The 2024 Venture Atlanta Conference hit a record-breaking 400+ applications from 12 southeastern states for the second annual Startup Showcase Live, which will award a $500k investment to one promising startup during the conference.
Kicking things off, nearly 50 of these startups were invited to come to the Catalyst Innovation Center on September 17 for a day filled with valuable mentorship and critical networking opportunities. At the end of the day, 10 finalists were announced to pitch live at the Startup Showcase, competing for that transformative investment:
Mavity: Provides a collaborative platform that connects creative freelancers with businesses for project management, ensuring smooth workflows from start to finish.
WickedFile: Uses AI to track and manage the flow of parts for auto shops, streamlining bookkeeping and optimizing financial performance.
SupportNow: SupportNow allows supporters to help families in tough times. Through a single online experience, supporters can direct their compassion in meaningful ways.
Shappi: A logistics platform that simplifies cross-border shipping by offering affordable and efficient delivery solutions for e-commerce businesses and individuals.
360 Direct Video: 360 Direct Video helps connect people who communicate in American Sign Language with businesses that want to serve them better.
Propense.ai: Uses machine learning algorithms to optimize business processes, helping companies make data-driven decisions to improve efficiency and scalability.
SmartWiz: Designed for tax professionals, this software automates and streamlines complicated tasks, helping professionals work more efficiently, close deals, and maximize profits.
Good Agriculture: Focuses on supporting farmers with financial services so they can focus on their daily farming tasks.
crewOS: A workforce management platform that helps businesses streamline employee scheduling, task management, and team communication in real time.
Ultraview AI: UltraView’s mission is to enhance safety and operational efficiency in the aviation industry by delivering drone inspection technologies, to reduce aircraft downtime and promote a safer and more sustainable future.
One of the standout elements of this year’s Startup Showcase is the diversity among the participants. Of the initial 50 companies selected, 49% are led by diverse founders. This reflects Catalyst by Wellstar’s and Venture Atlanta’s shared commitment to promoting inclusivity in innovation.
In the end, the top 10 finalists feature six underrepresented founders and a meaningful step towards diversifying venture-backed companies.
The variety of industries also reaffirms Catalyst’s commitment to look for solutions that do not always come from the healthcare industry, but that can address healthcare challenges with a fresh perspective.
Catalyst by Wellstar is a venture and innovation company housed within the Wellstar Health System, dedicated to fostering collaboration and driving solutions to shape the future of healthcare. This unique integration allows startups to pilot their solutions directly within Wellstar hospitals, enabling real-world testing and refinement of their innovations.
As part of this mission, we launched the Catalyst Innovation Center, a hub of creativity and collaboration as startups and mentors converge. This space, located in the heart of Atlanta, is designed not just to showcase businesses but to support them on their journey to long-term success. The guidance, feedback, and connections that entrepreneurs gain during this event can be a turning point for the future of their ventures.
We are thrilled to be part of an event that fosters the growth of groundbreaking startups and look forward to seeing the outcomes from this year’s talented pool of participants.
