Celebrating 15 Years of Connecting Founders and Funders, Venture Atlanta Moves FORWARD With Its 2022 Lineup of Most Innovative Tech Companies

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Sep 20, 2022, 09:00 ET

Southeast's leading VC conference announces
85 presenting/showcase companies and 90+ event sponsors

ATLANTA, Sept. 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Now in its 15^th year, Venture Atlanta, one of the nation's most prestigious venture capital conferences, today announced the companies that will be featured at its annual event to be held October 19-20, 2022. The event's 15^th anniversary also sees the investor conference moving to a brand-new venue—The Woodruff Arts Center and Atlanta Symphony Hall.

With the theme of FORWARD signifying the Southeast tech ecosystem's continued growth and momentum, Venture Atlanta 2022 has again broken its previous records with close to 500 applications this year and 90+ event sponsors. To view the list of 85 companies that were ultimately selected to present or be showcased, go here.

For a decade and a half, 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 to launch more than 700 companies and raise $6.5 billion in funding to date, spinning out $17 billion in successful exits.

Venture Atlanta boasts a roster of highly successful alumni, including CallRail, Car360, Flock Safety, Florence Healthcare, Kabbage, ParkMobile, Pindrop Security, Salesforce Pardot, Salesloft, SingleOps, Stax, and Terminus.

"This year's number of applicants broke even last year's record, with the quality of companies making it a very difficult job for our Selection Committee," said Venture Atlanta CEO Allyson Eman. "With an impressive slate of presenting and showcase companies, a record number of sponsors, and a brand-new venue, we're continuing to raise the bar for what will be our 15^th anniversary event."

"We're extremely pleased by the caliber and scope of this year's presenting and showcase companies," said Rob Casey, Partner, Assurance Services, at Aprio and chair of this year's Venture Atlanta Selection Committee. "As always, Venture Atlanta's mission is to give stellar companies access to connections and capital, and we look forward to watching the trajectories of this year's soon-to-be Venture Atlanta alumni."

Again this year, a significant portion—nearly 60 percent—of presenting and showcase companies hail from outside Georgia, reflecting the growing awareness and pull of Venture Atlanta. Companies that will present and be showcased are based in some of the strongest tech innovation hubs in the Southeast, including Atlanta, Austin, Birmingham, Charlotte, Dallas, Durham, Miami, Nashville, and Richmond.

New Venue Reflects Growing Intersection of Arts & Technology
As in previous years, Venture Atlanta 2022 is anticipated to be a sold-out event, with over 1,200 entrepreneurs, founders, investors, and business leaders expected to be in attendance. The new venue for Venture Atlanta—The Woodruff Arts Center at 1280 Peachtree Street—will reflect the growing intersection of art and technology.

Woodruff is the third-largest arts center in America. Venture Atlanta FORWARD pitch presentations will be held in the beautiful and newly renovated Atlanta Symphony Hall that is part of the Woodruff campus.

"Over the years, Venture Atlanta has evolved from a two-day event into an active community dedicated to bringing together innovative companies, disruptive technologies, and top-tier investors," said Elizabeth Stephens, Principal at Noro-Moseley Partners and chair of the Venture Atlanta Companies Committee. "We're excited and honored to be hosting Venture Atlanta FORWARD at such an important and historical facility as The Woodruff Arts Center and Atlanta Symphony Hall. The venue, as well as our remarkable showcase and presenting companies, notable speakers, and full roster of sponsors, make it an event not to be missed."

Venture Atlanta FORWARD Partners With SCAD for This Year's T-Shirt Design
Attendees at Venture Atlanta look perennially forward to receiving an event t-shirt to mark the occasion—and this year, the t-shirt will be designed by a student at The Savannah College of Art and Design, Atlanta.

Venture Atlanta FORWARD is hosting a "hackathon" with SCAD Atlanta students on September 30, during which at least one t-shirt design will be selected. The winning design(s) will be printed on 100% "made in the USA" t-shirts, made and printed by Venture Atlanta alumnus company SoftWear Automation. A video at the conference will depict how the t-shirts are made.

Additionally, the winning SCAD designer(s) will receive a scholarship from Venture Atlanta on stage during the event.

Venture Atlanta FORWARD, Presented by Invesco, Has Record Number of Sponsors
This year there are more than 90 Venture Atlanta sponsors, including repeat sponsor Invesco as the conference's title sponsor. Silicon Valley Bank returns for the 15^th year as sponsor, this year in a leading role as a presenting sponsor along with Cherry Bekaert, ExtensisHR, Morris, Manning & Martin, and Truist as headline sponsors. For a complete list of sponsors, go here.

Silicon Valley Bank also served as this year's host for the "Creating Momentum" series designed to open a dialog among underrepresented founders and social entrepreneurs at events held in Atlanta, Washington, D.C., Miami, Austin, and Dallas, with more education and events planned for later this year.

Creating Momentum is the result of an ongoing partnership between Venture Atlanta, Goodie Nation, and Metro Atlanta Chamber.

Register to Attend Venture Atlanta FORWARD — Before Surge Pricing Begins
Venture Atlanta FORWARD will offer a full schedule of high-energy presentations and unforgettable events, including a closing keynote address from high-profile mystery guests who will stay "after the clock runs out" (hint) for autographs and photos.

For the full Venture Atlanta FORWARD event schedule, go here.

To register for the 15^th annual Venture Atlanta before pricing goes up and passes are sold out, 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 700 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.

Contacts:
Allyson Eman
CEO
Venture Atlanta
770.298.4202
[email protected]

Sara Wakefield
Carabiner Communications
770.778.6194
[email protected]

SOURCE Venture Atlanta