These days, big things are happening in the tech industry, and not just in the usual places; not in Seattle, not in San Francisco… not even Palo Alto.
Billed as the ‘Largest Gathering of Startups in Georgia since 1895,” Startup Rally 2013 took over the Georgian Ballroom at midtown Atlanta’s historic Biltmore Hotel on Monday, February 18th. The event marked the official launch of Startup Georgia, as it joined Startup America Partnership, a national network of similar growing startup communities.
Thousands of business leaders, investors, students, and media attended the exposition to see the latest pioneering ideas coming out of the Southeast and share ideas and opportunities. One of Junction’s clients, Guardian Watch™ founder Dr. Gordon Jones was on hand not only to showcase his company’s revolutionary new multi-platform application supporting public safety, but also to talk about startup culture in his hometown of Augusta, GA, a growing satellite market to the hub of Atlanta. Joining other influential Georgia startup founders and executives on stage, Jones highlighted the greater Atlanta area’s immense potential for cultivating successful new companies, and how the ‘Capital of the South’ is becoming a hotbed for innovative technology companies with its wealth of industry talent and diverse marketplace.
The presentations were headlined by a conversation with Grammy winning hip hop mogul and serial entrepreneur Jermaine Dupri, who is himself an engaged member of the Atlanta business community as CEO of So So Def Recordings and Global14.com.
The turnout and obvious enthusiasm for the day’s events was a clear indicator of the excitement surrounding the launch of Startup Georgia and the growth of industry in the region. The exhibitors, panelists, and presenters represent the men and women building the next great wave of ground-breaking companies, proving that Atlanta and the South are on the rise.