Atlanta’s vibrant startup ecosystem is continuously striving for growth, with aspirations to be recognized as a Top 5 Tech Hub in the nation.
This goal has garnered significant attention, fueled by a notable increase in tech companies, venture capitalists, and startup programs in the region over the past decade.
To further understand the landscape, local startup leaders were posed with a pivotal question: ‘What’s missing?’
Their candid responses illuminate the challenges and opportunities faced by the city’s entrepreneurial community.
James ‘Jay’ Bailey, President & CEO of the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, emphasized the need for connectivity rather than talent.
He stated, “Atlanta doesn’t have a talent problem. We have a connectivity problem.
The ideas are here. The innovation is here.
What’s missing is consistent access to capital, to customers, to opportunity — especially for founders who’ve been historically overlooked.
That’s the void we work every day to fill.”
Shalon Brown, Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications at the same institution, echoed Bailey’s sentiments by highlighting the importance of holistic support for founders.
“Atlanta has the culture, the creators, and the consumer power to be a global startup hub but only if we prioritize building an ecosystem where founders are supported holistically: mind, mission, and money.
This city is still missing the true infrastructure to help startups grow beyond the hype.
So, you’ll see the hustle, you’ll see the ideas, and you’ll see the chase in what looks trendy or cool for the moment.
But we need more institutions and spaces that don’t just offer pop-up programming but will truly help startups build something that lasts and is nurtured beyond the hype.”
Graham Gintz, Associate Director at Kennesaw’s HatchBridge Accelerator, identified an opportunity in strengthening education around family office investing within Georgia.
He noted, “There’s a growing opportunity to strengthen education across Georgia around family office investing — whether in early-stage startups or Main Street buyouts.
By expanding access and awareness, particularly beyond the perimeter, we can unlock new pathways for investors eager to put active capital to work in Atlanta and beyond.”
Eddie Lai, Director of Business Development at Portal Innovations, pointed out another significant gap in Atlanta’s ecosystem.
He stated, “Atlanta has for a long time missed a collective of collaborative lab spaces that are independent of and additional to academic institutions where early-stage scientific companies, including biopharma, medtech, cleantech, materials innovation, energy, and quantum companies can develop.
It has also missed venture capital and venture attention to life sciences companies.
We at Portal Innovations are proud to be addressing these two needs, catalyzing the ecosystem and bringing our own experiences in the industries together to forge a new path in partnership to bring Atlanta’s promise to the world and to showcase why Atlanta, Georgia, and the Southeast is a new hotbed for scientific innovation and ready for investment.”
Suggesting a structured approach, Suna Lumeh of Portal Innovations laid out specific recommendations for improvement.
She proposed a matching funds program for startups and called for accountability via a quarterly or semi-annual progress report segmented by industry.
Lumeh remarked, “This visibility could offer the chance to collaborate across sectors, identify and come up with solutions to fill gaps, local and national investors getting a snapshot of competitiveness.”
Shakiri Murrain, Director of Innovation Solutions at Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, emphasized the importance of global connectivity for Atlanta startups.
He suggested the city could benefit from initiating relationships with sister cities focused on intentional startup connections, potentially naming Accra, Ghana, or Cali, Colombia as prospective partners.
Dave Payne, co-founder and managing partner at Neighborhood Studios, highlighted the necessity for more mentorship for pre-seed founders.
He observed, “We certainly have organizations doing good work here (like Atlanta Tech Village, Techstars, ATDC), but I would love to see more one-on-one mentorship between successful local founders and the most promising first-time founders in town.”
Alex Rhodeen, supply chain catalyst at ATDC, called for a sense of swagger within Atlanta’s startup scene.
He asserted, “Every trend in startups – ideas, resources, talent, results – increases every day in Atlanta and it’s OK if we act like it.”
Ryan Wilson, co-founder and CEO at The Gathering Spot, urged for intentional collaboration among community members.
He argued the need to move beyond casual support, stating, “The real power of Atlanta’s startup scene lies in our potential for collective impact.
When we approach collaboration, investment, and shared success with intention, we unlock new opportunities for innovation and momentum.”
As Atlanta’s startup ecosystem continues to evolve, the insights provided by these local leaders point to critical areas needing attention and improvement.
With a concerted effort to address these challenges, Atlanta can work towards fulfilling its ambition of becoming a leading tech hub.
image source from：https://hypepotamus.com/investor-spotlights/what-is-atlanta-tech-missing/
