Partnership for Innovation
2025 Impact Report
Five Years of Innovation
with Fivefold Returns

Celebrating Five Years of Scalable Innovation and Regional Prosperity
Over the past five years, the Partnership for Innovation (PIN) has grown from its commitment to accelerate innovation into a regional economic powerhouse, catalyzing more than 200 projects and over 300 community engagements across Georgia and six states. We've proven that innovation is essential infrastructure to build and sustain vibrant, resilient communities for all.
In 2025, we celebrate not just scale, but durability. Our projects are generating more than a 5x return per dollar invested through follow-on funding, partnerships, and sustained impact. More importantly, the communities we serve, from Fitzgerald, Georgia to Marion, Alabama to Charleston, South Carolina, are leading the innovation themselves, with PIN serving as the connective tissue linking local vision to regional resources. In its first five years, PIN’s work has been recognized with 10 national and international awards, underscoring the strength of its innovation model.
This year proved that combining community expertise with university research, industry technology, student energy, and cross-sector funding drives transformation. A rural school's entrepreneurship program becomes a statewide model. An aging water system becomes a platform for youth workforce development. An expensive flood prediction method becomes a rapid, affordable tool used by emergency responders. And crucially, young people from all backgrounds see pathways into public-sector innovation and civic leadership as real careers.
PIN's unique architecture—interlocking pillars (Community Research, Economic Opportunity, Student Engagement, and Workforce Development)—allows us to address complex challenges holistically. When we fund a city-university water safety project, we don't just provide money; we embed interns to do analysis, train local youth to become water operators, and help the community replicate the model elsewhere. This kind of integration is rare, and it is what makes PIN powerful—not only for the communities it serves today, but also as a force multiplier and a model that other regions can adapt and scale.
Over the next five years, we aim to deepen our impact in Georgia while scaling the PIN model across the Southeast, where our South is a living laboratory that fuels innovation for empowerment and economic growth.
Thank you to our 200+ private-public-civic partners, including 40+ institutes of higher learning, students, entrepreneurs, funders, our team, board of advisors, and most importantly, the communities and people who make this work real every day.
From the South, With Innovation and Impact,
Chris & Debra
Chris Womack
Board Chair, Partnership for Innovation
President and CEO, Southern Company
Debra Lam
Founding Executive Director
Partnership for Innovation

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Partnership for Innovation 2025 Anniversary Video

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Our Foundational Model
PIN's unique approach is built upon five core principles, ensuring our initiatives are effective, sustainable, and impactful:
Community-Led
Local governments, residents, and organizations define priorities and solutions, universities and companies support, not prescribe.
Public-Private-University Coalition
Funding, expertise, and connections flow through aligned partnerships so communities don't have to navigate fragmented systems.
Integrated Pillars
Research, workforce, students, and entrepreneurship are braided together so a single project generates multiple forms of value and opportunity.
Replicable by Design
Every project is piloted with the intent of becoming a model others can adapt and scale, creating an interconnected innovation corridor across the South.
Broadening who Benefits
PIN intentionally expands who participates in and gains from innovation—across geography, sector, and institution type—so opportunity reaches communities that are often overlooked.
Our Living Laboratory

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Principles in Action

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Marion, Alabama
Next Generation Water Stewards
Marion faces a fundamental infrastructure challenge: aging water systems, workforce gaps, and limited resources. But rather than accept this as inevitable, the City of Marion, Alabama Power, the University of Alabama, and Georgia Southern University's Institute for Water and Health are reimagining it as an opportunity.
The Challenge
Marion’s water infrastructure is deteriorating, and the city struggles to maintain service reliability and quality. Equally critical: there's a shortage of trained water operators, and young people don't see utility management as a career path. About a third of Marion residents live in poverty, so rate increases to fund repairs are especially difficult to absorb. Finally, there's a trust gap—many residents don't fully understand water safety or feel heard on water issues.
Why This Matters
Safe, reliable water is a basic right and a foundation for economic development. Too often, rural communities are left to solve this alone. PIN's investment and cross-sector support give Marion the capacity to test, measure, and refine an integrated model. When Marion succeeds, other similar rural and smaller communities can learn from their playbook.
The Solution
The project team set out to address the following:
Workforce and Youth Development
Internship programs train students in water-quality management and STEM careers, preparing them for positions as water operators and utility staff—good, stable jobs.
Infrastructure and Operations
Partners help Marion plan and execute improvements: rehabilitating wells, upgrading chemical feed systems, installing advanced meters to increase reliability and safety.
Peer Mentoring
Marion is paired with Eastman, Georgia, so utility leaders and operators can share lessons on funding, maintenance, community communication, and workforce recruitment.
Community Trust and Engagement
The project team ran community meetings, surveys, and communications campaigns to build understanding and trust around water quality and investment needs.
Early Results and Scalability
Enrolled 5 people in water-quality internship training ending in certification
Completed assessment of all municipal wells and initiated rehabilitation planning
Held two community forums attended by more than 100 residents
Secured an additional $1 million in state funding for water infrastructure
“The project has been very helpful–seeing different processes from Eastman's sewage treatment facility has given us ideas and things to bring back to improve our system.”
–Dexter Hinton, Mayor of Marion, Alabama

