This is a guest post from BIP Capital.
This year’s Venture Atlanta Live Online is now in the books, and I can say that it reflected the strength of our region’s venture ecosystem in terms of the excitement and activity from both entrepreneurs and investors alike, even in the midst of our current pandemic. While the face-to-face interaction was missed, Venture Atlanta still had much to offer, including high-quality production and engaging digital experiences that were conducive to learning about the Southeast’s hottest innovations.
What is perhaps most noteworthy, however, is the event’s growing inclusiveness even as COVID-19 restrictions kept us physically apart. There was a much stronger presence this year of female and minority entrepreneurs and presenters, as well as greater diversity in the types of businesses being showcased and the number of companies from areas outside of Atlanta. I’m very proud of the diversity our board has worked hard to achieve and the actively more inclusive direction Venture Atlanta is taking. I believe it is the start of greater things.
Beyond this new inclusiveness, the rising momentum and return to raising capital that took place at Venture Atlanta this past week reflects our ecosystem’s continuing maturation and resiliency. As part of my role as chair of the event’s selection committee, I began the process of talking to incubators and innovation labs across our region last spring, when the devastating impacts of COVID-19 on businesses were just being realized. It’s inspiring to see the innovating companies that successfully redesigned themselves to flourish within our new normal—many of whom shared the stage at this year’s Venture Atlanta.
Overall, Venture Atlanta 2020 reflected several of the key findings from BIP Capital’s recent The State of StartupsSM in the Southeast report, which delivers a comprehensive overview of the venture capital and startup ecosystem in this region of the country, including Georgia. Unsurprisingly, much of this year’s report focuses on how the global COVID-19 pandemic affected investment activity in the Southeast.
Based on the report’s findings, we believe our region’s market maturation is persistent and has positioned it well to emerge from the pandemic crisis. The success of this year’s Venture Atlanta was certainly indicative of that.
Here’s to continued steady momentum as we work through our current situation together and as a more diverse group of businesspeople, investors, and entrepreneurs.
We invite you to read The State of StartupsSM in the Southeast report in its entirety here. We hope this report will further educate investors on the emerging trends to watch as well as highlight the region’s growth and future opportunities.
About the Author: Paul Iaffaldano is chief investment officer at BIP Capital, one of the most active and successful venture investors in the Southeast, serving entrepreneurs, investors and operators to grow the emerging company ecosystem.
Top investment conference selects largest, most diverse lineup of companies to fuel tech capital and growth within groundbreaking, immersive virtual format
ATLANTA (September 24, 2020) — In the midst of a pandemic, Venture Atlanta, one of the nation’s best venture capital conferences, continues to usher in new startup capital and highlight the Southeast’s most promising tech businesses. The annual conference today announced the 103 companies that will present and be showcased at this year’s fully virtual event, Venture Atlanta Live Online, to be held October 21-22. The number of selected companies is the largest ever. To view the list of companies, go here.
The all-digital concept has proven to be popular for Venture Atlanta, with over 400 companies vying for a spot this year to pitch to and be seen by investors, breaking previous conference records. The virtual format has also broadened the event’s reach, with 50 percent of chosen companies being located outside of Georgia, nearly twice as many as last year. Now in its 13th year, Venture Atlanta hosts over 250 funds that have led to $4.5 billion in funding raised and $14.7 billion in exits. The conference boasts a roster of highly successful alumni, including most recently Kabbage, which is being acquired by American Express for a possible $850 million.
“Even in light of COVID-19, we didn’t cancel but pivoted in order to best serve the needs of our region’s vibrant tech community,” said Venture Atlanta CEO Allyson Eman. “Venture Atlanta Live Online is nothing at all like a Zoom videoconference or webinar—we’re offering a truly exciting, completely virtual experience that mirrors and even improves upon the benefits of live conferences. As our list of spotlight companies shows, we’ve drawn top talent from some of the hottest pockets of tech innovation in our region.”
Eman added that due to the virtual format, investors from around the country will be able to discover more than a hundred of the best tech companies in the Southeast, making it possible to do a “year’s worth of work in just two days, with no travel.”
“We were very impressed with the quality of the companies that applied this year, and we are happy to see Venture Atlanta’s geographic reach continue to expand,” said Paul Rothstein, a partner at Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP and co-chair of the Venture Atlanta Recruiting and Selection Committee. “Venture Atlanta has a strong track record of helping to connect companies with capital, and we are excited for the many new opportunities that this year’s virtual format will create for the tech community.”
Venture Atlanta Comes Alive on Your Computer
Venture Atlanta Live Online will offer an unparalleled experience that streams two days of immersive events and interactive networking opportunities. Attendees will be able to 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. This year’s newly added All-Access pass provides attendees with on-demand access to Venture Atlanta Live Online content for a full year, behind-the-scenes access to keynote speakers, and additional content such as new pitch decks, round tables, and investor profiles throughout the year.
“Connecting the Southeast’s vibrant tech businesses with capital promotes growth in the region as well as opportunities for the people who live here,” said JC Boyanton, senior vice president of Technology Middle Market Banking at SunTrust now Truist and chair of the Venture Atlanta Recruiting and Selection Committee. “We are proud to support Venture Atlanta Live Online in its efforts to showcase the most promising technology companies to investors.”
Connecting a large number of diverse and innovative companies to capital and connections is more important than ever. “For more than a decade, Venture Atlanta has been a valuable resource, bringing billions of dollars’ worth of capital and thousands of jobs to our region. I’m excited that we can continue this tradition with a digital format that will spotlight the tech innovation this event is known for,” said Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “Now more than ever, we need platforms like Venture Atlanta to help us build the access to capital and networks to drive inclusive innovation to ensure that metro Atlanta’s entrepreneurial landscape is diverse on every level and fertile for ingenuity.”
The Countdown Is On for Venture Atlanta Live Online
Venture Atlanta Live Online will feature keynotes from Arianna Huffington, author and founder of The Huffington Post and Thrive Global; Dug Song, co-founder and general manager of Duo Security, and Dharmesh Shah, co-founder and CTO of HubSpot. To see the full list of announced speakers, visit the website.
