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Inclusive Innovation Resources

The team at Startup Atlanta has curated the following list of resources that focus on support for diverse founders (eg. Black, Latinx, Veteran, LGBT-owned, Disability-owned businesses).
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Accelerators

Synergies Work

Founded in 2016, Synergies Work is the largest business incubator and accelerator for entrepreneurs with disabilities in the United States. The organization serves entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey—from ideation to success.

Accelerators

The Entrepreneurship Center at the Urban League of Greater Atlanta

The Entrepreneurship Center (TEC) at the Urban League of Greater Atlanta assists entrepreneurs with starting and growing successful and sustainable businesses.

Event

Startup Runway

Judges grant a $10,000, strings-free prize check supported by sponsor donations.

Funding

Access TiE Atlanta

ACCESS is an entrepreneurship program launched by TiE Atlanta Angels to close the mentoring and funding gap between women- and minority-owned businesses.

Funding

Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE)

Since 2000, ACE has been giving entrepreneurs a chance when others could not. ACE is a non-profit organization and the largest small business-focused community development loan fund in Georgia. ACE provides loan capital from $15,000 to $1,000,000 and business development resources to help its borrowers create and grow sustainable businesses which generate jobs.

Funding

Accion Opportunity Fund

Accion Opportunity Fund is a financial support system that provides diverse, determined small business owners with access to capital, networks, and coaching.

Funding

Collab Capital

Collab Capital is an investment fund leveraging financial, human, and social capital to help founders build sustainable, technology enabled businesses.

Funding

EnrichHer

EnrichHER connects pre-qualified companies led by women and founders of color to capital, coaching, and community so they can take their businesses to new heights.

Funding

Fearless Fund

Fearless Fund invests in women of color led businesses seeking pre-seed, seed level or series A financing. Our mission is to bridge the gap in venture capital funding for women of color founders building scalable, growth aggressive companies. Fearless Fund is built by women of color for women of color.

Funding

Georgia Micro Enterprise Network

GMEN is a nonprofit industry membership association that is a catalyst for economic development in Georgia and the Southeast. Through its network of business development and training organizations, GMEN acts as a resource to support and fund viable microbusinesses in an effort to create new jobs and business opportunities.

Funding

GoGeorgia Capital

Founded in 1951, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta (the “Foundation”) is one of the largest philanthropic organizations in the Southeast, typically donating over $100 million annually to community non-profits and other philanthropic endeavors. We recently launched a new platform called GoGeorgia Capital, a simple pre-application meant to connect small businesses (and revenue-generating nonprofits) with mission-aligned lenders from across the State of Georgia.

Funding

Google Black Founders Fund

The $5M Google for Startups Black Founders Fund provides non-dilutive cash awards to Black led startups that have participated in our programs or have been nominated by our partner community. Selected founders receive between $50,000 and $100,000 in capital along with hands-on support to help their startup grow.

Funding

Hawks Ventures

Hawks Ventures is a mission-driven venture capital investment fund, focused on expanding upon the Atlanta Hawks core values of innovation and inclusivity. We focus on investing in early-stage startups, led by minority and underrepresented founders, that seek to impact the ways consumers experience a product or service. We look to invest in companies with high-growth potential that have big ideas, clear vision, and a plan for execution.

Funding

LiftFund

LiftFund provides small business loans for women & minority entrepreneurs and startups in Atlanta, Columbus, Warner Robins, Macon, and throughout Georgia. We help make capital accessible to help entrepreneurs create wealth for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Funding

Metro Atlanta Chamber Restore ATL Grant

The Metro Atlanta Chamber, through the support of its investors in the metro Atlanta business community, implemented the RESTORE ATL Grants to support Black-owned small- and medium-sized businesses adversely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the program, eligible businesses can apply for immediate gap assistance grants of $5,000-$10,000.

Funding

Panoramic Ventures

Panoramic Ventures opens new doors for founders, giving more entrepreneurs access to capital to build leading tech companies.

Funding

Peachtree Minority Venture Fund

PMVF is a new million dollar student-led venture capital fund focused exclusively on black, LatinX and Native American founders, housed in the Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

Funding

Softbank The Opportunity Fund

Through the SB Opportunity Fund, we are committed to inviting more visionary, underrepresented founders into our global ecosystem. To do that, we are assembling a diverse Investment Committee that includes members from both inside and outside of SoftBank, and looking at early stage investments alongside growth investments for the first time in decades.

