J. Chris Rhodes Named Executive Director of UGA Innovation District

The University of Georgia has named J. Chris Rhodes executive director of the UGA Innovation District, effective Nov. 1, according to a UGA Media Relations press release. He currently serves as director of industry partnerships and project-based learning in UGA’s College of Agricultural and Environmental Science.

In his new role, Rhodes will provide vision and leadership for the Innovation District, working with campus leaders to offer tailored services and create new initiatives to drive further entrepreneurship and commercialization. He will also lead efforts to empower campus entrepreneurs and help them commercialize their ideas through the district’s programs, the release said.

Rhodes will lead the Innovation District Leadership Team, which includes leaders of the Innovation Gateway, Office of Experiential Learning, Student Entrepreneurship Program, Small Business Development Center, and Office of Business Engagement. He will report to the president and senior vice president for academic affairs and the vice provost.

“I am excited about this opportunity to work with faculty and students across campus to transform ideas and discoveries into products and businesses that will shape the future,” Rhodes said in a release. “The University of Georgia community is defined by its ability to push the boundaries of what is possible, and I look forward to working with campus and industry partners to further transform the Innovation District into the epicenter of this effort.”

Prior to joining UGA, Rhodes served as director of global business development and open innovation for the Crop Cycle Division of AGCO Corporation, a global manufacturer and distributor of agricultural solutions. He also held executive responsibilities at John Deere Inc., including leading market planning for Latin America.

As director of industry partnerships and project-based learning in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Rhodes managed industry partnerships, developed entrepreneurship, and mentored faculty and student startups. Since 2010, he has developed and expanded FABricate, a program at the college designed to launch food and agriculture startups.

Rhodes also helped found the college’s Grand Farm initiative, which aims to bring agricultural technology experts and companies to Georgia, and the Integrated Precision Agriculture Institute, which aims to sustainably deliver technology to the planet’s growing population, according to a news release.

Rhodes earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry and molecular biology from Dartmouth College and a master’s degree from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University. While at Duke, he co-founded Precision Biosciences, a company that uses innovative genome-editing technology to develop new medicines to treat difficult-to-treat diseases.

“Chris has a proven track record of working collaboratively to help faculty and students — as well as startups and global corporations — transform new innovations into dynamic products and businesses,” UGA President Jere W. Morehead said in a release. “I look forward to working with him to further strengthen UGA’s innovation ecosystem and support additional economic development locally and across Georgia.”

Founded in 2018 by Morehead, the Innovation District aims to fuel entrepreneurship and innovation by providing UGA stakeholders with resources to capitalize on ideas and discoveries, according to a release. Located at the intersection of UGA’s North Campus and downtown Athens, the Innovation District integrates campus programs, offering small business training and tools, pitch decks and coworking spaces, startup offices, entrepreneurship coaching and mentoring, accelerator services for early-stage business ideas and community-building activities.

As part of the initiative, the university launched Studio 225 in 2019, providing a new location for the UGA Student Entrepreneurship Program and coworking spaces for student startups. The university also dedicated the Delta Innovation Hub as home to the UGA Faculty Startup Program in 2021.

Rhodes will be part of UGA’s expanding research and innovation efforts. In 2023, the university’s research and development spending reached a record $570.9 million, marking its fifth consecutive year of growth.

“Chris Rhodes’ appointment represents the next step in the evolution of the Innovation District,” S. Jack Hu, UGA’s senior vice president for academic affairs and vice provost, said in a release. “The Innovation District is a tremendous asset that helps the university fulfill its land-grant mission by bringing breakthrough discoveries to market and applying our extraordinary talent to solving society’s greatest challenges.”