Media Contacts:
Tanya Dunne
Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
404-586-8471
tdunne@macoc.com

Venture Atlanta Contact:
Allyson Eman
Executive Director
770-298-4202
aeman@ventureatlanta.org



ATLANTA – August 20, 2008 – Venture Atlanta 2008, the premier investor showcase for emerging technology companies in Georgia, today announced it will feature a panel discussion by digital media experts at its October inaugural conference. Panel members will discuss trends in social networking, user-generated video and online gaming, and what these trends mean for the way media will be consumed in the future. The panel will also discuss opportunities for emerging companies to take advantage of these increasingly popular technologies.

The Venture Atlanta conference will be held October 15 –16 at the Omni Hotel in Atlanta. The digital media panel will take place the afternoon of October 16, along with presentations by twenty Georgia-based technology companies seeking funding. Attendees at the conference will include top-tier venture capitalists from across the country, as well as senior technology executives.

The panel will feature four distinguished guests, all with distinctive points of view. Stu Snyder, president and chief operating officer of Turner Broadcasting System’s Animation, Young Adults and Kids Media, will provide insight from his responsibility over a portfolio of large media brands such as Cartoon Network and Adult Swim. Braxton Jarratt, CEO of Atlanta-based ClearLeap, will discuss emerging models in the distribution of web video and how start-ups are taking advantage of these changes in the media landscape. Mike Eckert will use his background as both a big media CEO (including 14 years at The Weather Channel) and CEO of start-up Pathfire, Inc. to offer ways in which established and emerging companies can work together. And finally, Jeff Bussgang, general partner at Flybridge Capital Partners, will discuss his approach to investment opportunities as a venture capitalist in the digital media arena.

Venture Atlanta’s digital media panel will be led by Greg Foster, a general partner at Atlantabased Noro-Moseley Partners. Foster’s experience as an entrepreneur, an executive at Turner, and now as an early stage VC will help tie the panel presentation together.

“Digital media, from social networking to user-generated video and online gaming, are dramatically changing consumer interaction and consumption patterns, and present a wealth of opportunities for companies today,” said Foster. “Our Venture Atlanta panel will leverage the knowledge of digital media experts and thought leaders to help companies better prepare for and take part in growing digital media trends.”

Venture Atlanta 2008 is a collaboration of three of the leading business and executive organizations in the Georgia community: The Atlanta CEO Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). The event is expected to be one of the largest venture capital conferences in the region.

Registration for Venture Atlanta is currently open and filling up fast. Those interested in attending are encouraged to register as early as possible due to limited space. To register for, or learn more about, Venture Atlanta, please visit www.ventureatlanta.org.

About the Atlanta CEO Council
The Atlanta CEO Council is an exclusive organization for C-Level and senior executives that has been serving the community since 1999. The Council membership is comprised of more than 1,000 CEOs and senior executives (CIOs, CFOs, COOs, CTOs, etc.) from leading technology and related companies from across the Southeast. The Atlanta CEO Council focuses on the strategic development and support of the technology community in the metro Atlanta area. Members of the Atlanta CEO Council represent companies that employ more than 50,000 people in the Atlanta region and generate over $10 billion in direct annual revenue for the local economy. For more information on the Atlanta CEO Council, please visit www.atlantaceo.org.

About the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce
The Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce (MACOC) – with our 4,000 member companies that collectively employ more than 700,000 workers – is a catalyst for a vibrant metro region. The Metro Atlanta Chamber focuses on the issues that matter most to the business community: improving quality of life, promoting economic growth and making Atlanta a brand name that means opportunity. For more information on the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, visit www.AtlantaTechnologyLoop.com.

About Technology Association of Georgia The Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to support its members by generating opportunities for personal, professional, and business growth. By forging strategic alliances, TAG serves as a primary catalyst to foster a rich environment for economic development in Georgia’s technology community. TAG is made up of 5,200 members representing technology leaders from over 2,800 Georgia-based companies, affiliated technology and business organizations. For more information on TAG, visit www.tagonline.org.