A guide to Atlanta resources for underrepresented entrepreneurs

A guide to Atlanta resources for underrepresented founders. Inno Guides are designed to serve as an onboarding tool for anyone that’s new to the city’s ecosystem, as well as a refresher for those looking to learn more about Atlanta’s startup and tech communities and the resources available to them.
Atlanta’s diversity is a distinct advantage for the city as it emerges as an East Coast technology hub.
That diversity attracted tech giants Microsoft and Airbnb , and it’s often cited as an edge over other markets, including Silicon Valley . Studies show companies with more diversity outperform their competitors .
But across the country, founders of color and women see less than 5% of the share of venture capital. Out of the $150 billion in venture capital invested in 2020, 1% when to Black startup founders, according to Crunchbase. Female founders received 2.4% of venture capital.
Though Atlanta is widely regarded as a landing strip for Black entrepreneurs, its largest tech companies and startups are still led by mostly white men.
The local tech ecosystem is trying to change that.
Atlanta has a wealth of resources for entrepreneurs and startups, built mostly by successful entrepreneurs who have stayed in the city or in tandem with the university system. It also has a growing number of resources to uplift entrepreneurs traditionally underrepresented in tech or in leadership roles.
These programs, organizations and firms help underrepresented entrepreneurs expand their networks, learn techniques to scale their companies and get access to capital.
This list only includes resources with a specific mission to help founders of color and women. Check out the other organizations and venture capital firms supporting Atlanta’s tech ecosystem on Atlanta Inno .
Did I miss anything? Let me know at eschilling@bizjournals.com .
Accelerator/ Incubator Programs:
This organization is a collaboration among university, city and corporate partners to support minority-led startups and small businesses. Ascend Atlanta provides educational workshops and networking to facilitate better access to capital and partnerships with other city organizations. JPMorgan Chase & Co., Morehouse Innovation & Entrepreneurship, TechSquare Labs, Village Micro Fund, Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs and Atlanta Wealth Building Initiative participate.
The Center for Civic Innovation, which includes investors such as Mailchimp and Equifax, opened in 2014 as a space for people to innovate solutions to systemic inequality in the city. The center invests in civic entrepreneurs and acts as a meeting and learning space downtown.Atlanta Tech Village’s four-month program aims to help founders of color and women grow their startups through educational workshops and mentorship. Its goal is to help companies raise a seed investment by the conclusion of the program.This nonprofit, sponsored by Venture Atlanta and other local tech organizations, helps women make the leap from founder to CEO through education, access to capital and events. Its one-week Core Flight Program provides a crash-course for women entrepreneurs. About a quarter of its graduate companies have exceeded $1 million in revenue.This business accelerator, managed by Georgia State University, supports underrepresented students, recent alumni and facility members with seed funding and mentorship […]
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