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Charleston County, South Carolina
Artificial intelligence & Digital Twin for Coastal Flood Resilience
Charleston faces a "triple risk": heavy rains, coastal and river flooding, and hurricane season. Each year, storms slow emergency response times, putting lives at risk and increasing recovery costs. Traditional flood mapping is slow and expensive.
The Challenge
When flooding hits Charleston County, Emergency Medical Services (EMS), fire, and police need to reach people quickly. But when roads flood, even familiar routes become impassable. Emergency planners struggle to predict which roads will be underwater, where bottlenecks will form, and where to pre-position resources during storms. This costs lives and extends recovery time.
The Solution
Charleston County and a Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) research team are building an AI and digital twin system that:
Uses GIS analytics and machine learning to predict which roads will flood at different precipitation levels
Models how flooding will slow emergency vehicle routing
Recommends optimal pre-positioning of EMS, fire, and police vehicles during storms
Provides a tool Charleston County EMS can use operationally, not just for research
Why This Matters
Every coastal and river-prone community in the Southeast faces the same challenge. If Charleston's model is validated and documented, cities like Savannah, Jacksonville, and beyond can adapt it. PIN's investment in Charleston creates a tool and a playbook that multiplies across the region.
"For Charleston County, the new data and sensor system has transformed how EMS operates during floods, strengthening safety and resilience for both residents and visitors."
–Kim Winn, Deputy Chief of Operations Charleston County EMS
Early Results and Scalability
The project shows the model can identify high-risk corridors in weeks instead of months. Emergency planners can now model different storm scenarios and test response strategies before storms hit.
For PIN, this project is proof that cutting-edge AI and digital twin technology, paired with community expertise and real operational data, can serve public safety, and can be replicated by other coastal communities.

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Forsyth County, Georgia
Enhancing Road Safety with AI
Curved roads are dangerous. Nationally, horizontal curves account for 25% of fatal vehicle crashes despite representing only 5% of road miles (Federal Highway Administration, 2016). Forsyth County is proactively exploring cutting-edge smartphone-based technology to identify and prioritize the most dangerous curves more quickly and cost-effectively than traditional methods, using only sensors that already exist in everyday devices.
The Challenge
Traditional road surveys are slow and expensive. Engineers must drive roads manually, collect measurements, and then analyze data to create improvement plans. High-risk curves might be overlooked. Investments might not target the most dangerous spots.
The Solution
Georgia Tech and Kennesaw State University researchers, Forsyth County EMS, and Forsyth County Department of Engineering partner to deploy and refine a smartphone-based AI app that:
Uses the phone's built-in sensors to collect curve geometry and road characteristics as engineers drive
Uses machine learning to detect high-risk curves and estimate crash probability
Creates a prioritized roadway asset database in weeks instead of months
Recommends specific interventions: better signage, speed reduction, guardrails, or realignment
Why This Matters
Every rural county and small town has dangerous curves. Traditional methods for assessing them can be time- and labor-intensive. This tool democratizes the process, enabling communities to identify and prioritize the most hazardous locations more quickly and effectively. Forsyth’s pilot can become a model for better road safety for drivers, passengers, and residents.
Early Results and Scalability
Initial deployment has identified 12 high-priority curves in Forsyth County. The model can run at low cost on any smartphone, allowing engineers to see real-time results and prioritize dangerous curves much faster than with traditional field surveys and manual analysis.
For PIN, this is a case study in how appropriate technology—not necessarily expensive or complex—can empower local governments to solve local problems faster and cheaper.
“All of our sign guys will be able to run this app going down the road, so they can see real-time if there is an issue and go ahead and fix it”
–Tim Allen, Forsyth County Assistant Director of Engineering

