Tech Innovation From the Peach State: How ‘Bout Them Apples?

Last week I attended The Summit 2018, TAG’s annual gathering in Atlanta of prominent C-level executives, entrepreneurs and academic leaders from around the world. The Summit not only showcases speakers, but it’s the event where someone new is inducted into the Technology Hall of Fame of Georgia, and Georgia’s most innovative tech companies revolutionizing business are recognized.

I’ve been to countless TAG Summit events. I’m always eager to see old friends I haven’t seen in years (in some cases, decades), and especially keen on learning about innovative companies in my own back yard.

This year didn’t disappoint.

In 1995, I was charged with writing a press release for Peachtree Software. They were introducing their – now famous – accounting software for the new IBM PC. The whole set of modules was to be priced at $199 down from about $5,000 a module for the version that sold on older computer systems. I questioned CEO Bill Goodhew if he was sure this wasn’t too rash. He simply smiled and said, ‘you write the press release Peter and we’ll take care of the rest.” They went on to phenomenal success.

Running into Bill Goodhew in the hallways of the Cobb Galleria during a break at the TAG Summit was a treat for me. Bill, a 1995 GA Technology Hall of Fame inductee, retired several years ago and only recently I wondered how he was and just like magic, there he was – looking great and happy to be there!

Georgia Governor Nathan Deal dropped in on the crowd too and offered words of congratulations and encouragement to all of us 1,500 or so assembled technoids. Tripp Rackley (serial entrepreneur with several very large exits) softened up the crowd for his “Bud” President Peterson of Georgia Tech, who gave a great to-the-point acceptance for his induction into the Technology Hall of Fame.

The hot topics in the panels and keynotes spanned artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of things and blockchain. I attended a session on how AI is being used in AgTech – seems the systems are being taught how to learn that apples come in different colors and sizes, not to mention learning about tomatoes, corn, bugs and plant diseases. Once these smart machines have all of the intelligence loaded in, they say we might be able to get ‘Farmer Joe’ some much needed help. But will they be able to get us strawberries in winter that actually taste as good as they look?

I love how the tech industry constantly changes and that Georgia companies are leading in so many ways. It’s all very cool and a far cry from $199 accounting software!