Curiosity Lab selects Heintz to drive next phase

Curiosity Lab at Peachtree Corners has appointed Emily Heintz (pictured) as its new Executive Director, beginning her role as the organisation prepares for a major expansion of its Innovation Campus and a renewed push to attract and support next-generation mobility and smart city technologies.

Heintz told Cities Today that her first year will focus on strengthening Curiosity Lab’s position as one of the most effective real-world testbeds for emerging technology. She said the organisation is entering a period of rapid growth that requires deeper collaboration, increased deployment capacity and a more intentional experience for companies working on site.

“My focus is on strengthening Curiosity Lab’s position as one of the world’s most effective real-world testbeds for emerging technology,” she said. “Over the next 12 to 18 months, we’re concentrating on three things: expanding our deployment capacity, deepening collaboration across our ecosystem and shaping a more intentional experience for the companies that work here.”

A key milestone ahead is the expansion of the Innovation Campus from 2,300 to 4,600 square metres. Heintz said the new capacity will allow Curiosity Lab to support more advanced deployments, attract a broader mix of companies and create an environment where start-ups, corporations, researchers and public partners can move quickly from proof of concept to scaled deployment.

“As the Innovation Campus expands, I see Curiosity Lab becoming even more of an innovation engine for the region–where start-ups from around the world, corporations, researchers and public partners can move from concept to scaled deployment faster than anywhere else.”

Curiosity Lab’s model is built around enabling real-world integration rather than controlled pilot tests. Heintz said the organisation will continue making it easier for companies to deploy and iterate across connected intersections, AV corridors and advanced communications networks.

“Our model offers innovators something that is hard to find: access to a full city environment that encourages testing and improvements and has the infrastructure to support it.”

She added that Curiosity Lab will increasingly focus on partnerships that link innovators to customers, talent, capital and global networks.

“The most meaningful partnerships ahead will be the ones that intentionally connect our ecosystem of innovators to the customers, talent, capital and technology resources they need to grow.”

Heintz said these partnerships directly support the city’s broader economic development goals, from job creation to long-term business investment.

“We measure success not just by the technologies deployed but by the ripple effects: jobs created, companies establishing their US presence here, students interacting with real-world innovation and a more vibrant business district overall.”

Supporting a diverse pipeline of innovators, she said, will remain central to Curiosity Lab’s mission.

“A well-curated ecosystem not only fosters great technology but also creates a resilient, inclusive and opportunity-filled community.”

Before joining Curiosity Lab, Heintz built a career spanning start-ups, venture capital, research and economic development. Her previous roles included leading strategic intelligence at SkySpecs, founding the research and strategy firm EntryPoint, and serving in senior positions at the Michigan Venture Capital Association, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Ann Arbor SPARK.

Image: Curiosity Lab