“I love Atlanta. It’s the United State’s best kept secret for a startup.” 

• Georgina Nelson, CEO at TruRating

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As Venture Atlanta celebrates 10 years serving Atlanta startups, we can’t help but reflect on the incredible growth this community has seen in that time. Since our inaugural year, the number of venture capital firms in Atlanta has quadrupled and funds are spilling into Atlanta’s startup ecosystem.  

As large corporations turn to Atlanta for acquisition opportunities, more venture capitalists are taking interest. Some claim that there aren’t enough funding opportunities in Atlanta, others say there are plenty. While Georgia still trails behind the Valley, Boston, New York and others in total capital investment, our city is experiencing major growth and attracting new opportunities from all over the world.

Good ideas and strong business plans drive investment opportunities, regardless of location – and our alumni are solid proof. Just over three months into 2017, a few of our alumni participants (Sequr, SalesLoft, LogFire, Predikto, Urjanet and Storj) raised $42.05 million in funds.

So, whether you’re looking to raise your next round or just get your foot in the door, we’re here to help you navigate the Atlanta startup and funding ecosystem.  Below are a few of the top funds, angels and resources to help you kickstart your journey on the road to Atlanta funding.

Atlanta-Friendly Venture Capitalists:

• Tech Square Ventures
• Invest Georgia
• TechSquare Labs
• Noro-Moseley Partners
• Harbert Growth Partners
• Fulcrum Equity Partners
• Mosley Ventures
• C&B Capital
• TTV Capital
• Chrysalis Ventures
• Ballast Point Ventures
• Susquehanna Growth Equity
• Accel
• Knoll Ventures
• TechOperators
• Accelerant Venture Capital
• Jump Capital
• Battery Ventures
• NEA
• IDEA Fund Partners
• BIP Capital
• Southeast Investor Group
• Invest Atlanta
• RAISE Atlanta

 Atlanta-Friendly Angel Investors: 

• Atlanta Technology Angels
• Greg Smith
• Steve Schilling
• Steve Chaddick
• Virginia Persons
• Michael Horten
• CWI Ventures

Accelerators and Incubators

• Atlanta Tech Village
• TechStars
• ATDC
• Center for Civic Innovation
• Switchyards Downtown Club
• The Aspire Accelerator
• Peachtree Corners
• Four Athens
• Engage
• ATL Thinks
• LIFT
• The Civic Accelerator
• The Guild
• VentureLab
• Emory Entrepreneurial Accelerator

And pro tip — be sure you are well prepared before you start asking for people to sign on to fund you. If you go through Venture Atlanta — we will pair you with a coach to train you on everything from your pitch to the way you should answer investor-led questions.  But we are not the only source of training —  there are plenty of amazing, local resources to help you prepare.  Here are a few programs you that can help you secure the funding you need to grow:

 

• Launchpad2x
• Pitch Practice at Atlanta Tech Village
• Atlanta Ventures
• ATDC
• Startup Runway
• Atlanta Bridge Community

Because we see new VCs interested in Atlanta every year, the lists you see here are far from exhaustive. In fact, Venture Atlanta recently partnered with ATDC to do a startup showcase roadtrip to the West Coast. Every single investor we encountered was aware of Atlanta’s growth in tech and was keeping an eye on potential opportunities. Investors and firms like NEA, Andreessen Horowitz (who continues to put money into Georgia companies like Pindrop and Ionic Security) and countless others are investing or looking to continue investing in Atlanta companies.

Have questions about the Atlanta startup ecosystem? We’re here. It’s an exciting time to be building a business in Atlanta and we’re here to keep you up-to-date on all of the action. See an Atlanta funding resource we missed? Add it in the comments section.