Invesco is this year’s premier sponsor, with Cherry Bekaert, Nelson Mullins, and Truist as additional headline sponsors. For a complete list of sponsors, go here.
Venture Atlanta Live Online will conclude with TechSquare Labs’ Atlanta Startup Battle, in which the top five 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 22. Venture Atlanta ticket holders can view the pitch-off live.
Registration Now Open
To register for Venture Atlanta Live Online and to learn more about reduced group attendance rates, 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. This year’s event is going all digital through Venture Atlanta Live Online.
As the Southeast's largest investor showcase helping launch more than 400 companies and raise over $4.5 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 visit our blog.
Venture Atlanta is a proud, long-time partner to Launchpad2X, a founder-to-CEO training organization for women. Founded by Bernie Dixon as a way to empower the female entrepreneurship community, Launchpad2X aims to close the gender gap when it comes to venture capital funding.
Advocating for female entrepreneurs is something we’re incredibly passionate about, and we strive to support the women who want to take their ideas and vision to the next level. Venture Atlanta’s partnership with Launchpad2X includes providing year-round support, attending and promoting the organization’s events throughout the year, and issuing scholarship money for a female founder to participate in the full Launchpad2X 3-Day Core Program.
Additionally, every year Launchpad2X hosts a pitch competition for local female entrepreneurs, and the winner secures an automatic spot to pitch at Venture Atlanta. This year was especially competitive and featured an incredible level of talent that included rising entrepreneurs and top companies to watch:
WINNER:
Ashlee Ammons & Kerry Schrader of Mixtroz:
An innovative software that increases peer-to-peer engagement and collects useful data in real-time, both live and virtually.
RUNNER UP:
Lauren Longo of Talli:
Simple apps for tracking health — providing better info for your doctor and peace of mind for you.
RUNNER UP:
Elizabeth Clubb of CareSix:
CareSix is a FinTech solution that empowers older adults to manage their expenses, connect their Circle of Care, and protect against fraud.
PARTICIPANTS:
Delphine Carter of Boulo Solutions:
A platform designed to connect professional women with goal-driven companies who want to hire talent on a short-term or part-time basis.
Sheffie Robinson of WPClover:
A website design and hosting platform for businesses of all sizes.
Leslie Becker of :30BP:
A blood pressure health app that bridges the gap between patient and provider.
Veronica Woodruff of Travelsist:
A service that hand-selects travel products and delivers them to vacationing families upon their arrivals.
Kristi Frank of Clutch Creations:
A functional fashion brand centered around their patented product, "The Clutch Strap," a stylish leather strap that attaches to your phone and allows for easy carry.
In fact, this year’s roster of companies was so impressive that Venture Atlanta decided to not only award the winner a spot to present live on the Venture AtlantaLive Online studio stage but also gave the two runners-up a spot in the VA Showcase.
After the Launchpad2X event, we sat down with winners Ashlee Ammons and her business partner (who also happens to be her mom) Kerry Schrader to learn more about why they started Mixtroz, what they’re looking forward to at Venture Atlanta, and what it means to be Black female entrepreneurs in the current market and cultural state.
Where were you when Mixtroz went from just an idea to something you knew was going to be a successful business?
Ashlee: We both saw the problem one weekend [after attending a conference and a social event], and that’s what did it. If just one of us had seen the need, it wouldn’t have worked. But we both came to the conclusion that there had to be a better way to help the right people collide when they’re somewhere. We started researching, and we couldn't find a product doing it the way we wanted it to be done. And really within 24 hours, we were like, this could be something. And the name Mixtroz was born — the words ‘mixer’ and ‘introduction’ smushed together.
What was it like getting started and pursuing clients in the beginning?
Ashlee: It was tough, to be completely honest. Our customers came from hustle and grit — nothing was given over here. It has been an arduous process, and you think that your business network will help to push your business forward and it doesn’t necessarily work that way. Friends and colleagues want to congratulate you, not understanding that a contract would be more fruitful. You’re always thinking about the business, and it can feel like [when you’re pitching] you're always teetering on the cusp of annoying people. But you have to do it — as a founder, your job is to push your business to its fullest potential, no matter the outcome.
But now when I pitch Mixtroz to people, it is rare for somebody to not say “yes, I get it” or to see the value in what we’re doing. I'm at the point with demos where, at about 15 minutes in, I can stop talking and the customer is just pontificating and dreaming up ways that they can use the platform.
So those early customers, they are literally just a result of hustle; a result of the fact that Kerry and I wouldn't stop.
Let’s talk a little bit about your virtual event, ‘Mixtroz Imperfect Conversations.’
Kerry: We held a nationwide conversation centered around bringing people together for uncomfortable yet necessary conversations. We put everyone into groups using the Mixtroz Virtual platform to get people talking.
The funny thing is, we don't really do this. This is not our thing [hosting events]. But with our platform founders being people of color, we needed to. We called it “Mixtroz Imperfect Conversations: A Time for Collision, Community & Connection.” People got in these groups and just went crazy in a good way — engaging for over an hour and half when we planned on only 30 minutes. Some of the groups have even contacted us to say, “We're actually going to meet in person in future.”
So much of what Mixtroz is about is centered around those types of conversations. What kind of conversations do you want to be having with those around you?
Kerry: At the end of the day, I'm always focused on three things: growing our team — which as of today, Ashlee and I are our only FTEs — client acquisition, and raising funding. The more strategic team members we have, the faster we reach and close clients in our funnel, and the more attractive we look for fundraising. All these actions feed one another.
At the same time, I have always been an excellent steward of the capital raised. I'm not getting into a situation where we are ever running so low on capital that we have to consider giving away our company because we were desperate for investment. This focus, which has a lot to do with my background as an HR executive, is why we have been able to stay ahead of the curve, even with COVID.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced while pursuing investment?
Ashlee: Some of the pushback that we'll hear more often than not is that we’re entering a crowded space. To me, if Lyft and Uber and so many other ride sharing companies can exist together in a space, it seems like the market can hold for a product like Mixtroz. We have a huge TAM and we are just scratching the surface in events, enterprise, and education.
