Georgia Tech’s TI:GER Program Cultivates Future Leaders in Tech & Business
Georgia Tech houses a unique educational initiative within the Scheller School of Business known as TI:GER, short for Technological Innovation: Generating Economic Results. This program is available as a STEM concentration in Strategy and Innovation for evening and full-time MBA students at Scheller, and as a minor for Georgia Tech Ph.D. students from the colleges of engineering, sciences, and computing schools. TI:GER has garnered acclaim for its approach to fostering entrepreneurial spirit and technological advancement, with a heavy emphasis on group work and collaboration.
“The uniqueness of the program in fact lies in its emphasis on group work.”
Established in 2002 with the vision to bridge the gap between academia and industry, TI:GER boasts a large network of over 800 alumni who have moved on more grounded than before in business and innovation as they enhance their careers. The program's structure is centered around pairing MBA students with Ph.D. candidates, creating interdisciplinary teams that bring together diverse perspectives and technical expertise. From day one, participants are encouraged to bring their ideas to the table, initiating a journey of exploration, discussion, and application.
With collaboration being an integral element to the TI:GER experience, students tackle real-world challenges through courses like Innovation Analysis, Innovation Research Methods, and Innovation and Business Model Design. Students can bring their own entrepreneurial ideas and, working in teams, transform them into important technology-innovation projects. Classes are complemented by insights from guest speakers and engagement with a vast alumni base, providing industry perspectives and networking opportunities.
Warren Batts, former CEO of Tupperware and a key benefactor of TI:GER, underscores the program’s impact:
Batts has helped more than 900 students at Georgia Tech through his various donations. (Image: Scheller College of Business)
“I like that TI:GER prepares students for the real world. It gives them real opportunity to take a great idea and go through the process of creating a technology business, so students are better prepared for the business world.”
“Students that graduate from the TI:GER program are often just as proud to be a TI:GER graduates as they are having graduated from Georgia Tech,” says Simona Spagnoli. The program stands as a beacon of innovation education in Tech Square and the broader Southeast by nurturing a new generation of industry leaders. Recent student projects span diverse fields including aerospace, artificial intelligence, biotech, biomedical technology, communications technology, consumer technology, fintech, health care technology, information technology, material technology, robotics, sensors, and software.
Coupled with other Georgia Tech offerings such as the Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC), the Enterprise Innovations Institute (EI2), and the GT Apex Accelerator, Tech Square serves as an excellent hub for those aspiring to lead and innovate at the intersection of technology and business.
October 1 is the deadline to apply for the TI:GER cohort starting in January 2025.
Written by Neema Tavakolian