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Millen, Georgia
AI for Safer Cotton Farming
In Jenkins County’s cotton fields, farmers, researchers, and students are using smart sensors and data—not more chemicals—to protect crops, reduce risk, and keep farm communities competitive.
The Challenge
Farmers in Jenkins County work to protect their crops while minimizing pesticide use, but limited access to timely, field-level pest information can lead to applications that are poorly timed, unnecessary, or insufficient to prevent losses. At the same time, precision agriculture tools are used by only a small fraction of Georgia farmers, leaving rural producers without affordable, practical ways to target pests more precisely.
The Solution
A community research team led by Georgia Southern University and the City of Millen, with partners including the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, local high schools, and ag‑tech company FarmSense, is piloting AI‑powered insect sensors in cotton fields. The system uses smart traps and AI to identify pest species and track their populations in real time, feeding dashboards and mobile apps that show where and when pests are emerging so farmers can treat only the hotspots instead of entire fields.​
Why This Matters
For Millen and Jenkins County, AI in the cotton fields is not about abstract technology—it is about protecting farmer livelihoods, reducing pesticide exposure for residents, and making rural communities part of the next wave of agricultural innovation. By documenting methods and results, this project can offer a practical blueprint other cotton‑growing regions can adapt to improve both environmental health and farm economics
Early Results and Scalability
Early findings suggest the AI sensors can detect pest outbreaks sooner and pinpoint specific areas of the field, enabling more targeted pesticide applications and potential reductions in chemical use, labor, and cost. Farmers who use the dashboards also become better at scouting and interpreting pest patterns even after the devices are removed. The project is building local capacity by training farmers and students in AI tools and data interpretation, creating a foundation for broader ag‑tech adoption.​
“The project in Millen sends all this data to an account dashboard that is easily accessible via your phone or a computer. It’s also optimized for low bandwidth areas, which is particularly important in rural areas.”
–Atin Adhikari, Professor of Biostatistics, Epidemiology, and Environmental Health Sciences, Georgia Southern University

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Emerging Innovators
Paid Work, Real Impact
PIN connects college students to paid summer internships and early-mid career professionals to annual fellowships with nonprofits, startups, city agencies, corporations, and community organizations tackling real challenges and in key growth industries. Interns and Fellows contribute expertise in key areas, including data analysis, software development, and program evaluation—to real-world civic challenges. They get additional mentorship, career development and graduate knowing how to fluently navigate different sectors and build public-private partnerships on their own.
In 2025, PIN emerging innovators reached milestones including:
112 Interns and Fellows from 30 universities, 14 states, 17 countries
825 applications representing over 120+ universities and 200+ majors
67 employers with impact across 59 communities
99% of program participants would recommend the program to others
Total work invested: 67,000 hours
“The PINtern program was one of the greatest investments we made this year. Not only did our interns deliver several significant, valuable projects, but they also helped us identify opportunities and strategies to engage with the next generation of professionals.”
— Joseph Henning, President and CEO, Henry County Chamber of Commerce

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Achieve Atlanta Scholars Cohort
One of PIN's important internship partners is Achieve Atlanta. PIN forms a cohort of paid internships for Achieve Atlanta Scholars–first-generation college students supported by Achieve Atlanta scholarships through Atlanta Public Schools.
A Dedicated Pathway to Success
Instead of asking Achieve Atlanta Scholars to find internships on their own (a barrier many first-gen students face), PIN and Achieve Atlanta co-created this initiative for PIN's Summer Interns Program 2025 and beyond. Scholars are recruited, placed with carefully matched PIN partners, provided professional development and mentorship, and supported to build networks and career trajectories in public-sector innovation, civic tech, and community development.
Measurable Impact
6 AATL (Achieve Atlanta) Scholars
Six scholars completed PIN's Summer Internship Program in 2025. The cohort is expanding to twelve for 2026.
100% Next-Step Success
All 6 AATL Scholar PINterns were hired or continued their education, including 2 hired by their host organizations and 1 invited to stay on in a volunteer role.
Career-Clarifying Experience
Scholars report greater clarity and confidence about their career direction after applying their skills in real civic and innovation roles.
Expanded Partnership
Seeing the success of PIN's Summer Internship Program in 2025, Achieve Atlanta and PIN have renewed and expanded their partnership for 2026.
Why This Matters
PIN's model turns scholarships into early career momentum. For Achieve Atlanta Scholars, PIN internships provide not just paid work but networks, mentorship, and proof that public-sector innovation is a viable career path. For PIN and its partners, the cohort brings talented, committed, diverse leaders into civic innovation roles. It's a virtuous cycle: opportunity creates opportunity.
"I was kind of lost because computer science is such a broad field. You can go anywhere. So when I got through this internship, I got the opportunity to have more of a clear path. Now I know I want to go into the AI field, and I can prepare myself to be more aligned with that field. It made my path to success more clear."
–Abdoulaye Barry, Achieve Atlanta Scholar

