by Maija Ehlinger for Hypotemus
The State of Georgia leads the country in planned jobs around CleanTech jobs, driven by investments in e-mobility, renewable energy, and new infrastructure projects.
30,661 new jobs have been created in the state alone over the last two years in sectors like battery innovation, electric vehicles (EVs), grid transformation, solar, wind, and hydrogen, according to a 2024 report from Climate Power.
Some of the most notable projects are being driven by household brands. In 2024, car manufacturer Kia started production of its first-ever Georgia-built electric vehicle, the EV9. While the company had already started manufacturing EVs, Kia’s $200 million plant expansion of its plant is set to help power more local automotive work.
Also on the EV front, manufacturer and automotive technology company Rivian recently received nearly $6 billion in Federal loans to restart its long-fought Georgia plant. And then there is international clean energy company Qcells, which completed its facility in Dalton, Georgia late last year and is set to be fully operational in 2025. The plant, which represents the largest single solar manufacturing site in the Western Hemisphere, is one of the largest projects highlighting opportunities in Georgia’s Cleantech space, according to the Technology Association of Georgia’s (TAG) Cleantech and sustainability ecosystem report.
What Role Do Local CleanTech Startups Play?
Georgia startups are also part of driving CleanTech growth across The Peach State. The state is currently home to 47 startups in the CleanTech and sustainability space, according to TAG’s report.
Some to keep an eye on that have made a splash recently include: Nexus Circular, Carbice, Goodr, NuGen Systems, Green Badger, Cherry Street Energy, EnviroSpark, Metzev, Racoon Eyes, Retaaza, and JTEC Energy.
Others, like food-to-fertilizer startup AquaOrganix, recently pitched at Techstars WaterTech and Sustainability’s Demo Day in Alabama, and Owanga Solar, a solar solution founded by recent Emory Law graduates that took home pitch competition prizes from Fusen World and EO Atlanta this year. Such startups show the diversity of talent and businesses building in the State.
What The Experts Say
Following the release of the TAG Cleantech and sustainability report, Jonathan Siskin and Cynthia Curry, Co-Chairs of TAG Smart Communities & Sustainability Society shared their thoughts on the state of the ecosystem with Hypepotamus, saying that there is a “growing sense that the state has the potential to be one of the leading Cleantech innovation hubs in the world.”
For Siskin and Curry, highlights from the year include:
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Cox CleanTech Accelerator: Powered by gener8tor in partnership with the GA CleanTech Innovation Hub, this is Georgia’s first CleanTech-focused accelerator program. The 12-week program, set to begin in February 2025, will provide startups with mentorship, resources, and a platform to scale.
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ATDC’s Sustainability Initiative: Backed by Norfolk Southern, this program now supports nearly 20 CleanTech startups, fostering innovation in sustainability-focused areas.
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GA CleanTech Innovation Hub: This organization’s database of nearly 55 CleanTech startups aims to triple its portfolio within five years. By fostering collaboration among public, private, and academic stakeholders, the Hub is driving advancements in sectors such as sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), green hydrogen, and critical mineral supply chains.
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ATL CleanTech Connect: This Georgia Tech-led initiative brings together professionals, venture capitalists, and local leaders through quarterly events designed to fuel innovation and investment in CleanTech and sustainability businesses.
Can Cleantech Growth Continue?
We asked Siskin and Curry about what they believe the State of Georgia needs to prioritize in order to position itself as a national Cleantech leader.
For them, it comes down to a focus on collaboration, workforce development, and growing the state’s manufacturing base.
“There have always been great individual centers of excellence within the state, but now more than ever, we are seeing efforts come together in a more cohesive and focused manner. Our state is well positioned to be a national leader across strategic sectors like transportation electrification, solar production, and circular economy as well as amongst emerging areas in SAF and hydrogen fuels,” the TAG leaders added.
Georgia’s CleanTech ecosystem—from corporate giants to innovative startups—is setting the stage for sustainable economic growth around renewable energy, transportation electrification, and circular economy solutions.
“This is an exciting time for Georgia,” Siskin and Curry added. “With a growing ecosystem of innovators and investors, the continued collaboration between startups, established companies, government entities, and research institutions are fueling Georgia’s Cleantech transformation by fostering continued innovation and strengthening its position as a hub for sustainable technologies.”