The Mission
It Takes A Village is Atlanta Tech Village’s 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.
Our Pledge
We pledge to have honest and open conversations about how we can work together to support startups and organizations led by women and people of color. From this pledge, our Pre-Accelerator was born.
Our Pre-Accelerator
Atlanta Tech Village’s It Takes A Village Pre-Accelerator Program gives startups led by women and people of color the opportunity to gain direct access to community, education, mentorship, and capital.
This program is a pre-accelerator that will help diverse founders hurdle any obstacles preventing them from getting to the next level by providing space to work with like-minded individuals, advice from seasoned professionals, and educational workshops to strengthen skills.
At the end of this 4-Month Program our goal is to get participating startups a seed investment, pilot with an enterprise company, and/or spot in an accelerator program.
Key Takeaways
- Mentorship – Gain valuable information and feedback from Atlanta Tech Village’s mentors and advisors on a weekly basis.
- Exposure – Give you the opportunity to advance your company by tapping into Atlanta Tech Village’s extensive network.
- Validation – Help you find product market fit through a series of Lesson Labs led by startup experts.
Graduation Party 🎉
In conclusion of the program, we celebrate participating Founders who have successfully graduated from the program with pitches in front Atlanta’s startup ecosystem while giving startups the opportunity to demo their products.
Founders will get 3 minutes to pitch and a designated table for attendees to mix and mingle with potential customers, investors, and tech influencers in the southeast. We also have a pretty darn good time.
Requirements
Eligibility for this program:
- Woman or Person of Color
- Have a functional product: MVP, beta or launched (Past idea stage)
- Raised less than $150K
- Technology focused company with proprietary software
- Work from the Village a minimum of 2 Days a week
- No A$$holes – kind and supportive people only
Benefits
- Community of like-minded entrepreneurs
- Membership at Atlanta Tech Village
- Mentorship and Advisement
- Lesson Labs: Rich curriculum centered around in depth topics relating to growing a sustainable business
- In-Depth Customer Discovery Curriculum
- Amenities: Events, fitness gym, Free weekly lunches, 24/7 Access to the building
Two cohorts run each year (Spring and Fall). Contact our Diversity and Inclusion Program Manager, Justin McLeod, at justin@atlantatechvillage.com for application timelines and more information.