In 2019, Dematic headquarters moved to Atlanta, Georgia and quickly made an impression as an industry leader providing more than $30 million in economic impact. As part of Dematic’s continuing commitment to Metro Atlanta, Shibu Sasidharan, Senior Vice President of Global Commercial and Strategy at Dematic, recently participated as a featured panelist at the “Automating the ATL: Building Atlanta's Robotics Ecosystem” symposium.

The event, organized by the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Advanced Technology Development Center at Georgia Tech, aimed to highlight the growing prominence of Atlanta as a hub for robotics and automation technology development and commercialization.

Sasidharan shared his insights on various topics related to Atlanta’s robotics ecosystem with an audience of over 200 technology and robotics professionals, academics, and venture capitalists. 

Sasidharan emphasized Dematic chose Atlanta as its headquarters not simply to have a physical presence, but to be part of a thriving ecosystem. Atlanta is home to major Fortune 500 companies, all of which are important to Dematic. According to Georgia.org, 85% of the world’s top 3PL (third party logistics) companies operate in Georgia (with Atlanta being home to 65% of them), which provides a dense population of existing and potential clients for Dematic.

Atlanta is also home to a variety of major Fortune 500 companies, all of which are potentially important to Dematic. Others have also recognized Atlanta as a potential hub for collaborative opportunities. Sasidharan highlighted Walmart's decision to move their software resources team supporting Sam's Club to Atlanta (and actually into the same building as Dematic).

Sasidharan expressed his desire to see a mass robotics incubator established in the city. He believes Atlanta has the potential to create an ecosystem similar to successful initiatives in Boston and Pittsburgh. With the support of the exceptional universities (like Georgia Tech), researchers, and innovators in the area, Atlanta can become a leading force in robotics.

Sasidharan emphasized the importance of taking a holistic approach to robotics development. Instead of focusing solely on technological advancements, he stressed the need for harmonious solutions that integrate hardware, software, services, and operational understanding. The wealth of technology partners and up-and-coming companies specializing in robotic systems based in Metro Atlanta make the endless possibilities for growth and innovation. 

For Dematic, being present in an innovative and high-tech ecosystem is crucial. Shibu explained the value of building relationships with technology partners and educational institutions. Dematic has, for example, established a strong co-investment and strategic partnerships with Georgia Tech and has benefitted from hiring many recent graduates.

Additionally, Dematic has formed innovative relationships with other universities in the area. The company also extends its partnership efforts to high schools, such as their collaboration with Northview High School in Fulton County for a robotics competition. By actively engaging with various levels of education, Dematic aims to attract the best talent to drive their continued success.