Oct. 1 marks the beginning of InnovATL2024, a 19-day series of special events promoting entrepreneurs, creators, tech pioneers and influencers pushing metro Atlanta forward. Metro Atlanta is a center of creativity and influence that attracts global attention year after year, and the region is a natural home to this annual showcase convening innovators of all kinds. 

“InnovATL capitalizes on the world-class innovation ecosystem we have built over the years, and this year’s events showcase just how inclusive and wide-ranging our community is,” said Katie Kirkpatrick, president and CEO, Metro Atlanta Chamber. “This intersection of corporations, higher education, startups, and creators makes for a catalyst for innovation and business growth.” 

Metro Atlanta continues to be known as a hub for startups and innovation. Last year, ambitious entrepreneurs across the 29-county area founded nearly 200,000 new startups and small businesses. This robust activity profoundly impacts Atlanta’s economy and demonstrates the tenacity and optimism of small businesses in the region.  

“This kind of community collaboration is an incredible strength for metro Atlanta,” said Mason Ailstock, president and CEO, Rowen Foundation. “Much like the mission of the Rowen Foundation, InnovATL convenes the components of the innovation ecosystem in a way that allows us to find solutions and achieve a more prosperous future, together.” 

Metro Atlanta’s inclusive and wide-ranging innovation community includes more than 200 companies on the Inc. 5000 list, 13 unicorn startups and a thriving corporate innovation ecosystem. Seventy percent of Fortune 500 companies have a presence in metro Atlanta, with many setting up R&D or innovation centers to tap into the region's highly educated talent pool.

It is also home to globally recognized leadership in tech innovation as well as entertainment production, all fueled by a diverse talent pool from world-class universities.

The independently organized InnovATL (pronounced inno-VAY-tee-el) events feature a host of topics. Roughly grouped along four categories including corporate, startup, academic and creative industries, this year’s annual showcase convenes innovators of all kinds.

Attendees with a broad interest in technology or creative innovation have a slew of event options from which to choose. Those interested in a particular innovation community can narrow down to a single pathway to guide their activities throughout the event series. An InnovATL2024 pathway could follow any of several journeys:

• The Entrepreneurial Journey

• Innovation in Sports and Media

• Entrepreneurship in Higher Education

• Advancing Healthcare

For more information and a full description of events, visit www.InnovATL2024.com. Listed below are just a few of the possible pathways to navigate events where creators, innovators and founders will converge to shape the future.

Pathway #1: The Entrepreneurial Journey

Event: Venture Atlanta

Date: Oct. 8-9

Location: Woodruff Arts Center

Venture Atlanta supports the Southeast’s most promising tech companies by connecting founders and funders through one of the nation’s largest venture capital conferences and communities.

Event: Atlanta Startup Awards

Date: Oct. 1

Location: Tech Square ATL

The Atlanta Startup Awards recognizes and celebrates the city’s most successful rising tech companies, startup pioneers, and disruptive innovators. 

Event: Techstars Atlanta Powered by Cox Enterprises

Date: Oct. 9

Location: Woodruff Arts Center

Join the Techstars Atlanta team to hear this years’ class of founders as they tell their stories and pitch their businesses and discuss Atlanta’s rising status as a global hub for innovation and tech entrepreneurship.

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Pathway #2: Innovation in Sports and Media

Event: Avant South

Date: Oct. 7

Location: Georgia Tech 

Avant South is a dynamic event that bridges innovation, technology, and culture. The program convenes top leaders from Atlanta’s media, entertainment, sports, arts, and business industries to discuss how emerging technologies can impact the future.

Event: Atlanta Digital World Summit

Date: Oct. 1

Location: Mercedes-Benz Stadium – Delta Sky360 Club 

Through four panel discussions featuring top digital businesses & executives in Georgia, the Atlanta Digital World Summit will discuss the current state of entertainment, gaming, sports and fintech industries. 

Event: DreamHack Atlanta

Date: Oct. 4-6

Location: Georgia World Congress Center 

DreamHack Atlanta is an immersive gaming experience where the community comes to life. The 2024 festival is DreamHack’s sixth installment in Atlanta, and this year will offer $1.1 million in prize money across 20 competitions open to fans of all skill levels. 

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Pathway #3: Entrepreneurship in Higher Education

Event: Built in the Burbs Speaker Series

Date: Oct. 15

Location: Cobb Chamber

HatchBridge Incubator, a collaboration between Kennesaw State University and the Cobb Chamber, is an incubator focused on supporting scalable business in the Atlanta suburbs. The “Built in the Burbs” speaker series is entering its second year. 

Event: HackATL

Date: Oct. 17-19

Location: Emory University

HackATL is the most prominent business hackathon in the southeast, attracting hundreds of students from dozens of top universities to compete for prize money. Participants are given 48 hours to develop a prototype and pitch to judges, angel investors, and venture capitalists. 

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Pathway #4: Advancing Healthcare

Event: Rowen Foundation Convergence Summit

Date: Oct. 10

Location: 11Ten Innovation Lab

The Convergence Summit explores the convergence of medicine, agriculture, and the environment to address the most pressing issues facing the world over the next century: how we produce our food, power our planet, and provide medical care for the global population. 

Event: Women’s Global Leadership Conference

Date: Oct. 9

Location: Agnes Scott College

This year's conference focuses on inclusive health equity, bringing together voices that advance new and intersectional partnerships and ideas. From scholars to executives to activists, this community will work towards new strategies to end disparities in healthcare access and health outcomes.