Funding

Valor Ventures

Valor Ventures invests in hyper growth tech startups outside of tier 1 cities after they have their first customers and are hungry to scale their success

Funding

Village Micro Fund

The Village Micro Fund is a grassroots microfinance organization with the mission to empower entrepreneurs in Metro Atlanta by providing access to capital, business education, and a "Village" of support.

Groups

Technologists of Color

Technologists of Color is a passionate collection of professionals from the information technology arena. The community is committed to building the African American tech community in Atlanta. Their primary goal is to connect tech professionals, entrepreneurs, "newbies" as well as "career changers" so that they can share knowledge, resources and opportunities.

Organizations

ParentPreneur Foundation

We empower Black ParentPreneurs, so they can leave a legacy for their beautiful Black children.

Places

The Gathering Spot

The Gathering Spot is an Atlanta based invite-only private membership club established to connect a network of creators, disruptors, entrepreneurs, executives, artists and forward thinkers who want to elevate their professional and social lives.

Program

ATL Action for Racial Equity

ATL Action for Racial Equity is an initiative by the Metro Atlanta Chamber to accelerate racial equity by leveraging the size and scale of our business community, and the power of collective impact. Together we will find solutions that generate meaningful change, dismantle systemic racism and make our community – and world – a better place.

Program

Ascend Atlanta

JPMorgan Chase & Co. has partnered with Morehouse College Entrepreneurship Center and TechSquare Labs to launch Ascend Atlanta, a technology startup and small business support ecosystem for minority-led companies throughout Metropolitan Atlanta.

Program

Atlanta Tech Village "It Takes A Village"

It Takes A Village is Atlanta Tech Village diversity and inclusion initiative which emphasizes the importance of supporting diverse perspectives and inclusive work environments in technology. We believe an entire community with different skill sets, backgrounds, and cultures is needed to produce the most productive and innovative companies.

Program

Endeavor's ScaleUp ATL

Endeavor's ScaleUp ATL program equips Atlanta’s fastest-growing, highest potential Black founders with the resources and confidence to take their business to the next level.

Program

Goodie Nation

Goodie Nation is a nonprofit dedicated to eliminating the relationship gap that stands in the way of success for far too many promising entrepreneurs, especially those who are people of color, women, or aren't located in coastal financial centers.

Program

Launchpad 2X

Launchpad2x is an entrepreneurial ecosystem in Atlanta supporting women who are founders/leaders/majority owners of their startup and emerging businesses.

Program

Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund

Georgia State’s award-winning Main Street Entrepreneurs Seed Fund (MSESF) business accelerator program is designed to support underrepresented student, recent alumni and Georgia State community entrepreneurs with seed funding and mentorship to start and grow new ventures.

Program

Partnership for Inclusive Innovation

A statewide public-private partnership supporting efforts that help foster access, growth, entrepreneurship, and innovation throughout Georgia, with the goal of achieving inclusive innovation. Our organization aspires to define Georgia’s entrepreneurial identity as a national leader in technology research, innovation, development, and implementation.

Program

The Cranium Incubator

According to a study performed by DiversityVC, most venture-backed startups are still “overwhelmingly white, male, Ivy-League educated and based in Silicon Valley.” Too little investment goes into companies started by minorities and women. At The Cranium Incubator, we believe that it is crucial to focus on helping startup companies which were founded by people of color and women.

Program

The Russell Center (RICE)

The Russell Center (RICE), will be the largest center in the country, driven by community impact, devoted to empowering African American entrepreneurs and small business owners.

Program

Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative (WEI)

The Women's Entrepreneurship Initiative is a municipally-funded incubator with a mission to elevate, engage and empower entrepreneurship through women.

Program

Zane Access

At Zane, we understand the struggle to raise capital as an underrepresented founder. So, we created Zane Access, the premiere capital readiness experience that was built to equip you with the skills to navigate the world of capital with confidence.

Inclusive Innovation: Ambassadors

Meet the Startup Atlanta board members who serve as ambassadors to the community and help curate the resources in this section.
Joey Womack
Founder/CEO, Goodie Nation



Inclusive Innovation Section Sponsor
Accenture is a global professional services company with leading capabilities in digital, cloud and security. Learn more at accenture.com

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