We’ve also been asked things like, “how big do you think Mixtroz can be?”, and I think women — specifically women of color — have been conditioned to answer those questions very conservatively. In the past, if you answered in a way that was [too grandiose], then investors will think you’re crazy. They think that’s unrealistic, and they’ll close the book on you. But then on the other hand, if you don't say something just completely out there, then you’re not thinking big enough.
So it is honestly a “damned if you do, damned if you don't” situation. The thing about Mixtroz, though, is that we’re building a great company that provides utility, and we are focused on getting to profitability. Data doesn’t lie and that's what we will use to drive this business forward. I'm going to work this business as hard as I can and I'm going to give it all the hustle I've got — win, lose, or draw. I will walk away from this experience knowing that we’ve changed perspectives over the course of this journey for what entrepreneurship can and should look like from a color perspective, an age perspective, and a gender perspective.
Can you talk about the importance of diversity and creating space for Black women and other POC in the industry?
Kerry: At the end of the day, we hope that we have made this journey more accessible and a little easier for people of color and different genders to come after us.
Ashlee: We're aware of the culture of the world right now, and coupled with user behavior, who we are as founders, what we've built, and what we've been able to do presents a great opportunity for us. We're certainly at an inflection point, and the lucky thing for us is that people are seeing it.
When did Launchpad2X come on your radar?
Kerry: Last September. After a new connection and LP2X alum, Roz Lemieux, recommended that I apply [to the upcoming cohort], I did, and the rest is history. It was a great experience. I was able to learn directly from Bernie, meet some great founders, and was able to increase my confidence in my role.
Ashlee: It's been great pitching at LaunchpadX2. I've pitched so many times at this point, but back in 2017, I remember I had a bit of a meltdown. I gave a pitch and I expected to win — and I didn't. And I had a complete mental nervous breakdown because this was just after moving from New York to Nashville — it was hard to have so many changes happening at once and not feel like I was moving Mixtroz forward. But now, it has really come full circle; it takes time.
Why do you know that you're going to be successful?
Kerry: Because we have a kick-ass product! We have kick-ass developers, people on our team that are there because they, too, believe in the product.
Ashlee: I look at the delight from the customer — and not just from the primary customer, the one that pays, but also the secondary customer, the person who uses. We built this product to help people find their people, and over and over, customers reinforce that the utility we built Mixtroz for is exactly what it does — and that's valuable.
We believe that when people go somewhere, be it live or virtual, everyone deserves a level playing field to connect. And so when the customer states that back to me without being prompted, I'm like, “yeah!”, it makes a whole lot of sense. We're not just trying to build a software just for the sake of building a software — we built a software because we saw a need.
About Venture Atlanta Live Online:
Venture Atlanta Live Online is taking place October 21-22, 2020. Register today to see Mixtroz and other top emerging tech companies from the southeast. Interested in getting screen time for your own startup? We are currently accepting applications to pitch live on our studio stage or in our showcase. Apply by August 28th.
Leading investment conference to go virtual with two days of immersive experiences and key opportunities for investors, entrepreneurs
ATLANTA (July 15, 2020) — Now more than ever, innovating businesses need access to resources in order to grow. This is why Venture Atlanta, one of the nation’s best venture capital conferences, will this year transform into Venture Atlanta Live Online in light of COVID-19. The 13th annual event will take place virtually on October 21-22. The call for presenting companies and attendee registration are now open.
Venture Atlanta Live Online will feature keynotes from Arianna Huffington, Founder of The Huffington Post and Founder & CEO of Thrive Global; Dharmesh Shah, Co-Founder & CTO of HubSpot; and Dug Song, Co-Founder & General Manager of Duo Security (which was acquired by Cisco in 2018 for $2.35B).
The conference boasts over 1,000 annual attendees with over 250 funds that have led to $4.4 billion in funding raised and $14 billion in successful exits.
Venture Atlanta Live Online Will Deliver an Unparalleled Conference Experience
Allyson Eman, Venture Atlanta CEO, wants attendees to know that Venture Atlanta Live Online is not your typical video conference or webinar. Instead, they’ll enjoy an unparalleled experience that streams two days of immersive events and interactive networking opportunities. Attendees will be able to 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, digital notetaking and audience polling.
“We’re excited about the new online format,” said Eman. “For us, postponing wasn’t an option since good companies still need capital and connections, now more than ever. Our virtual platform brings all the benefits of Venture Atlanta to your computer or mobile screen. The format may be different, but its impact will meet or beat our previous conferences.”
With this year’s newly added All-Access pass, attendees will have on-demand access to Venture Atlanta Live Online content for a full year so they can catch up or re-watch conference segments whenever they want. Passholders will also have behind-the-scenes access to keynote speakers and updated content such as new pitch decks, round tables and investor profiles throughout the year.
“The investors we’ve talked to are still looking for companies. But in a time of online-only meetings, the best way to get in front of them is through a warm ‘virtual’ introduction. Our aim is to continue to make a meaningful difference for innovating companies, even during our current times,” said Eman.
Call for Presenting and Showcase Companies Now Open
Last year, a record-breaking 300+ applications were submitted to present and be showcased at the conference, a number predicted to increase given this year’s digital format. Gaining a presentation slot is a golden opportunity for promising companies looking to catch the eye of investors and potential partners, make important connections and secure funding—don’t miss out.
Companies from very early stage to growth stage across the Southeast, from Texas to D.C., are encouraged to apply. The deadline to submit is August 28. There is no application cost and selected presenters attend the virtual event without charge.
Visit https://www.ventureatlanta.org/companies/ to apply. Presenting and showcase companies will be announced September 24.
Attendee Registration Now Open; Select Sponsorship Opportunities Remain
Registration for Venture Atlanta Live Online is now open for attendees. The conference has reduced tiered pricing for students, tech companies, investors and service, including great options for group tickets.
To register, view the conference schedule and learn more about this year’s value pricing, visit https://www.ventureatlanta.org.
Limited sponsorship opportunities for Venture Atlanta Live Online also remain, including never-before-offered packages. For information, visit www.ventureatlanta.org/sponsors.
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. This year’s event is going all digital through Venture Atlanta Live Online.
As the Southeast's largest investor showcase helping launch more than 350 companies and raise over $4.4 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 visit our blog.
