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CoverStory

ers narrow searches. The algorithm synthesizes three
independent criteria into a Mosaic Score, derived from
analyzing a number of momentum, market and money-
related factors.

Cooperate to accelerate innovation

The spirit of "coopetition" (cooperative competition) has
also become a driving force behind tech innovation.
Having spent the past 12 years building the Technology
Association of Georgia into the largest state technology
organization, TAG President and CEO Tino Mantella
understands this concept well. TAG hosts more than
200 events yearly as the umbrella organization for 34
professional societies representing over 30,000 mem-
bers.

"Five years ago, you could count the number of incu-
bators and accelerators and co-location spaces on one
hand," Mantella said in reference to Georgia, which
now boasts over 100 locations where young companies
can grow and flourish. According to TAG, Georgia fin-
tech companies collectively generate more than $72 bil-
lion in total annual revenues, third only to New York
and California.

To encourage continuity in the tech sector, Georgia in-
troduced an angel investor tax credit and added com-
puter science as an elective in public high schools for
students on the path to higher education and careers
in the field. Events like the Georgia Technology Sum-
mit, Venture Atlanta and regularly scheduled $50,000
competitions for best new fintech launches have raised
awareness and participation by established companies
in that state.

"We have a really good base of mentors, so when they're
in a business launch competition, oftentimes we align a
mentor with them, somebody that's established in busi-
ness who is willing to spend the time, whether it's help-
ing them to develop their pitch or how to make their
sale or how to connect with a company that's in the
area," Mantella said, noting that while acquisitions do
occur in conjunction with these competitions, startups
often gain a strong foothold.

One payment processor that has latched onto the accel-
erator model is Vantiv Inc., whose accelerator program
has reduced the time to build and deploy emerging pay-
ment options for merchants aligned with Vantiv. Mer-
chants are able to integrate options at their own pace.
The program also encourages dialog within the Vantiv
O.N.E. developer community, where technical knowl-
edge is openly shared through discussion threads.

"Using this idea of an accelerator-launchathon program,
as new technologies become available, there are typical-
ly several sets of groups of merchants that want to add it
to their services right away," said Tony Rose, Director of
Product Management, Mobile, for Vantiv. "We've found

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