Venture Atlanta 101: What to Expect and What I'm Excited For
Venture Atlanta is coming upon us!
*THE* event of the year. Largest venture conference in the Southeast. (Prepare yourself.) Investors come from all over the country to check out the top startups in the region.
Here are a few events that I’ll be hosting or attending.
Can you make it? What events are you the most excited for? Do you dislike networking like I do? 😉
What To Expect
Venture Atlanta …. expect 1000s of people!!
It’s non-stop action.
Meeting new people, bumping into folks you know, trying to find the person you’re supposed to meet with.
It is totally exhausting but also incredibly fun, well-run, and a great representation of Atlanta and the fantastic, growing startup ecosystem of the Southeast.
Events I’m Excited For
Not a comprehensive list by any means! There’s SO MUCH going on. Some of these are only for Venture Atlanta attendees but I’ve noted which ones are open to anyone! Add more events or faves in the comments 👇
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Venture Crawl
Monday: 8:30am-3:00pm
Come get a tour of the best Atlanta tech hubs including ATV and South Downtown!
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Pickleball
Monday: 11:00am-3:00pm
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Intentionally Good Summit
**OPEN TO ALL (but sold out)**
Monday: 11:30am-7:30pm
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Founders & Funders Jog
**OPEN TO ALL**
Tuesday: 6:45-8:30am
Bright & early! (Little birdie told me over 70 people are registered.) My absolute favorite way to kick off a conference and the best not-networking networking there is.
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VC Panel
Tuesday: 9:00-10:30am
See session preview HERE!
We read Mark Suster’s blog like it was the Bible in the early days of Pardot and I still share his Rabbits, Deer, Elephants blog frequently with founders. Excited to hear him speak plus love the other powerhouse panelists (all women!) who all have Atlanta ties.
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Women in Capital Breakfast
Wednesday: 8:30-9:45am
What started with 3 women, then 30 (my first VA 4 years ago) is now hundreds! It’s incredible what can happen in a short time. Thank you Christy Brown, Allyson Eman, and Kim Seals for getting it started.
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Keynote Speaker Dawn Staley
Wednesday: 1:30-2:15pm
National champion & hall of fame basketball coach, right here in the south. I love sports, I love women playing sports, and I love the power of great coaching. Also, basketball is by far the best sport. If you disagree, I respect your opinion but you are wrong. 😉
Find me in the front row. 🤓 🏀
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Techstars Demo Day
**OPEN TO ALL**
Wednesday: 3:30-5:00pm
I’ve met some of the founders, excited to meet more. They are top talent and can’t wait to see their pitches!
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Female Founders in Innovation Dinner
**OPEN TO ALL (might be sold out)**
Wednesday: 6:00-9:00pm
Atlanta Ventures is a sponsor and I could not be more excited to celebrate the amazing women building companies!
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Hands On Atlanta Tech Day of Service
**OPEN TO ALL**
Thursday: 2:00-6:00pm
Giving back in South Downtown! Thank you Eileen Lee and Endeavor for this important event. Volunteering together is an incredible team building (and authentic networking!) experience.
10 Conference Tips To Remember!
My parting gift to you. Absolutely no tips on networking, selling, prospecting, or how to work the booth. (You know how to do that.)
1. Drink Alllllll The Water.
2. Locate The Closest Starbucks or Coffee Shop.
3. Never Party With Sales. (Sales people are conference immortals.)
4. Set Your Phone Alarm Now.
5. Hide For At Least 5 Minutes Every Hour.
6. Learn How To Fake Drink.
7. Meet Someone For A Workout. (See Founder Funder Jog above ☝️)
8. Invest In A Good Mint.
9. Expect To Get Sick.
10. Schedule a 1 Day Return Buffer.
(#protip I know some Atlanta-based attendees who book a hotel room so they don’t have to commute home and back in the morning.)
Block your cal, work from home, and recover, I mean, get shit done to make the conference worth it!
More details on each with real conference stories here.
Can’t make it!?
Events are happening all over Atlanta! If you can’t make it to Venture Atlanta, here are some of my favorite event calendars!
And of course, here’s a list of my favorite resources, groups, and tactics for getting a pulse on Atlanta and finding other tech folks.
Please feel free to drop other upcoming events with details and registration links in the comments below! What are most excited for at Venture Atlanta?👇