Throughout Venture Atlanta’s 13-year history, our board members and leadership team have worked tirelessly to connect companies to capital — a mission that has since expanded beyond the southeast to connect companies at all stages of growth from across the country with the resources, network, clients, partnerships, and talent they need to grow.
In the process of forging connections and facilitating growth, we’ve managed to incite some growth of our own. Looking back, Venture Atlanta started with just 20 funds and a couple hundred attendees. Now, the conference boasts over 1,000 annual attendees with over 250 funds that have led to $4.4 billion in funding raised and $14 billion in successful exits.
In 2020, Venture Atlanta extends that growth to our leadership team, announcing a new chairman, CEO, and additions to the Board of Directors — all moves that demonstrate Venture Atlanta’s evolution since its humble beginnings back in 2007.
Kelly Gay Steps In as Chair of Venture Atlanta 2020
During the 2019 conference, Venture Atlanta announced Kelly Gay as this year’s chair. Serving as an active VA board member for many years, Gay has extensive experience as the chairman and board member of many organizations, including the 35,000+ member Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), KnowledgeStorm, OnBoard, Omnilink Systems, Atlanta CEO Council, 1105 Media, and more. In addition to chairing Venture Atlanta, she is currently the chairman and CEO of OnBoard and vice chair of TAG, and has recently been named as an Atlanta Top Entrepreneur by TIE and an inaugural recipient of both IoT Now's Top Women of IoT and Connected World's Top Women of M2M.
Over the years, VA has enjoyed remarkable support from all constituencies involved in the conference - including the investment community, emerging and growth companies, and partners - and Gay is focused on ensuring VA 2020 continues to innovate, provide new experiences, and be "fresh" and relevant in order to serve those communities well.
“We have a responsibility to continue providing superior programming and content while making it easier for entrepreneurs to find investment and for investors to find great companies,” said Gay. “Our 2020 plans are already in the works to accomplish that.”
Former VA Director Allyson Eman Ascends to CEO
Working alongside Gay to support these initiatives is newly appointed CEO Allyson Eman. In her previous role as Executive Director, which she has held since 2007, Eman worked diligently to manage all aspects of the conference, including everything from contract negotiations to event logistics.
“She [Allyson Eman] has been the one constant, the one point of consistency that connects all of the pieces that make up Venture Atlanta,” said Gay of Eman’s promotion. “With the support of our partners and colleagues, she has taken Venture Atlanta from a small conference with under 200 attendees to the incredible experience that it is today.”
Her promotion is a testament to the conference’s growth as well as her own, and Eman hopes to continue that trajectory for Venture Atlanta in 2020.
“We want Venture Atlanta to always be relevant; to be the go-to place for companies raising capital,” Eman shared. “Our mission from day one [connecting companies to capital] hasn’t changed — we just want to continue to elevate that experience.”
“Part of that,” she continued, “is expanding to different markets [outside of the southeast]. Last year, about a third of our participating companies were from out of state. That was huge, and we want to continue that reach for 2020.”
Founding Member David Hartnett Weighs In
David Hartnett, the chief economic development officer at the Metro Atlanta Chamber and one of Venture Atlanta’s founding members, is fully on board with leadership. In addition to supporting Eman, he plans to drive diversity in 2020 outreach, expand upon the notion that VA is “just a conference,” and create year-round activities — all to define Venture Atlanta as the premier eastern conference to attend.
“We are focused on diversity and inclusion through Venture Atlanta by increasing the number of entrepreneurs who have an opportunity to showcase and present their companies to the influential investors and funds in attendance at our world-class event,” Hartnett said. “Driving inclusive innovation and inclusive capital is critical as we realize the full opportunity that Atlanta can provide to entrepreneurs of all backgrounds.”
New Board Members Provide Valuable Insight
Further supporting the mission of Gay, Eman, and Hartnett are two new additions to the Venture Atlanta board: Rachel Spasser and Richard Fraim.
Hailing from the world of private equity, Spasser brings key insights to the table that are invaluable for companies in the later stages of growth. You may also remember her as the interviewer in the Scott Chacon fireside chat at VA 2019. As the Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer for the Accel-KKR Consulting Group, she will undoubtedly be a key player as Venture Atlanta seeks to partners with larger companies.
“For years I've watched Venture Atlanta grow and become a bigger and more impactful event,” Spasser said. “I’m thrilled to now be a board member and have the opportunity to contribute directly.”
In regards to her private equity expertise, Spasser said: “Coming from private equity, we look at capital-raising as an ecosystem. Venture Atlanta has been about connecting companies to the right capital for their initial fundraising. Private equity can provide capital in the later stages so that companies can continue to grow as independent entities while providing liquidity to stakeholders. I think keeping local software businesses independent longer could have huge dividends for Atlanta.”
Richard Fraim, on the other hand, has experience with earlier-stage financings and is currently filling a gap in Atlanta by investing in companies at the seed and pre-Series A stages. As a partner at Knoll Ventures, an early-stage venture capital fund that invests in technology-enabled businesses focused on B2B markets, Fraim will be a key player in helping Venture Atlanta continue to connect with younger companies. Previously, he served as President of Ellis Capital and is currently involved in many mentorship roles within the local technology space.
“Venture Atlanta has grown so much and there's so much momentum behind it,” said Fraim. “But as venture funds have grown in size, it has become increasingly challenging for early-stage companies to raise Series A rounds. We want to help pre-Series A companies by providing intermediary financing that enables these businesses to grow and eventually get to a point where they can raise capital from larger funds.”
The expansion of this year's expertise means that Venture Atlanta is not just a "start-up funding conference," but a path for entrepreneurs in all phases of growth. It’s also cementing VA’s status as one of the leading tech conferences in the nation.
Stay tuned as we prepare for Venture Atlanta 2020 with our talented team.
Meet the 2020 Board:
Kelly Gay - 2020 Chairman
Numerex Corp.
