During his commencement speech last Friday, Chris Klaus, a Georgia Tech alumnus and tech entrepreneur, pledged to cover the incorporation costs for any graduate launching a startup. Klaus said, “This is about more than just covering fees—it’s about lighting a spark. Every founder needs someone to believe in them early.
Through this gift, we’re offering that belief and allowing graduates to start building with purpose and confidence.”
Klaus founded his cybersecurity company, Internet Security Systems, in 1994 while still a student at Georgia Tech. He dropped out during his sophomore year to focus on his startup full-time after an adviser encouraged him to commercialize his student project. The company went public in the late 1990s and was acquired by IBM for over $1 billion in 2006.
Klaus has been a long-time benefactor of Georgia Tech.
Supporting Georgia Tech startups
He contributed equity from his startup to fund the Klaus Advanced Computing Building on campus and helped launch the school’s accelerator, CREATE-X.
He currently leads Fusen, a platform that supports student founders. Georgia Tech President Ángel Cabrera said, “We invited Chris Klaus to speak at Commencement because he embodies the innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that has defined Georgia Tech for 140 years. Chris inspires a new generation to lead with imagination and creativity through his groundbreaking work, his message, and now his generous gift to this semester’s graduates.”
During the commencement ceremony, Klaus received an honorary doctorate from the university.
He joked, “I’m kind of framing it as this has been a 30-year detour from getting my degree.”
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens has sought to make Atlanta one of the top five tech hubs in the country. A report released last year indicated this would require the launch of 2,000 tech startups each year in the city by 2027. Dickens commended Klaus’s generosity, saying, “Chris Klaus’s support for emerging entrepreneurs will help further Atlanta’s position as one of the country’s leading tech hubs. His generosity exemplifies our city’s collaborative spirit and commitment to equipping the next generation of job creators for success.”
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