Just 25 minutes from downtown Atlanta, the city of Peachtree Corners is quietly building one of the most advanced smart city ecosystems in the United States.
At the heart of it is Curiosity Lab, a 5G-enabled, real-world test bed that allows startups and established tech companies to develop, test, and deploy cutting-edge innovations across the mobility, infrastructure, and the Internet of Things (IoT) sectors. Since its launch in 2019, it’s been a place of many firsts — from autonomous vehicle (AV) traffic signal preemption to underground robot deliveries.
A Smart City You Can Touch
Curiosity Lab is more than a testing ground. It’s a functioning community with more than 7,500 workers and 1,000 residents inside a 500-acre Technology Park. The city has created a frictionless environment for innovation: no intellectual property (IP) or equity requirements, no permitting red tape, and an open invitation to deploy on public roads.
Brandon Branham, Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for Curiosity Lab, describes it as “the country’s leading smart city, showcasing a real-world environment where local and international companies — from startups to established corporations — can pilot, develop, and demo their technologies without committing to full-scale deployment.”
That philosophy, he explained, is about removing friction from the innovation process. “Compared to other testing sites, Curiosity Lab offers all companies easy access to our infrastructure for testing and deployment,” he said. “The city’s ‘yes’ attitude toward these groundbreaking technologies removes the typical ‘red tape’ that is usually seen when deploying technologies, especially when deploying these technologies along a public right of way.”
It’s an approach that has fueled Curiosity Lab’s transformation into a smart city blueprint, complete with a three-mile autonomous vehicle test lane, intelligent traffic systems, and a 25,000-square-foot innovation center. Technology Firsts That Made Headlines
In its first five years, Curiosity Lab has been the launchpad for numerous breakthrough deployments:
- First city in the nation with a full C-V2X (cellular vehicle-to-everything) deployment across public infrastructure (in partnership with Qualcomm and Jacobs)
- First city to implement traffic signal preemption by autonomous vehicles over 5G
- First public deployment of teleoperated e-scooters
- First solar roadway installed on a public street
- First city to deploy AVs from multiple original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) on public roads using 5G
In addition, the city created one of the country’s first IoT Control Rooms, where managers can view traffic flows, lighting, and sensor data in real time. “This room acts as a single-pane-of-glass for all deployed smart city technologies across intelligent traffic cameras and traffic signals, smart streetlights and data sensors, and more, where city managers can easily monitor and analyze our smart city and make educated decision[s] backed by real-world data,” Branham said.
Startup Growth Without the Strings
Startups are a vital part of the innovation ecosystem at Curiosity Lab, particularly through its Connected Future Incubator in partnership with T-Mobile, which supports early-stage companies.
Companies get access to the Curiosity Lab’s infrastructure, mentorship, and prototyping space, and the city takes no ownership or IP stake. It’s economic development and innovation acceleration rolled into one.
Take Trellis, for example. The agtech company built a smart irrigation system that uses soil moisture sensors and cellular networks to help Georgia farmers conserve water. After graduating from the incubator, Trellis moved into a local office in Peachtree Corners — a story Branham pointed to as a success for the startup as well as the city.
Another startup, Sanguina, developed Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-cleared tools for at-home anemia screening and continues to grow within the Curiosity Lab’s ecosystem.
What’s Next: From Ghost Intersections to Expanded Test Routes
Peachtree Corners continues to expand its smart city infrastructure. The city recently partnered with ConnVAS to pilot an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered crosswalk system aimed at improving safety for students. It also collaborated with Seyond, a Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) company, to create a “ghost intersection” where vehicle and pedestrian movements are simulated and analyzed to inform future roadway design.
And, in early 2025, May Mobility’s autonomous shuttle service became fully driverless, marking the first commercial AV deployment of its kind in Georgia.
Meanwhile, the city is looking to expand its testing corridor along SR 141 to link the AV lane from Technology Parkway to the city’s Town Center. “We are always looking to improve our Curiosity Lab ecosystem and our city, through innovative and state-of-the-art technology that will not only showcase the future of technology but improve our city” Branham said.
Advice for Startups: Stay Curious and Keep Iterating
When asked what advice he gives to founders, Branham emphasized the importance of a growth mindset. “Startups should not be afraid to reach out to key professionals who can make a difference — not just for your startup, but also your mindset,” he said. “Improvement is something startups should embrace fully … and there’s no better way to continue expanding, testing, and learning than through improvement.”
That ethos is baked into Curiosity Lab. It’s a place where technology meets real life — not just in the future, but every day.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Reyna Hurand
Quelle/Source: Startup Savant, 28.05.2025
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