FanDuel to open tech hub in Atlanta with over $15M investment

New York-based online sportsbook platform FanDuel announced Tuesday plans to establish its tech hub in Atlanta, Georgia, and promised high-paying jobs focused on the company’s product development and IT operations.

The Flutter Entertainment's subsidiary plans to invest more than $15 million in the venture, which includes a deal with the state’s higher education system to train students for careers in the tech industry. Within five years the proposed 68,000 square-foot operations center will host hundreds of high-paying jobs focused on software engineering, information technology, user experience, user interface design, and product development.

Like Microsoft, Airbnb, NCR, Google, and other tech companies that have sprouted technology campuses in Atlanta, FanDuel is looking to leverage young, diverse, tech-savvy graduates from Georgia Tech, Emory University, Clark Atlanta University, Georgia State University, the University of Georgia at Athens, Spelman College and Morehouse College. The company has committed to working closely with these educational institutions to develop curricula that train candidates for careers, and to become an active community partner to help build a career-ready workforce, according to Patch.

Governor Brian Kemp was joined by Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and other area leaders in announcing the forthcoming facility.

Governor Brian Kemp said: "I'm proud to welcome FanDuel to the Peach State, and I look forward to seeing the countless opportunities this project creates for the hardworking Georgians across Metro Atlanta. FanDuel's decision to open a tech hub in Georgia is a testament to our world-class universities and tech training programs, as well as the diverse ecosystem of professional sports leagues and teams we've cultivated here."

"As we grow our business in a very competitive industry, it's critical we have access to a diverse talent pool needed to build the most innovative platform in the sector," said FanDuel Group Chief Product Officer Sarah Butterfass, as reported by Patch. "During this process, it became clear that Atlanta provided FanDuel with a winning combination of access to a thriving tech cluster, respected educational institutions we could partner with, and a diverse and welcoming community eager for our arrival."

Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said in a statement: "This center will not only expand the city's digital media and e-entertainment sectors, but it will also provide new job opportunities for more Atlantans in software development and other promising fields. Atlanta continues to attract companies across many different industries looking to join our welcoming business community, which includes a highly skilled and diverse workforce. We thank FanDuel for selecting Atlanta for this operations center."