In recent years, Atlanta, Georgia has emerged as a thriving hub for startups and entrepreneurial ventures. With a rich ecosystem of resources, mentorship networks, and investor communities, the city has become an attractive destination for aspiring entrepreneurs looking to turn their innovative ideas into successful businesses. To support and nurture this burgeoning startup culture, Atlanta is home to several renowned startup accelerators and incubators.
These programs provide entrepreneurs with the necessary guidance, mentorship, and funding to accelerate their growth and increase their chances of success. In this article, we will explore the eight best startup accelerators and incubators in Atlanta, showcasing the vibrant and supportive environment for startup founders in the city.
Startup Incubators and Accelerator Programs in Atlanta
Within the dynamic startup ecosystem of Atlanta, several prominent incubators and accelerators have established their presence to empower and propel early-stage ventures toward success.
By providing a conducive environment for startups to grow, learn, and refine their business models, these incubators and accelerators play a vital role in fostering innovation and driving economic growth in the region.
1. Techstars Impact Powered by Cox Enterprises
Best For: All Startups
Funding Amount: Up to $120,000
Techstars Impact Powered by Cox Enterprises supports for-profit companies that make a positive impact on underrepresented groups, underserved communities, and environmental sustainability. The accelerator funds all types of startups in most verticals, using any type of business model. accelerator or incubator’s history. Techstars is run by entrepreneurs who value learning, networking, and mentoring.
The accelerator makes a first investment of up to $120,000 in each company at the time of the accelerator program: a $20,000 equity investment for the right to 6% in common shares and an optional $100,000 convertible note.
2. Atlanta Ventures
Best For: Idea Stage Startups
Funding Amount: Varies
Atlanta Ventures is a venture capital firm and venture studio working to invest in and co-founder disruptive startups. As a venture studio, Atlanta Ventures partners with entrepreneurs to validate and build their ideas into sustainable, scalable businesses. The firm also provides funding to startups with Calendly, Salesforce Pardot, and Interlock among their portfolio companies.
Resources provided by Atlanta Ventures include free, bi-monthly pitch practices and tools for everything from sales to market to customer acquisition. Startups backed by the firm typically receive a check size between $250,000 and $5 million as well as access to a studio to launch their companies from the ground floor.
3. Goodie Nation
Best For: Pre-Seed Tech Founders, AI Startups
Funding Amount: Varies
Goodie Nation offers a robust suite of accelerator and post-accelerator programs for startups from pre-seed to Series A rounds of funding. Their programs include: Next Generation Pre-Seed Startups, Next Generation AI Startups, Seed Stage Program, and Series A Circle Program.
Each program is geared towards startups in different industries and stages. The organization offers events, workshops, accelerator programs, education, and funding opportunities for a variety of startups.
4. CREATE-X
Best For: Student-Founded Startups
Funding Amount: Up to $5,000
Founded in 2014 with the support of the Georgia Institute of Technology and seed gifts from alumni donor Chris Klaus and the Marcus Foundation, Create-X identifies visionary ideas and turns them into viable realities. This transformative accelerator has played a significant role in shaping the entrepreneurial landscape at Georgia Tech, leaving an indelible mark on the university’s history.
Create-X is set apart by its comprehensive and immersive program that equips participants with the knowledge, skills, and connections required to navigate the entrepreneurial landscape successfully. The program operates on a well-defined timeline, typically spanning a summer, where aspiring entrepreneurs undergo a transformative journey. Through a carefully curated blend of coursework, mentorship, and experiential learning, participants are exposed to the multifaceted aspects of entrepreneurship, ranging from ideation and business development to market validation and investor pitching.
5. Invest Atlanta
Best For: Women-Led Startups, Female Founders
Funding Amount: None
Invest Atlanta handpicks women entrepreneurs who are given an opportunity to incubate their businesses through the Women’s Entrepreneurship Initiative (WEI), an advanced technological environment aimed at promoting business growth and sustainability. Over 15 months, entrepreneurs gain access to educational resources, funding assistance, and mentorship within an ecosystem provided by WEI. At the end of the incubation period, the businesses transition back into Atlanta.
The application process for entry into the WEI incubator is highly competitive and rigorous, ensuring a selection from a pool of highly qualified candidates. In addition to assessing the scalability, investability, and sustainability of the business models, WEI Atlanta considers specific qualities of women entrepreneurs. These include their passion, focus, and demonstration of running purpose-driven businesses, alignment with Atlanta’s commitment to diversity, inclusion, integrity, and professional excellence, and openness and enthusiasm towards coaching, mentoring, and constructive feedback.
6. Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech
Best For: Sports Tech Startups, Sports Startups
Funding Amount: None
Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech operates as a hub for sourcing, funding, and accelerating the most innovative startups globally, with a specific focus on revolutionizing the sports industry. Recognizing the transformative potential of technology in shaping the way we engage with sports, the program actively invests in and nurtures the next generation of sports technology.
One of the key advantages for participating startups is the unparalleled access they gain to influential decision-makers and leaders within the sports industry. Comcast NBCUniversal SportsTech’s partners include renowned sports brands such as NBC Sports, Sky Sports, Comcast Spectacor, and Golf, alongside esteemed organizations like NASCAR, WWE, PGA TOUR, U.S. Ski & Snowboard, USA Swimming, and USA Cycling. This broad network empowers startups with invaluable connections, industry insights, and potential collaboration opportunities.
7. Atlanta Tech Village
Best For: All Startups
Funding Amount: None
Atlanta Tech Village is a membership-based service for startups offering accelerator programs, community events, and skill-building activities for startup founders at every stage. There are several programs offered by the company: Women + Tech, Pre-Accelerator, Startup Summer School, and Atlanta Startup Village.
Atlanta Tech Village members receive advisor and mentorship support, office space, access to events and workshops, and deep discounts on valuable products and services. The accelerator has worked with over 300 startups, helping their cohorts to raise a combined $3.2 billion in funding.
8. Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC)
Best For: Tech Startups, Science Startups
Funding Amount: None
The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) is Georgia’s foremost technology business incubator, providing assistance to entrepreneurs statewide. With a distinctive blend of coaching, curriculum, community, and connections, ATDC goes beyond its affiliation with Georgia Tech to provide entrepreneurs access to vital resources, including capital and customers.
The organization boasts six locations across Georgia and has worked with over 150 startups since its inception. Startups that work with the ATDC gain valuable investor connections, opportunities for collaboration, and access to top talent.
9. Emory Goizueta Startup Launch Accelerator
Best For: Early-Stage Startups
Funding Amount: None
The Startup Launch Accelerator is offered by Emory’s Goizueta Business School. The eight-week program is built to support startups to become investment-ready and includes valuable training on business model validation, customer acquisitions, identifying pain points, and more.
To qualify, at least one of the startup’s founders must be affiliated with the university either as a student, alumni, or faculty member. At the end of the program, participants partake in a demo day to pitch their startups for the Emory and Atlanta community.
10. Atlanta Tech Park
Best For: Tech Startups, Information Technology Startups
Funding Amount: None
With more than 30 years of experience in tech, the leadership behind Atlanta Tech Park is experienced in helping entrepreneurs learn business fundamentals and grow their tech startups. The program is tailored to each participant to ensure resources and services meet the needs of the startup including personalized introductions and pitch reviews.
The program also features a 43,000 square foot facility for coworking, meetings, and more. While Atlanta Tech Park doesn’t offer funding with their accelerator program, they do offer introductions to aligned investors for participating startups.
11. Founder Institute Atlanta
Best For: Pre-Seed Startups
Funding: None
The Founder Institute offers several programs to take founders from idea to scale. Their F1 Core Program is the first step for founders seeking support and guidance while they develop and validate their concept. Second is the Founder Lab, focused on product market fit and funding readiness. The Founder Lab also includes access to a network of more than 3,500 mentors and investors as well as discounts on valuable products and services.
Finally, alumni startups can access the F1 Venture Network to pitch demo days and connect with angels, accelerators, and micro-funds that invest in early-stage startups. The Founder Institute connects startups worldwide and has helped cohort companies raise more than $1.75 billion in funding since its inception.
12. Entrepreneur Organization (EO) Atlanta
Best For: Startups With Existing Revenue
Funding Amount: None
The EO is an organization built to support entrepreneurs throughout their company’s lifecycle. Their accelerator program serves first-stage startups looking for expert guidance to grow their ideas and build sustainable business models.
The goal of the program is for participating startups to grow past the $1 million in sales mark. Startups gain access to advisors and mentors as well as an extensive number of education opportunities. To be eligible, your startup must have a gross yearly revenue between $250,000 and $1 million. The cost of the accelerator is $1,750 per participant with no funding option.
13. Engage
Best For: Enterprise Startups
Funding Amount: $250,000
Engage is an accelerator connecting business-to-business (B2B) enterprise startups, corporate partners, and research universities to encourage the expansion and refinement of world-changing startup ideas. The program accepts startups within six strategic themes: customer experience, supply chain and manufacturing, future of work, big data, analytics and security, logistics and mobility, and climate tech and sustainability.
The accelerator offers two cohorts of six to eight startups between seed and Series B each year. Participants receive hands-on guidance from executives and experts to identify and leverage evolving trends, capture competitive insights, and build strategic partnerships. Startups also receive $250,000 in funding offered through Tech Square Ventures, which manages the Engage fund.