Your Founder Fall Starts Here
Kids are back in school, which means the rest of us have officially run out of excuses to skip networking. 😂
Fall in Atlanta Startupland is PACKED. Conferences, coffee chats, pitch practice, and multiple sunrise jogs.
Here are a few events I’ll be hosting, attending, excited about, or all of the above.
(Including an incredible fireside chat with one of the top founders in the Southeast TOMORROW!!!!! See #1 😉)
Lmk if you’re attending or feel free to add other ones in the comments below!
P.S. A little birdie told me to check the South Downtown calendar later this week for movie nights, college football, Braves games, yoga, and other fun! You’ll see me and the fam at Founder’s Green a LOT this fall with a slice, taco, or BBQ in hand.
1. Coffee, Candor & Kristin Oja: Atlanta Healthcare Entrepreneur Meetup
📅 Wed, Sep 2, 8:30a → TOMORROW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
📍 Buckhead ATV Community Center
Literally, the event I’ve been wanting to do for years.
Kristin Oja is a medical and entrepreneurial genius.
And I get to interview her!
We’re talking about:
how she built STAT Wellness from scratch into one of Atlanta’s most-loved integrative health practices with 7 locations across the Southeast
having 3 kids while building a big ass company!
fundraising, expansion, company culture
strategies for founders with ADHD (um, like, 99% of y’all 😂), women over 40 (🙋♀️), and anyone who is stressed and busy (the whole world)!
Come for the coffee. Stay for the unfiltered insights.
2. Wednesd.AI
📅 Every Wednesday 8:30-10a → Next one is Wed, Sep 9!
📍 Atlanta Tech Village
Wednesd.AI is a free, casual show-and-tell where real builders share how they’re actually using AI (not just talking about it).
Rave reviews, practical applications.
3. Office Hours with Atlanta Ventures
📅 Thu, Sep 10, 12-12:30p
📍 Virtual
Join me and fellow Atlanta Ventures partner A.T. Gimbel for an informal Q&A. Common topics include fundraising, product development, getting your first customers, what we look for when investing, and more.
We do these every month, so if this date doesn’t work, join us in Oct, Nov, or Dec.
4. 3686
📅 Sep 14-16
📍 Nashville, TN
Tennessee’s flagship entrepreneur conference always delivers! Job fair, an innovation night, and Startup Homecoming (corsages and cover bands 🙌).
Don’t forget to (creepily) slow drive by the new Perlant Nashville location!
5. Founder Funder Jog @ South Downtown ATL
📅 Fri, Sep 18, 6:45-8a
📍 Meet at ATV Sylvan
Nothing brings founders and investors together like suffering through a 3-4 mile run before 8am. 😂
Meet at Atlanta Tech Village Sylvan, run through South Downtown, and stay for coffee and conversation. Powered by TrackCred and Bluubird.
6. Startup Chowdown
📅 Fridays at ATV Buckhead
📅 1st & 3rd Tuesdays at ATV Sylvan (South Downtown)
📍 Atlanta Tech Village
Meet founders! Eat food! Open to anyone.
Check out ATV’s events page for the next date near you.
7. Pitch Practice
📅 1st Tuesday, 1:30p, ATV Sylvan
📅 1st & 3rd Fridays, 1p, ATV Buckhead
Led by the brilliant Jacey Cadet, get FREE help on your startup pitch. Open to anyone! Practice your 30-second, 1-minute, or 2-minute version, get feedback, and leave less nervous than you walked in.
8. Venture Atlanta
📅 Wed, Oct 14 - Thu, Oct 15
📍 Woodruff Arts Center & Atlanta Symphony Hall
MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW. And start prepping!
Venture Atlanta is the largest venture conference in the Southeast, and it’s a great place for a scrappy startup to meet investors or get customers.
#PROTIP: the annual Founder Funder Jog is happening too! New meeting spot: Moxy Atlanta Midtown!
There are rumors which I can neither confirm nor deny that there might be prizes at the jog.
(NOT based on speed - lol! Cool swag giveaways, yall!)
What Else??
Did I miss something? Always. I can never capture everything going on in this bustling startup world.
Here are a few of my favorite event calendars:
What’s on your calendar this fall? Which of these are you most excited about?
Forward to the founder who keeps saying they’ll network “once things calm down.” (They won’t. Send it now.)
Please feel free to drop other upcoming events with details and registration links in the comments below! 👇