Kelly Gay is the chief operating officer of Numerex Corp. (NASDAQ: NMRX), a leading provider of managed enterprise solutions enabling the Internet of Things (IoT). She was previously the president of Security Solutions at Numerex, where she led the introduction of new offerings in existing businesses, the acceleration of revenue growth, the expansion of strategic partnerships, and the launch of a new personal tracking line of business. Read More >>
Alex Estevez – 2019 Chairman
Accel Partners
Mr. Estevez is a Venture Partner with Accel Partners, a global leader in venture capital with past investments in top companies such as Atlassian, Dropbox, Facebook, Jet.com, Lynda.com, Qualtrics, Slack, Squarespace, and Spotify. As Venture Partner, Mr. Estevez helps existing portfolio companies based outside of Silicon Valley with their growth opportunities and scale challenges. Read More >>
Mike Becker – 2018 Chairman
Vocap Investment Partners
Mike loves the entrepreneurial process and has over 20 years of investing, technology and operations experience, much of it working with growth stage companies. Prior to joining Vocap, Mike served as the COO of Triton Digital’s Applications & Services Division. Read More >>
Rachel Spasser
Accel-KKR Consulting Group
Rachel Spasser is a Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer for the Accel-KKR Consulting Group. In this role, Rachel provides leadership across commercial functions including strategy, sales, marketing and business development for Accel-KKR’s portfolio companies. Prior to joining Accel-KKR’s Consulting Group, Rachel was the Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for SAP Ariba. At Ariba, she led the design and execution of the company’s marketing strategy and programs. Read More >>
Richard Fraim
Knoll Ventures Fund I LP
Rich is a General Partner of Knoll Ventures Fund I LP. Knoll Ventures is an Atlanta, GA based early-stage venture capital fund that invests in technology businesses focused on B2B markets. Knoll primarily invests in pre-Series A companies that have demonstrated customer traction and identified actionable near-term growth initiatives. Read More >>
Thiago Olson
Engage Ventures
Thiago is the Managing Director of Engage, a growth platform and venture fund established in partnership with 11 leading Fortune 1000 corporations. Thiago is also a Venture Partner at Tech Square Ventures focused on early-stage technology investments. Read More >>
Jim Douglass
Fulcrum Equity Partners
Mr. Douglass is a Partner of Fulcrum Equity Partners and brings more than 25 years of operations management, strategic development and financial experience with high-growth financial services, marketing services, and healthcare companies. Read More >>
Dave Payne
Techstars Atlanta
David Payne is a startup founder & investor who has been working on startups since the mid-90s in NYC, San Francisco, London and (for the last decade) Atlanta. He is currently the Managing Director of Techstars Atlanta. Before that, he founded Switchyards, one of the main startup hubs in Atlanta, and Scoutmob, one of the most successful consumer startups to launch from Atlanta. Read More >>
Phyllis Newhouse
Xtreme Solutions Inc.
Phyllis W. Newhouse is the Chief Executive Officer of Xtreme Solutions, Inc., an end-to-end IT services and solutions provider, with offerings that range from IT business consulting to state-of-the-art cyber security consulting and forensic analysis. Phyllis co-founded Xtreme Solutions in 2002 upon retiring from the United States Army as a Senior Non-Commissioned Officer. Read More >>
Vanessa Larco
New Enterprise Associates
Vanessa Larco joined NEA as a Partner in 2016 and focuses on enterprise and consumer investing. Prior to joining NEA, she was the Director of Product Management for web and mobile apps at Box (NYSE: BOX) where she worked on building the next generation of productivity apps. Read More >>
John Ale
NMP
John joined NMP as a Vice President in 2015. He supports the firm’s investments in software and information technology companies. John currently serves as a board observer for MacStadium, PureWrx, Red Canary, TapInfluence and TrendKite. Read More >>
David Hartnett
Metro Atlanta Chamber
As chief economic development officer at the Metro Atlanta Chamber, David leads the team focused on the retention, recruitment, and expansion of existing and start-up companies within key clusters, e.g., Mobility, IoT, Cybersecurity, Fin Tech, Digital Media, Supply Chain, Bioscience, and Health IT. Read More >>
Paul Iaffaldano
BIP Capital
With over 30 years of experience in building the value of market-leading companies, Paul Iaffaldano is managing director at BIP Capital, recognized as one of the most active and successful venture investment firms in the southeastern United States. Prior to joining BIP Capital, Iaffaldano also founded another highly successful venture firm, Accelerant Venture Capital, which merged with BIP Capital in 2017. Read More >>
Palaniswamy “Raj” Rajan
CTW Venture Partners
Palaniswamy “Raj” Rajan is currently the Managing Partner of CTW Venture Partners, an early stage venture capital fund which invests in and assists seed and early-stage entrepreneurs in all industries in Atlanta and the South Eastern United States who are engaged in disruptive innovations and technologies. Read More >>
Larry Williams
Technology Association of Georgia (TAG)
Larry K. Williams, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). Williams, A recognized leader in economic development, brings more than 20 years of experience in global branding, international trade and finance, public and industrial policy, and administration and management to one of the largest state technology trade associations in North America. Read More >>
Allyson Eman – Chief Executive Officer
Venture Atlanta
Allyson Eman has more than 25 years of marketing, communications, sales leadership and business development skills. In 2007, Allyson took on the role of Executive Director for the newly created Venture Atlanta annual conference. Allyson has worked with key business leaders from Metro Atlanta Chamber, Atlanta CEO Council and Technology Association of Georgia to build the premier venture capital conference in the South. Read More >>
Even though it’s only February, saying Nick Santora has been “busy” just might be the understatement of the year.
But the Curricula CEO is, at least, the good kind of busy. Thanks in part to connections made at Venture Atlanta this past year, the story-based security awareness training platform closed a cool $3M round with RCP Equity. Now, he’s got the kind of problems that business owners dream of: lots to get started on with little time to do it.
Santora is no stranger to hard work, though. Before Curricula, the entrepreneur worked as a cybersecurity advisor — a job that ultimately sparked the idea for the company. To uncover more about this founder’s journey and his quest to make cybersecurity training “anything but boring,” we did a little hacking of our own (with permission, of course) into the mind of Nick Santora.
How did you get started? Did you have that quintessential “a-ha” moment?
