ATLANTA – May 20, 2009 – Venture Atlanta, Georgia’s technology innovation event, announced today that it is seeking presenters for its annual investor showcase this fall. Up to 20 tech firms will be selected to speak at Venture Atlanta 2009, held Oct. 13-14 at the W Hotel in Midtown Atlanta. Presenters will have the opportunity to pitch their companies to more than 100 private-equity investors from Atlanta and other areas of the country, including Silicon Valley and the Northeast.
Last year, out-of-state venture capitalists—representing Chrysalis Ventures, Edison Venture Fund, Novak Biddle Venture Partners, Sierra Ventures and others—participated in the event. “Venture Atlanta has earned a reputation as one of the best events in the Southeast for developing relationships between entrepreneurs, investors and service providers,” said John Glushik of Durham, N.C.-based Intersouth Partners, a VC firm that has invested in Purewire, a company who secures business and social interactions on the web, and several other Atlanta area companies. “In spite of the current economy, I’ll make the trip again this year because we are still looking for quality deals. Venture Atlanta has a proven track record of providing those opportunities.”
Venture Atlanta is co-hosted by three leading business organizations in Georgia: Atlanta CEO Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). Currently in its second year, Venture Atlanta is already known for attracting top-tier venture firms and representing Georgia’s dynamic technology ecosystem. “Venture Atlanta was created by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs with the purpose of connecting Georgia’s best companies to tier one investors,” said Ashish Mistry, Venture Atlanta co-founder and Atlanta CEO Council president. “Presenters have always found this conference to be a valuable opportunity from a marketplace visibility aspect as well as for the small things we do, like not charging application or presenter fees. In addition to company presentations and quality networking opportunities, Venture Atlanta 2009 will feature a still to-be-announced headline speaker. Last year, Bernie Marcus, co-founder of The Home Depot, chairman of the Marcus Foundation, and the main financial contributor to the Georgia Aquarium, spoke to the 500-person audience. Organizers expect presenters and participants from diverse industries, including software, communications, wireless, new media, semiconductor, transaction processing, medical device, clean technology and alternative energy.
PlayON! Sports, a startup that helps media companies, academic institutions and sports associations produce Web-based video coverage of live events, was a featured presenter at last year’s event. The company raised venture funding in late 2008, and indicates that Venture Atlanta was a direct link to the exposure it needed to get to the next level. “What I liked most about Venture Atlanta 2008 was its fast pace,” said David Rudolph, PlayON! Sports CEO and former Turner Broadcasting executive. “I got a lot of crucial industry information and met investors and fellow entrepreneurs who I’m still in contact with today.” Georgia-based entrepreneurs interested in presenting at Venture Atlanta 2009 should submit two-page executive summaries and applications to www.ventureatlanta.org by August 31. There is no fee to apply. For more information on Venture Atlanta, or to register for the event, please visit: www.ventureatlanta.org. About Venture Atlanta Venture Atlanta, Georgia’s technology innovation event, is where Georgia’s top technology innovators meet the country’s top-tier investors. As the state’s largest investor showcase, Venture Atlanta connects local entrepreneurs with venture capitalists, bankers, angel investors and others who can help them raise the capital they need to grow their businesses. The annual nonprofit event is a collaboration of three leading Georgia business organizations: Atlanta CEO Council, Metro Atlanta Chamber and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG). For more information, visit www.ventureatlanta.org.
