Tech Alpharetta: Taking Stock of 2018
As 2019 rapidly approaches, it’s time to take stock of 2018. Between our tech thought leadership and our tech networking events, we’re excited to report that in 2018 alone, we provided more than 17 locally- based, high quality, tech-only programs in Alpharetta. More than 1,000 of you chose to attend those events. Our educational events addressed cyber security, election technology, blockchain, big data, agtech, eSports & gaming, and many of the other topics that resonate with our tech community.
We started 2018 with our very first CIO Panel, which was also the very first event at the beautiful Avalon Hotel. Over 100 of you attended on a frigid January evening to hear our rock star tech CIOs speak. We heard you loudly and clearly-more CIO events. So, mark your calendars for January 31, 2019, when we’re hosting our Healthcare CIO Panel!
It was also a busy year at our Innovation Center, which is our tech startup incubator. Home to 51 tech startups and the headquarters of 11-11 Ventures venture capital firm, our Innovation Center hosted 12 startup lunch & learns, our successful startup mentoring program, more than 68 tech meetups and mixers, 14 VC visits, and nine local high school interns. We graduated two startups, Lead Out Software and DataSeers, and saw another, Oval Edge, be successfully acquired. Since our Innovation Center first opened in August 2015, our startups and graduate companies have raised more than $20 million in investor funding, and Tech Alpharetta has created 344 new jobs for the City.
In addition, we continued to grow our Board of Directors throughout the past year, adding nine new Board members. Our Board members are local technology leaders and community partners who continue to generously volunteer their time and expertise to further our mission of helping to grow technology and innovation in Alpharetta, and we’re so grateful for all that they do.
None of our work would be possible without our sponsors, who generously support Tech Alpharetta and our growing tech ecosystem. Thank you to the City of Alpharetta for its continued support, and to our other Premier Organizational Sponsors in 2018: Trevelino/Keller, Alpharetta Convention & Visitors’ Bureau, and vLink Solutions. And, thank you to our Center and Event sponsors, and to all of you, for supporting our work, our vision, and our events.
What did Tech Alpharetta do well in 2018? What could we have done better? Share your thoughts and suggestions with us at info@techalpharetta.com, we’re here to serve you, our tech community.
I wish you all happy holidays and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2019!
Best,
Karen