“I would fly around all over the continent, teaching technical teams and executives how hackers are going to blackout the power grid on their watch. Walking through this exercise countless times, I realized that, after millions were spent each year on cyber security, none of it was being focused on teaching their own employees on how to defend themselves. So I thought, why don’t we just make something that’s really fun and memorable for those employees? To make it more digestible for them to be leading the charge here?”
From there, the concept for Curricula became clear: Make it fun, easy, engaging, and memorable for employees to protect themselves from online threats by showcasing short stories that help people visualize a cyber attack. Building content was a large part of this initiative, and developing software to deliver that content certainly wasn’t an easy task.
After seeing that the audience wasn’t connecting with the content, how did you decide to change it? What did that process look like?
“So when you look at the current state of training, it’s essentially “death by PowerPoints,” with slides written by lawyers and monitored by HR. It’s a miserable experience for employees. What we looked at was how we could change that experience to something more relatable. We landed on story-telling — it’s how we’ve communicated all throughout history, and it’s part of our culture and our lives. So what we designed was a series of heroes, villains, and stories that live in the Curricula platform and are delivered to employees. We even built an integrated phishing simulator so companies can simulate a real-world phishing attack in just a couple of clicks. This entire experience allows employees to understand a breach, learn from it, and practice how to defend themselves from the real hackers.”
“Our creative team and I discussed how to bring this idea of security to life for every employee. Our main AI hacker, DeeDee, is a 5-year old villain that employees get to know very quickly. In our software, you can simulate a phishing attack towards your employees, and when they fall for the simulated phishing test, it’s DeeDee on the other end to train them. This way, you’re fully immersed in the stories to defend yourself and it brings the entire experience to life. Employees have a lot of fun talking about different ways they spot DeeDee.”
Ok, so you’re at the forefront of building your business, and everything is working out, people are buying your product, and things are catching on. At what point did pitching at Venture Atlanta become something on your radar?
“We had quite a few people reach out to us, saying we needed to apply. Actually, we applied the year prior, but chose to speak [at a conference in] Vegas instead. This past year, we found out we got in, and we just ran with it.”
“We knew about Venture Atlanta, but the process was a little unusual for us because we weren’t in the fundraising game. We weren’t flying around chasing venture capitalists — they were coming to us. We thought that was pretty cool, and in that process, it gave us the motivation to prepare ourselves.”
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who are just starting?
“I think we’re very different than a lot of entrepreneurs and I’m very anti-venture capital. I’ve been focusing on growing a real business with my team and believing that the money will come. I’m lucky enough to have met a group that followed that same mindset. The majority of VCs we met didn’t fit that vibe. “
“At Venture Atlanta, no one knew who we were. It’s because we never played the VC game. We were just here working hard and growing a real business; I would encourage people to follow that same model. If you’re really resourceful about it, you can do a lot with a little. Continue to find real problems and search to solve those problems. Don’t waste your time on crappy pitch decks. If you find a problem and you solve it, the money and everything else will come too.”
Interested in learning more about Curricula? Check out their company page on Venture Atlanta, or visit their website, getcurricula.com.
“Success breeds success.”
When Alex Estevez, the 2019 Venture Atlanta conference chair and venture partner with Accel, kicked off the 12th annual Venture Atlanta conference on October 16, 2019, with the above statement, it wasn’t just an empty line. It was a promise for the start of the biggest, most influential Venture Atlanta conference to date.
Venture Atlanta 2019 By the Numbers
- 1100 Attendees
- 335 Investors Representing 224 Funds Nationwide
- 325 Company Applications Submitted
- 35 Presenting Companies
- 42 Showcase Companies
- 8 States Across the Southeast Represented
- 675 Meetings Booked Through the App
Thanks to our board, sponsors, partners, presenters, attendees, and the entire community, we were able to successfully showcase the strength of entrepreneurship, technology, and business growth in the Southeast. The reviews speak for themselves:
"Can't wait to come back!"
"One of the best venture conferences I've attended as an investor or entrepreneur.”
"This was my first time at Venture Atlanta, and I was blown away by the quality of companies, investors and networking. They do a great job with this conference!
“#VA2019 crushed it! Everyone says so.”
"Fantastic turnout of innovative companies at Venture Atlanta”
"If you're an entrepreneur and you're not at the Venture Atlanta, you're not serious."
What was new in 2019?
We debuted a variety of sessions to educate and inspire — from “Building a Unicorn” to “Building a Winning Team.” We introduced corporate development panels geared toward late-stage companies and investors. We listened to insightful fireside chats with Aaron Levie of Box and Scott Chacon of GitHub and Chatterbug. We honored the life and legends of our friends and colleagues Greg Foster and Reggie Bradford.
Venture Atlanta 2019 was one for the books, and we can’t wait to see what funding, acquisitions, and other life-changing results come from the connections made during our two-day event.
