Techstars Atlanta Powered By Cox Enterprises didn’t have to look too far from home to find the startups for its 2024 cohort.
Over half of the startups selected come from either Atlanta or the great Southeast region.
From AI-powered marketplaces to roommates matching apps, here are the startups just announced as Techstars Atlanta portfolio companies:
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Aayats (Atlanta) – The AI-powered marketplace connecting musicians with industry professionals
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BetterCEO (Rapid City, South Dakota) – Making life easier for neurodivergent business owners
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DressyClub (Denver) – Connecting college students through shared closets
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Hearthmates (Atlanta) – A mobile app for roommate matchmaking and collaborative housing search
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Honey to Cocoa (Atlanta) – Leveraging AI to help people of color match makeup to their unique skin tones
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Liquid (Columbia, Missouri) – Liquid is the decision engine helping you grow your salon business
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Nourish and Bloom (Fayetteville, Georgia) – AI-powered cashier-less checkout technology for any retail store.
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StageWing (Atlanta) – An event production equipment sharing community where members can rent the best pro gear
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Stork Exchange (Charlotte) – An easy way for parents to buy and sell second hand baby goods
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SWITCH (Atlanta) – Connect with real people in a live audio speed-date
Techstars Atlanta Over The Years
Those who follow the startup accelerator scene closely know that Techstars — one of the largest early-stage investors — has gone through some serious restructuring at the national level recently. But the Techstars’ presence in the Southeast region has only continued to grow.
Atlanta alone is home to three founder-focused programs. There are also programs in Birmingham, Knoxville, and New Orleans. Earlier this year, Techstars announced it is opening a WaterTech and sustainability program in Tuscaloosa.
In Atlanta, Techstars has certainly made its mark on the city’s innovation ecosystem since first launching in 2016. Previous Techstars Atlanta startups have gone on to become some of the most recognizable growth-stage companies in town, including Bark, PadSplit, 2ULaundry, and MaxRewards. Other startups have gone on to successful acquisitions, including SAWA, Punchlist, and OrderNerd.
The total number of applications received for the Atlanta program was down compared to previous years. But the quality of applicants was much higher, Tim Dorr, Managing Director of Techstars Atlanta and Impact programs told Hypepotamus. Part of that had to do with changes to how Techstars marketed its programs.
At the local level, Dorr said that the Techstars Atlanta team is also making changes to ensure incoming founders are best prepared for growth after the program.
“We’re really going to try to focus this class on getting them to revenue first and then to investability. The headwinds on the investment market means that you have to have revenue,” he added.
The 10 startups will now kick off their 13-week accelerator program, which will culminate with a Demo Day, coinciding with the buzz around Venture Atlanta.
