John Gattuso, co-founder of FIXD Automotive, and Kolby Hanley, founder of UltraView Archery, were recently recognized for giving back to CREATE-X through the Georgia Tech Founder’s Pledge. Gattuso and Hanley were acknowledged at the Startup Launch kickoff, held May 17 in the Marcus Nanotechnology Building atrium.

“We are appreciative of John and Kolby’s gifts to CREATE-X,” said Raghupathy “Siva” Sivakumar, Vice President of Commercialization and Wayne J. Holman Chair Professor at Georgia Tech, who presented plaques to Gattuso and Hanley. “With support from generous donors like John and Kolby, we can continue to provide entrepreneurial programs for the next wave of students.”

The Georgia Tech Founder’s Pledge is a non-binding pledge, as an individual, to support Georgia Tech with a gift. The donor determines the timing, the amount, and the target programs for their gift.

Gattuso, who was in the first Startup Launch cohort during the summer of 2014, was the first donor to fulfill the Georgia Tech Founder’s Pledge in 2021.

“FIXD wouldn’t exist if it wasn’t for CREATE-X, so for me it was important to start thinking about giving back even when we were small,” said Gattuso. “You don’t need to have a large donation for it to matter. Think about all the programs you have benefitted from during your time at Georgia Tech, and when you make it, consider making a gift back to your alma mater.”

FIXD is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, and is an American-owned company. To date, FIXD has sold over 2.5 million sensors to drivers, empowering car owners everywhere to save time, save money, and simplify car care.

Hanley participated in Startup Launch after winning the 2018 Georgia Tech InVenture Prize. He fulfilled the Georgia Tech Founder’s Pledge earlier this year.

“I decided to give back to CREATE-X financially because I believe in the mission of the program,” said Hanley. “In addition, I would love to give back to CREATE-X and Georgia Tech in other ways – through mentorship, coaching, or any other way that I can.”

UltraView Archery is also based in Atlanta, Georgia. The company’s mission is to make the sport of archery easier by providing customers with brilliantly designed products that they love and enjoy using. Last year, UltraView Archery was the 5th fastest growing private company in the state of Georgia and the 21st fastest growing private company in the Southeast.

Gattuso serves as FIXD’s CEO and earned his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Georgia Tech in 2015. Hanley, who serves as UltraView Archery’s CEO, received his B.S. in materials science and engineering from Georgia Tech in 2019.

To learn more about the Georgia Tech Founder’s Pledge, visit https://create-x.gatech.edu/alumni-and-giving/founders-pledge.