Venture Atlanta 2019 Speakers: Quotes We Loved
“The most interesting type of start-up is not in a space that doesn’t exist. What’s interesting to me are large markets that are poorly served. Coming from a customer standpoint, saying that we can make something that people actually want to do, that’s what I care about.” - Scott Chicon, former Co-Founder, Github, now Co-Founder and CEO of Chatterbug @ Day 1 Fireside Chat
“I compare running a startup to playing a new video game. The key is not to die on the level, but to keep going.” - Jyoti Bansal, Founder of AppDynamics and Unusual Ventures @ Day 1 Building a Unicorn Chat
“Take every touch point you have with an acquirer seriously. Every single one of those touch points fit the strategy long term, and the value of those pieces is important. Remember, timing has to work from both sides. If it’s not this year, that’s ok. Two, three, four, five years from now, maybe they’ll be ready.” - Phil Kirk, Senior Director of Corporate Business Development @ Day 2 Corporate Development/M&A Panel #1
In many ways, developing a relationship with a company is no different than going out as a CEO for new business. It’s really important to know about the company you’re trying to engage with — where are they trying to grow, what are they interested in. It’s better to understand the motivation and the stakeholders, whether it’s corp dev or something else. IF you have the time, you can start building those relationships, and over time you can play on that. “ - Seksom Suriyapa, Twitter Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy @ Day 2 Corporate Development/M&A Panel #2
“Our first question for everything is: How scalable is it? “ - Lisa Marchese, American Express Head of Corporate Development @ Day 2 Corporate Development/M&A Panel #2
“Our first venture capitalist was my cofounder, and our first fundraiser was from online poker. It’s not really sustainable, but it depends on how good you are at poker.” - Aaron Levie, CEO, Co-Founder and Chairman, Box @ Day 2 Morning Fireside
“Meet people where they’re at. The first thing I learned in coaching was don’t expect all your players to be like you, learn to be where they are. I wouldn’t win the games if I played only the players who were there at every practice. Not everyone is like you, and it’s all in finding where they can be most useful.” - Nicki Collen, Head Coach, The Atlanta Dream @ Day 2 All-Star Sports Panel
“It’s good to make money, to drive nice cars and live in a mansion, but sometimes you have to take one or two seconds and you have to look behind you. You have to see how you can have an impact on society. We are not here by ourselves. Go see how other people are living. It can change your life.” - Dikembe Mutombo, NBA Basketball Great @ Day 2 All=Star Sports Panel
Presenting Companies Lineup: Venture Atlanta 2019 Recap
Day 1
- Curricula [@curricula] - Platform to educate employees and employers on the human side of cyberattacks
- Jonny On It [@jonnyonit] - White-label platform for realtors to coordinate repairs and home services
- MyPorter [@MyPortalStorage] - Full-service storage alternative that includes take-away and retrieve
- Mile Auto, Inc. [@drivemile] - Insurance play for low-mileage drivers
- cove.tool [@cove.tool] - SaaS energy management tool for construction projects
- Secure Data Kit [@securedatakit] - Platform to automate global public health issues
- Acivilate [@acivilate] - Platform for returning citizens to work after prison
- Tomahawk Robotics [@TomohawkRobotics ] - Software for robotic remote control
- Kobiton [@kobitonmobile] - Mobile testing/experience platform
- Flourish Software [@finallyflourish] - Software for supply chain management for cannabis
- Trellis [@trellis_inc] - Soil moisture system helps growers maximize yields and reduce costs
- OncoLens [@oncolens] - SaaS platform for cancer centers
- Fattmerchant [@fattmerchant] - SaaS model merchant processing solution
- Worthix [@worthix] - Self-adaptive customer survey platform
- Rent Ready - Platform for getting apartment units ready for rent
- Undergrid Networks - Data-driven business decisions
- Ceterus [@ceterus] - Productized bookkeeping for franchises
- TaxConnex [@taxconnex] - Last-mile sales tax compliance software plus services
- Virsys12 [@Virsys12] - Sales side app for health plans
- Florence [@FlorenceHCare] - Platform for digitizing clinical research trials
- Paw.com [@paworiginal] - Pet bed manufacturer with direct-to-consumer pet business
- Boatsetter [@boatsetter] - Platform for boat rentals and boat captains
- Get Spiffy [@getspiffy] - Car wash, pol change, and car care that comes to you
Day 2
- Transitiv [@transitiv_io] - SMB customer data platform for franchise and automotive spaces
- Eletype [@eletype] - Notification platform for marketing agencies to manage digital ad spend
- Voxie [@voxiechat] - B2C mobile messaging software customizing text to the consumer
- Octerra [@octerradotcom] - Platform for managing ad production spend
- Admiral [@getadmiral]- Consent-based content and visitor relationship management
- WorldWatch Plus [@WorldWatchPlus] - AI-driven KYC solution
- mLevel [@mLevelLearning] - Game-based corporate training platform
- ProcessMaker [@processmaker] - Business process management low-code solution
- Banyan Hills Technologies [@banyanhills] - IoT software
- Intrinio [@intrinio] - Quality assurance and financial data delivery platform
- Zaloni [@zaloni] - Data catalog and data governance solution
- FreightWaves [@freightwaves] - Software and big data solutions for the logistics industry with a media business
Introducing Venture Atlanta 2020 Chairman: Kelly Gay
In case you missed our announcement at the conference, we’re thrilled to announce Kelly Gay, Chief Operating Officer at Numerex Corp., VP and IoT Verticals at Sierra Wireless, and long-time Venture Atlanta board member, will take the helm of Venture Atlanta 2020 as chairman. Kelly, who was previously president of Security Solutions at Numerex Corp., has led many initiatives launching new business offerings, accelerating revenue growth, and expanding strategic partnerships. We’re excited to have her leadership for 2020, so stay tuned for updates.
To stay up to date with Venture Atlanta and what to look forward to next year, subscribe to our newsletter. We look forward to seeing you next year!
This is a guest post from BIP Capital.
We at BIP Capital recently issued our third annual The State of StartupsSM in the Southeast report, delivering a comprehensive overview of the venture capital and startup ecosystem in this region of the country, including Georgia. The report reviews startup activity throughout nine states in the southeastern United States over the five-and-a-half-year time period from January 1, 2014 through June 30, 2019.
Last year’s research revealed that the Southeast is an attractive place to invest relative to the more established and capital-intensive Innovation Hubs of Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, and New York City. With that in mind, we wanted to know for our 2019 report exactly how mature the Southeast’s venture ecosystem has become.
Macroeconomic trends tell us to expect increasing valuations. Nationally, the number of dollars flowing into the private markets as a whole is on the rise, with more dollars than ever being invested in early and growth-stage companies. We can expect a “rising tide” across the country when it comes to deal dynamics and, in particular, increasing valuations. Using pre-money valuation as a proxy for maturity, we examined how stable the pre-money valuation is in each region.
Under that backdrop, we were pleased to find that the overall rate of maturation in the Southeast is exceeding that of the Innovation Hubs. Our research confirms there is more innovation and more competitive early-stage deals happening in the Southeast than ever before. Looking at Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville, and the Research Triangle in comparison to Boston, the San Francisco Bay Area, and New York City, Atlanta, and the Research Triangle are showing signs of maturity, while Charlotte and Nashville are still maturing at a rate far exceeding that of the Innovation Hubs. It is clear that the Southeast is still an excellent environment for both investors and entrepreneurs in the early stages of building a business.
Other notable observations include:
- The gap in revenue multiples between the Southeast and the Innovation Hubs is closing, with revenue multiples increasing at a faster pace in the Southeast.
