Atlanta Biotech Founder Danielle Ferris Named 2026 Georgia Innovator of the Year

Danielle Ferris, founder and chief executive of Atlanta-based diagnostics startup Meridian Biosciences South, was named Georgia's Innovator of the Year at a state business awards ceremony this week, recognized for developing a blood test capable of detecting sepsis markers roughly four hours faster than standard hospital lab processes.

Ferris founded the company seven years ago after working as a research scientist studying infection response, frustrated by how often sepsis, a leading cause of hospital deaths, went undetected until patients were already critically ill. Her company's diagnostic test has since been adopted by several Georgia hospital systems, including pilot programs at two Atlanta-area emergency departments.

"Every hour of delay in catching sepsis measurably increases a patient's risk of dying," Ferris said in accepting the award. "We didn't set out to build a business first and a solution second. The business exists because the four-hour gap was killing people, and somebody needed to close it."

The company employs 60 people at its Atlanta headquarters and laboratory facility, a deliberate choice Ferris says was about giving back to the city where she grew up rather than relocating to a more established biotech hub. The company has raised $34 million in venture funding to date and is currently pursuing full FDA clearance for its diagnostic platform.

State economic development officials pointed to the company as an example of the kind of homegrown biotech growth Georgia has been trying to cultivate as it competes with other states for life sciences investment.