Six Times Culture Collided with the Atlanta Startup Ecosystem
A familiar sentiment amongst locals and transplants alike is that Atlanta is on the cusp of greatness. This is true of our local startup scene as well, with great university talent, increasing involvement from corporations, and new entrepreneurial programs helping founders scale their ideas.
So, what’s missing? The sauce or our culture. The truth is Atlanta will never be great until it champions its culture. We’re a city that is easily one of the top cultural exporters in the world, and yet we have yet to find out how to connect the world of business with culture.
Luckily, over the past decade we are increasingly seeing the collide. Here’s a list of six instances in which Atlanta has caught glimpses of what it could be — a world where Atlanta influences everything.
Ambassadors
The startup community can’t grow without those dedicated to helping tell the story about what’s happening. Increasingly, we are seeing the leaders of Atlanta’s cultural class take it upon themselves to be a voice for innovation and entrepreneurship at home and abroad.
- Killer Mike — Mike Render has been experiencing somewhat of a cultural renaissance in the past five years. He finally received the musical recognition he deserved from his rap group, Run The Jewels. He’s been an avid member of Atlanta’s business community, growing his barbershop, The SWAG Shop, to a second location situated inside the Atlanta Hawks’ State Farm Arena. All the while, he’s spending time producing and starring in his own Netflix show. Amidst this all, Render has offered his unique brand of entrepreneurial advice to locals at communities such as The Gathering Spot and Switchyards Neighborhood Club. He even recently sat down with Twitter and Square founder Jack Dorsey to discuss small business and entrepreneurship.
- T.I. — Firmly planting his feet inside the tech scene, T.I. has blossomed into one of the city’s go-to startup champions. Occasionally spotted at The Gathering Spot, a social club that serves as the epicenter of culture, co-working, and cool, he frequently can be found on panels discussing about entrepreneurship in the city. Outside of Atlanta, he’s represented the city at South by Southwest in Austin during the ChooseATL@SXSW initiative (2018) as well as at the CultureHouse (2019).
Partnerships
One simple (and less financially risky) way for athletes and entertainers to get involved in the startup ecosystem is through partnerships and promotion. This offers startups a way for them to generate press and market awareness by leveraging the established brands of these celebrities: a win, win.
- Ludacris & Roadie — One of the early instances of culture bridging the world of tech is Ludacris’ partnership with logistics startup Roadie. In addition to being an advocate for the early-stage startup upon the launch of their app, they also partnered with the Ludacris Foundation to deliver Thanksgiving turkeys to underprivileged families. I’ve heard the closing of this deal has an interesting backstory, so if you’re ever around Roadie founder Marc Gorlin, ask him about the tequila in the boardroom.
- Shaq & Steady App — Thanks to television network TNT being located here in Atlanta, we are blessed to have one of this generation’s most intriguing athlete celebrities as a local commodity. Shaq, no stranger to the startup or investing scene, has made his mark on the tech and business world over the life of his playing career and then post-play as an analyst. Aside from investments in tech giants like Google and owning franchises like Krispy Kreme, he’s also lent his extreme likeableness and famous likeness to gig workforce startup Steady. Acting as an advisor and advocate, Shaq has helped bring awareness to the year-old app, which currently boasts over 600,000 members.
Investments
More frequently, we are starting to see celebrities get into the investing game — from actors Ashton Kutcher, Gwyneth Paltrow and Will Smith to athletes like Andre Iguodola, Serena Williams and Kevin Durant, to musicians like Nas, Jay-Z and Linkin Park (yes, really). Atlanta stars are no different and have started to place their bets on hot tech startups.
- T.I. establishes Tech Cypha — It’s not surprising that the proverbial ‘King of the South’ lands on the list again. Tip has always been one to put his money where his mouth is, teaming up with fellow MC Killer Mike as a part of his Buy Back the Block real estate initiative. Most recently, he’s jumped into the tech scene, teaming up with business partner Jason Geter to create the investment syndicate Tech Cypha. Seeking to invest in startups at all stages, while providing a combination of resources beyond capital. Although their first investment was outside of Atlanta, keep an eye out as Geter has stated proximity to Georgia Tech being one of the primary reasons they sought to capitalize on the opportunity.
- Usher invests in Hungry, bringing the platform to Atlanta — For the past two decades, Usher has given back to his local community through his New Look Foundation, which seeks to educate and transform the lives of youth through service and leadership training. Only recently has Usher stepped in to the startup investing scene, joining Jay-Z in making an investment into Hungry, an innovative online office food catering marketplace. His investment spurred the launch of the Atlanta market and included a familiar partner, his mother Jonnetta Patton. She manages a shared kitchen in Doraville and will be the startup’s first official local partner.
Interested in diving further into Atlanta and the intersection of culture and technology? Check out these recommended readings below:
Atlanta’s Startup Strength Sits At The Intersection Of Culture And Tech Holly Beilin, Venture Beat
Culture Wars: Trap Music Keeps Atlanta On Hip-Hop’s Cutting Edge. Why Can’t The City Embrace It? Rodney Carmichael, NPR