- More capital is being deployed by Southeast investors than ever before, creating less opportunity for outside funds to invest in the region.
- The region still has room to grow in terms of attracting “category-defining” large rounds (over $80 million).
In regard to Georgia specifically:
- Georgia remains the Southeast’s SaaS innovation leader, with 349 deals totaling $1.7 billion over the time period reviewed.
- SaaS is on pace for another great year in Georgia, with total dollars invested through the first half of 2019 almost equal to the total dollars invested in the full year 2018.
- Looking at dollars invested, FinTech and Biotech/Pharma also drew VC attention in Georgia over the past five-and-a-half years, with $936 million and $807 million, respectively.
- Overall, Georgia is on pace to have a strong year. Total dollars invested in the state through the first half of 2019 almost equal the total in 2018.
We invite you to read The State of StartupsSM in the Southeast report in its entirety here. We hope this report will further educate investors on the emerging trends to watch as well as highlight the region’s growth and future opportunities.
About the Author: Mark Buffington is co-founder and CEO of BIP Capital, one of the most active and successful venture investors in the Southeast, serving entrepreneurs, investors and operators to grow the emerging company ecosystem. Follow him on Twitter @markbuffbip.
ATLANTA, GA – October 1, 2019 – Venture Atlanta, the premier venture capital conference in the Southeast, today announced the addition of a new keynote - "Building a Unicorn - The Story of AppDynamics and Unusual Ventures" - to the 2019 conference. Featuring a fireside chat with Jyoti Bansal and John Vrionis, the talk will detail Bansal and Vrionis’ AppDynamics journey, from its early start-up days to its $3.7 billion sale to Cisco, and how that led to the creation of their new joint venture, Unusual Ventures.
“We’re excited to welcome Jyoti Bansal and John Vrionis to the Venture Atlanta stage,” said Mike Becker, Managing Director at Vocap Investment Partners and 2018 Venture Atlanta board chair. “Their story and insights on how to build successful companies while maintaining a successful partnership will be a great addition to this year’s conference.”
In 2018, Bansai and Vrionis co-founded Unusual Ventures, a seed-stage firm that invests in both enterprise and consumer startups and is committed to fostering the next generation of billion dollar companies through hands-on guidance and mentorship for entrepreneurs. Prior to Unusual Ventures, Bansai founded AppDynamics in 2008, an application intelligence company that provides enterprises with real-time insights into application performance, while Vrionis was a General Partner at Lightspeed Venture Partners, where he invested in a number of successful companies, including AppDynamics, Cloudbees, DataStax, Heptio, Mulesoft, Nicira, and Nimble Storage.
Venture Atlanta is expected to draw a sold-out crowd of over 1,000 technology entrepreneurs, premier investors and key executives from across the country. The event will take place October 16-17 at Southern Exchange @ 200 Peachtree. Registration for premier investors is open until October 7.
ATLANTA – September 16, 2019 – Venture Atlanta, the premier venture capital conference in the Southeast, today announced its 2019 lineup of the region’s most promising tech companies that will present and be showcased during this year’s highly anticipated event on October 16-17. The largest annual two-day conference connecting entrepreneurs throughout the Southeast with over 200 national investor funds is now in its 12th year and has earned a reputation as a game-changing event, having helped launch over 350 companies and secure over $4.3 billion in funding to date.
“Venture Atlanta is the place where Southeast tech entrepreneurs gather to discover, connect, inspire and grow,” said Dave Payne, managing director of Techstars Atlanta and Venture Atlanta board member. “The most powerful collective group of industry leaders, investors and founders, Venture Atlanta has become the main showcase for game-changing innovation and technologies poised for massive growth.”
“With over one-third of the presenting companies coming from outside Georgia, Venture Atlanta is becoming Venture Southeast,” said Paul Iaffaldano, managing partner of BIP Capital and head of the Venture Atlanta selection committee. “After receiving hundreds of applicants - 50 percent more than last year - the 2019 list of top companies includes the best and brightest, representing more than ten states from Texas to Virginia.”
This year, 36 leaders representing venture and early-stage companies will take the podium to pitch their businesses while 42 additional startup executives will share their visions as “companies to watch” during a dedicated showcase and networking event.
Venture Atlanta 2019 will feature a keynote from Aaron Levie, chief executive officer, cofounder and chairman of enterprise cloud company Box. The event will also feature leading corporate development executives, including:
- Marc Brown, Microsoft – corporate vice president of Corporate Development, global head of M&A and Strategic Investments
- Murphy Clark, Red Ventures – executive vice president, Corporate Strategy and M&A
- Chris Hecht, Atlassian – head of Corporate Development
- Phil Kirk, Cisco – senior director, Investments
- James Loftus, Square – global head of Corporate Development
- Lisa Marchese, American Express -- head of Corporate Development
- Matt Schweickert, The Home Depot – chief strategy officer
- Seksom Suriyapa, Twitter – vice president, Corporate Development and Strategy
Venture Atlanta sessions will begin with a panel moderated by Stephanie Cohen, chief strategy officer of Goldman Sachs, where she will reveal what strategy and corporate development leaders are looking for, trends in the market, and her firm’s process for evaluating deals.
Venture and Early-Stage Presenting Companies
The following 36 companies, in alphabetical order, have been chosen to present onstage at Venture Atlanta 2019:
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Startup Showcase Companies
In addition to the companies presenting onstage, Venture Atlanta will once again include an expanded Startup Showcase featuring 42 companies that represent the most exciting emerging technologies in the Southeast. These innovators will be highlighted during the conference’s main networking event to provide “sneak peeks” into their plans and products. The companies, in alphabetical order, include:
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Venture Atlanta is expected to draw a sold-out crowd of over 1,000 technology entrepreneurs, premier investors and key executives from across the country. The event will take place at Southern Exchange @ 200 Peachtree. Atlanta- based independent investment management firm, Invesco, is this year’s premier sponsor with Cherry Bekaert, Nelson Mullins and SunTrust as additional headline sponsors. Techstars will help kick off the conference on October 14 with Techstars Atlanta 2019 Demo Day in partnership with Cox Enterprises.
To register, view the conference schedule or access more information, visit www.ventureatlanta.org/conference.
