Out of a record-breaking 400-plus applications, 91 companies will present and be showcased with 60 percent of those selected coming from outside Georgia
ATLANTA (September 22, 2021) — Venture Atlanta, one of the nation’s most prestigious venture capital conferences, continues to select a large and diverse lineup of innovators from the Southeast’s hottest tech markets with the announcement of this year’s presenting and showcase companies. Ninety-one companies will be featured at the annual conference on October 20-21 to be held both in person and virtually. To view the list of selected companies, go here.
For 14 years, Venture Atlanta has been selecting the most promising tech companies and bringing in top investment firms from across the nation to hear them pitch. The annual conference has helped launch more than 500 companies and raise $6.5 billion in funding to date. The conference boasts a roster of highly successful alumni, including Kabbage, which was acquired by American Express, Roadie, which is pending acquisition by UPS, and Salesloft and Flock Safety, both with recent valuations of over $1 billion.
“We again set a new record with over 400 applicants for Venture Atlanta Momentum 2021—it’s our most competitive year ever and reflects yet another raising of the bar in terms of presenter innovation and quality,” said Venture Atlanta CEO Allyson Eman. “We required even higher scores than in years past for those companies selected to present and be showcased. Our competitive application and selection process is the reason Venture Atlanta is one of the best conferences of its kind in the country.”
Venture Atlanta Attracts Even Greater Diversity in Founders and Geographies
Those selected to present and be showcased also represent Venture Atlanta’s most diverse group to date, with over 50 percent of companies being led by underrepresented founders.
“Helping innovative and disruptive companies gain better access to capital and connections is more important than ever, and that’s exactly what Venture Atlanta has always done and continues to do,” said Paul Rothstein, chair of the Venture Atlanta Recruiting and Selection Committee and partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, a Platinum Level conference sponsor. “We’re proud of the companies that will present and be showcased this year, including the diversity they represent.”
Venture Atlanta also continues to extend its reach geographically, drawing an increasing number of founders, entrepreneurs, and investors from outside Atlanta.
“Over 60 percent of companies selected this year to present or be showcased come from outside of Georgia, reflecting the growing awareness and pull of Venture Atlanta throughout the Southeast’s technology ecosystem,” said Rich Fraim, general partner of Knoll Ventures, a Silver Level conference sponsor. Fraim also sits on Venture Atlanta’s board of directors and leads its Companies Committee. “We remain focused on our primary goal of helping founders in the Southeast access sources of capital from across the country, as well as giving investors the ability to see a curated selection of some of the most exciting emerging companies in the region. Each year, we get bigger and better and 2021 is no exception.”
Companies outside of Georgia that will present or be showcased are based in some of the strongest tech innovation hubs in the Southeast, including Tampa and Miami, Fla., Nashville, Tenn., Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Texas, Raleigh and Charlotte, N.C., Richmond, Va., Birmingham, Ala., and Washington, D.C.
Venture Atlanta continues to partner with other organizations to help support and grow the Southeast’s startup ecosystem, and to ensure that inclusivity extends to underrepresented founders. Venture Atlanta has worked with Zane Venture Fund and Launchpad2X on diversity projects and helped to start a dialog among underrepresented founders and social entrepreneurs through the “Creating Momentum” virtual panel discussion series powered by Goodie Nation, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and Georgia Power. It also continues to partner with NEXT Venture Pitch in Greenville, S.C.
Create Your Own Experience at Venture Atlanta Momentum 2021
This year’s Venture Atlanta will be held in person with a limited number of tickets available and will also be offered online for those who wish to tune in virtually. For those attending in person, Venture Atlanta is back with its always-great sessions, company presentations, networking opportunities, and outdoor dinner events.
Building off last year’s successful virtual model, Venture Atlanta’s online experience offers a high-production-quality option that mirrors the benefits of the live conference. Virtual attendees can connect with others at the conference, set up one-on-one meetings, stroll the virtual show floor, watch pitches in real-time, and use features like live chat and audience polling. Each ticket purchased provides attendees with on-demand access to all Venture Atlanta pitches and content for a full year.
Invesco is this year’s premier sponsor, with Mailchimp and Stax as presenting sponsors. For a complete list of sponsors, go here.
Venture Atlanta will conclude with Atlanta Startup Battle, in which the top five ASB companies will pitch on stage against one another to win a $100,000 investment. Don’t miss this event which will happen right after Venture Atlanta concludes on October 21. Venture Atlanta ticket holders can view the pitch-off in person or virtually.
Registration Now Open
To register for the 14th annual Venture Atlanta, go here.
About Venture Atlanta
Venture Atlanta, the Southeast’s technology innovation event, is where the region’s most promising tech companies meet the country's top-tier investors. As the Southeast's largest investor showcase helping launch more than 500 companies and raise $6.5 billion in funding to date, the event connects the region’s top entrepreneurs with local and national investors and others in the technology ecosystem who can help them raise the capital they need to grow their businesses. The annual nonprofit event is a collaboration of the Atlanta CEO Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber, and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG).
For more information, visit www.ventureatlanta.org. For updates, follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn, and visit our blog.
