Last week, Downtown Atlanta came alive as innovators, technology pioneers, business leaders, and professionals converged for Atlanta Tech Week (ATW) 2023, a vibrant celebration of the city’s growing tech ecosystem.
RenderATL, which spearheads ATW, attracted approximately 8,000 attendees along with over 15,000 participants for its flagship conference.
Spanning across 250,000 square feet, the event featured 70 exhibitors, showcasing the latest developments in technology and engaging participants in numerous workshops and discussions.
Strategic partnerships with major industry players such as Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, Google Cloud, IBM, and Reddit contributed to the success of the conference, highlighting Atlanta’s emergence as a significant tech hub.
Avilon Bingham, President of ATW, articulated the essence of the event in an interview with Trending with Ms. Tre: “These events are about more than code — they celebrate culture, creativity and collaboration, showcasing the full Atlanta experience.
From panels and fireside chats to the Silicon South Summit, attendees got a taste of what Atlanta is building — both inside and outside of the perimeter.”
The scale of this year’s event is remarkable, culminating from nearly two decades of dedication towards fostering Atlanta’s burgeoning startup scene.
Atlanta Tech Village (ATV), established in 2002 by David Cummings, has played a pivotal role in transforming the city into a startup hotspot.
To date, ATV has sprawled its influence, creating over 10,000 jobs, assisting in establishing more than 300 startups, and facilitating over $3.2 billion in raised capital.
Moreover, Venture Atlanta’s inception in 2007 has complemented ATV’s efforts by bridging the gap between promising startups and potential investors.
Providing opportunities for startups to pitch at a yearly conference, Venture Atlanta has been instrumental in enhancing the visibility and funding prospects for various southeast startups.
The COVID-19 pandemic inadvertently catalyzed Atlanta’s ascension as a tech hub, as industry leaders in New York and California faced significant slowdowns.
The combination of the pandemic’s challenges and the community cultivated by Venture Atlanta and ATV laid the groundwork for RenderATL, which was founded in 2020 to embody this vision.
Just two years later, ATW emerged to build upon the burgeoning tech culture in Atlanta.
According to Cassia Baker, Technology Project Manager at the Georgia Manufacturing Extension Partnership, this year’s event materialized through a collective effort from different sectors within the city.
“There was a group on a planning committee, and everyone donated a lot of time and ideas.
So many people shared resources, brought in people to provide expertise, and it was very much reflective of the Atlanta tech ecosystem—built from the ground up,” she mentioned.
She further emphasized the significance of the hard work contributed by volunteers and the broader Atlanta tech community, as it drew attendees from as far as the U.K. to witness the vibrant atmosphere the city has to offer.
The economic impact of ATW on Atlanta’s infrastructure was valuable, estimated around $20 million.
Among the many insightful workshops was “Unlocking Early Stage Innovation for B2B Startups” hosted by Cox Enterprises, and “From Hype to How: Things That Make Gen AI Actually Work for Your Business” featuring Paul Zikopoulos from IBM.
Bingham noted a commitment to curating content relevant to contemporary discussions revolving around startup funding, artificial intelligence, and Atlanta’s aspirations to become one of the top five tech hubs.
In a novel approach, this year’s conference incorporated headphones for each badge holder, allowing attendees to listen to preferred talks, even when event spaces reached capacity.
Among the highlights was a panel titled “Revitalizing Downtown: Tech, Innovation & The Future of Our City,” moderated by Baker, featuring discussions on the city’s ambitious revitalization projects.
“These developments aren’t just building buildings — they’re building the future of how people live, work, move, and belong in Atlanta.
The themes are innovation, leadership & the future of ATL. South downtown is what’s next in tech but it’s all happening now,” Baker commented.
Another insightful session, “Powering the Future: The Future of Data, Infrastructure & the Environment in ATL,” led by Cynthia Curry and Mezu Ofoegbu, also included Baker as a moderator, focusing on preparing the next generation of workforce-ready STEM graduates.
Baker elucidated the critical importance of starting STEM education in K-12: “Otherwise, it’s too late to see the impact you need.
By the time you know what kind of workforce you want to develop, that ship may have already sailed.”
As the next generation of innovators steps into the tech landscape, events like RenderATL and ATW are pivotal in promoting Atlanta, not just as a tech hub, but as a launchpad for future innovators.
image source from：nique
