Norfolk Southern extends partnership with Georgia Tech’s ATDC

$500,000 commitment to sustainable tech entrepreneurs builds on recent economic successes

ATLANTA, Feb. 26, 2026 — Norfolk Southern has extended its partnership with Georgia Tech’s Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), committing $250,000 per year over the next two years to continue powering ATDC’s Sustainability Tech vertical. The renewed investment builds on a successful multi-year collaboration that has positioned ATDC as one of Georgia’s leading platforms for founders developing solutions that address climate, energy, and environmental challenges.

Launched in 2023 with initial support from Norfolk Southern, the ATDC Sustainability Tech vertical has become one of the fastest growing and largest verticals at ATDC. Over the past three years, the program has supported more than 35 sustainability focused portfolio companies and engaged additional startups across ATDC’s broader portfolio. Today, the vertical comprises 29 active companies spanning industries such as renewable energy, circular economy technologies, energy efficiency, water tech, ag tech, and climate data solutions.

“ATDC remains at the forefront of cleantech innovation in Georgia,” said Josh Raglin, Norfolk Southern Chief Sustainability Officer. “Norfolk Southern and ATDC share a clear vision for developing and deploying technology to help businesses meet their sustainability goals, which is why extending this partnership is so meaningful.”

The partnership:

• Supports one-on-one startup coaching, sustainability focused programming, and specialized resources designed to guide founders from ideation through commercialization.
• Builds a pipeline of innovators across Georgia.
• Enhances the state’s economy.

In 2024 alone, sustainability portfolio companies generated more than $15 million in revenue and created or saved 114 jobs. The program has also produced two acquisitions, including ClimeCo’s 2023 acquisition of Ampliphi, which enables companies to combat plastic pollution, and Quest Renewables, a solar canopy solution provider which was acquired by Bravo in 2023.

“We are so pleased to continue our partnership with Norfolk Southern for another two years to support our sustainability technology vertical which spans critical sectors that work to improve climate sustainability, energy resiliency, and other research areas that have a tangible impact on human wellbeing,” said John Avery, director of ATDC. “With their support and partnership, we plan to build an even bigger pipeline of founders who are laser focused on creating meaningful business that address today’s challenges.”

The longstanding partnership aligns with Norfolk Southern’s continued investment in growing its Atlanta-based tech capabilities, further reinforcing the company’s presence in Georgia’s innovation ecosystem.

About Norfolk Southern  

Since 1827, Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE​: NSC) and its predecessor companies have safely moved the goods and materials that drive the U.S. economy. Today, it operates a 22-state freight transportation network. Committed to furthering sustainability, Norfolk Southern helps its customers avoid approximately 15 million tons of yearly carbon emissions by shipping via rail. Its dedicated team members deliver approximately 7​ million carloads annually, from agriculture to consumer goods. Norfolk Southern also has the most extensive intermodal network in the eastern U.S. It serves a majority of the country's population and manufacturing base, with connections to every major container port on the Atlantic coast as well as major ports across the Gulf Coast and Great Lakes. Learn more by visiting www.NorfolkSouthern.com.  

About the Advanced Technology Development Center

The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), a program within the Office of Commercialization at Georgia Tech, is the state of Georgia’s technology startup incubator. Founded in 1980, ATDC’s mission is to work with entrepreneurs in Georgia to help them learn, launch, scale, and succeed in the creation of viable, disruptive technology companies. Since its founding, ATDC has grown to become one of the longest running and most successful university-affiliated incubators in the U.S., with its graduate startup companies raising more than $6.2 billion in investment financing and generating more than $14 billion in revenue in the state of Georgia. To learn more, visit atdc.org