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The Force Multiplier Effect
The true strength of PIN lies not just in its individual pillars, but in their deliberate and dynamic integration. These four foundational areas—Community Research, Economic Opportunity, Student Engagement, and Workforce Development—do not operate in isolation; instead, they converge and amplify each other's impact, creating a powerful "force multiplier effect." This synergistic approach ensures that every initiative generates exponential value, addressing complex challenges comprehensively and fostering sustainable change.
Cross-Pillar Integration: The Whole Greater Than the Sum
Marion, Alabama Water Project Example
Community Research
Funds city-university partnership to study water safety, aging infrastructure, workforce gaps, and community trust
Workforce Development
Supports utility operator training pipeline
Student Engagement
Places interns to conduct water-quality analysis, support curriculum design, and facilitate community engagement
Economic Opportunity
Connects trained water operators to permanent jobs in utilities; supports small businesses (plumbers, contractors) that grow as water infrastructure improves
Result
One project generates research, workforce development, student opportunity, and economic growth across Marion and beyond

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The PIN Playbook
Five Years. One Proven Model. Ready to Scale.
We didn’t start with a manual — we built it.
Over five years, PIN has tested, refined, and connected the pieces: people, programs, partners, and pathways. What began as pilots has become a replicable model for community-first innovation.
Now, we’re ready to share what works, and guide others to do the same.
The South is ready. Across Georgia, and the south , communities are eager to co-design solutions to shared challenges. The appetite for PIN's model is high.
We’ve spent five years building a model that works–across sectors, across geographies, and with measurable results.
From proof to playbook, we’re ready to scale what works.

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2025 Financial Statement

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5 Years of Impact & 5x Returns
Impact on Investment: Measuring What Matters
300+
Communities Engaged
200+
Organizations Supported
700+
Small/Mid Businesses Impacted
400+
Jobs Created
200+
Projects Catalyzed
40+
Higher-Eds Represented
10
National & International
Awards Won
Five Years in the Making
PIN as a living laboratory for community growth

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The PIN Network
The PIN Team
Clarence Anthony Jr.
Workforce Development Manager
Kayla Burns
Associate Director of Operations
Cody Cocchi
Student Engagement Manager
Katie O'Connor
Community Research Manager
Debra Lam
Founding Executive Director
Jamal Lewis
Associate Director of Impact
Chad Nash
Strategic Relations Manager
KeAndrea Rivers
Student Engagement Associate
PIN Key Partners

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PIN Board of Advisors
John Albers
State Senator, Georgia Senate
District 56
Kevin Blair
President and Chief Executive Officer, Synovus
Raphael Bostic
President and Chief Executive Officer, Federal Reserve Bank
of Atlanta
Kevin Byrne
Chief Executive Officer, The University Financing Foundation Inc.
Christian Charnaux
Board Vice Chair, Executive Vice President and Chief Development Officer, Hilton
​Chris Clark​
President and Chief Executive Officer, Georgia Chamber
of Commerce
Dallas Clement
President and Chief Financial Officer,
Cox Enterprises
​Gregory Dozier​
Commissioner, Technical College System of Georgia
Heather Fortner
Chief Executive Officer, SignatureFD
Sonya ​Halpern
State Senator, Georgia Senate
District 39
​Larry Hanson​
Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer, Georgia
Municipal Association
Scott Holcomb
Representative,
Georgia House of Representatives,
District 101
Paul Judge
Managing Partner, Panoramic Ventures; Co-Founder and Executive Chairman, Pindrop
Debra Lam
Founding Executive Director,
Partnership for Innovation
Dan Lynn
Chief Commercial and Restaurant Officer, Inspire Brands
Cecilia Mao
Chief Product Officer, Equifax
Christopher Nunn
Commissioner,
Georgia Department of
Community Affairs
G.P. Bud Peterson
Board Chair Emeritus; President Emeritus and Regents Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology
Anna Roach
Executive Director, Atlanta
Regional Commission
Nashlie Sephus
Chief Executive Officer, The Bean Path
Stephanie Stuckey
Chief Executive Officer,
Stuckey's Corporation
Brad Thomas
Representative,
Georgia House of Representatives, District 21
Pat Wilson
Commissioner,
Georgia Department of
Economic Development
Chris Womack
Board Chair; President and Chief Executive Officer, Southern Company

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2025 Impact Report
Partnership for Innovation
75 5th St. NW, Suite 3000
Atlanta, GA 30308

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