center came about as a result of the CityNext Digital Alliance, a partnership between the city of Atlanta and Microsoft’s CityNext initiative.  The Flatiron building is becoming quite the technology hub, also housing co-working spaces, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative, and the Georgia Tech Enterprise Innovation Institute.
Microsoft currently has over 100 Innovation Centers worldwide, and Atlanta joins Miami, Florida as the second US city to host a center.