Paying It Forward

A sense of community is paramount at the Village. Our core values of Be Nice, Dream Big, Pay it Forward, and Work Hard, Play Hard. are integral to who we are and the startups who choose to work in our space. Whether it’s through scholarships, everyday interactions, making connections, or community events, we are all committed to making a positive impact on the Atlanta tech scene and we choose to pay it forward whenever we can. In our first 16 months of existence, the Village has been honored to provide over 60 membership and student scholarships for early age startups. We have been able to open our doors to the greater startup community for Friday lunches (Startup Chowdown), and have invited our members to collaborate on a variety of projects with local organizations such as High Tech Ministries and the Junior Achievement Discovery Center, national organizations such as Computers for Youth and international programs like Watch Me Go. Village members have come together to participate in a work service project benefiting a South Atlanta community, collected computer equipment for underprivileged youth, raised nearly $3,000 for the Boulder Flood relief, and sponsored the education of a group of young women from Kenya. We also initiated a three-year commitment with the Junior Achievement Discovery Center to help incorporate financial literacy education and 21st century skills development into middle school curriculum, have sponsored space for Black Girls Code and are proud partners of Endevvr. Blame it on our southern roots, but I am proud to work in a place where busy entrepreneurs are willing to give a helping hand to each other and our city. Thank you to our members who make it all possible!