Earlier this month, Tractian, an artificial intelligence (AI) startup valued at over $700 million, announced it would be moving its headquarters to the Coda building in Tech Square. CEO Igor Marinelli told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that some of his first employees were Georgia Tech graduates — and that he wanted many more. Being right next door to Georgia Tech, he decided, would give the company direct access to what he called “unmatched talent density.”

As I read the news, I reflected on how many things have changed in our neighborhood since I was a student in the 1990s and how much we — not just Georgia Tech, but also our city and our state — owe to the bold vision that, 25 years ago, led to the emergence of Midtown Atlanta as a thriving innovation district.

I just got back from Davos, Switzerland, where I had a chance to take the pulse of the global economy from an impressive group of leaders gathered at the World Economic Forum — and where I also got to share the remarkable Georgia Tech story! You have surely read the geopolitical headlines that came out of this year’s meeting, but there was much more going on. And one topic in particular dominated every conversation: artificial intelligence.

After celebrating the graduation of nearly 6,900 new Yellow Jackets this past weekend, my heart is full, and — to paraphrase the song — my hand hurts so good! It is truly special to think that so many extraordinary people are leaving Georgia Tech ready to solve problems, innovate, invent, and lead. It never gets old! When everything is said and done, that is our why: to make the world a little better by developing the people who can and will make a difference.

When Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and Chief of Staff Ron Johnson (M.S. OR 1985) shared that our leadership team was planning to compete in the Mini 500 during Homecoming (the Super Bowl of tiny tricycle races), I thought he was kidding. He wasn’t.

When it comes to our state’s economy, many people associate Georgia with peanuts, poultry, timber, carpets, and cars. And yes, we’re pretty strong at all those things. What most people can’t guess is the fact that Georgia’s largest export, and second-largest industry, is actually aerospace. From aircraft, engines, and parts to aviation technology, software, and other products and services, aerospace is very big business in Georgia.