By Stanfield Gray, guest contributor | When DIG SOUTH launched on July 4, 2012, our goal was simple: plant the flag as the South’s first and foremost event elevating the digital economy.

We invited leading brands and promising startups from across the region – Sparc, Blackbaud, Benefitfocus, PeopleMatter, RedHat, CNN, Coca-Cola – to join reps from global brands like Facebook, Twitter, Google, IBM, Fast Company, Inc and others to discuss innovation in technology, marketing, media, entertainment, business, entrepreneurship and other verticals. And since that auspicious launch, our mantra has been “Succeed in the South.”