Last week, I was asked to speak at a friend’s limited partner investor meeting. We covered all the usual topics, like what to look for in a founder and in a startup. Then, she asked me to share why investors should care about investing in Atlanta. Easy.
Let’s look at what makes Atlanta a great place for startup investing:
#1: Population Growth
For decades, one of the best indicators of a region’s vitality is when people “vote with their feet” by moving there. Atlanta has been one of the fastest-growing metro areas in the country and is now the sixth-largest in the United States, recently surpassing Washington, D.C., Miami, and Philadelphia in size. Compared to these other regions, Atlanta is growing much faster and will continue to outpace them in population growth. People flock to areas with ample personal and professional opportunities, and Atlanta wins purely based on population growth.
#2: College Town
Atlanta is a college town with hundreds of thousands of students, led by Georgia Tech. Georgia Tech is one of the most highly regarded universities in the country, with every engineering discipline ranked in the top 10 nationally and more graduates per year than Stanford, MIT, and Carnegie Mellon combined. When it comes to a continuous pipeline of top-tier technical talent ready to invent the future, Georgia Tech is unmatched. Add to that the graduates from Emory, Georgia State, Spelman, Morehouse, and other esteemed schools in the great region like the University of Georgia, Clemson, and Auburn, and it’s easy to see why Forbes ranks Atlanta as the most educated city in the country. Demographics are destiny, and Atlanta’s are top-notch.
#3: Development in the City Core
Over the last 10+ years, two economic miracles have been taking place within Atlanta’s city limits. First is the urban revitalization of Midtown Atlanta, an area immediately adjacent to Georgia Tech and between downtown Atlanta and Buckhead. This several-mile stretch has seen $10 billion worth of new developments, creating a modern live-work-play urban core with dozens of new skyscrapers. The second economic miracle in the city has been the development of the Beltline and new construction around it. This project has also seen $10 billion in new developments, creating an urban trail that reconnects dozens of historic neighborhoods and has contributed to Atlanta being the fastest-growing large city in the country. The Beltline will remain a critical economic driver for the next 20 years and will play a major role in moving Atlanta residents beyond a car-centric lifestyle. Combine that with billions of dollars being invested in downtown Atlanta to revitalize it, and you have a playbook for continued growth while maintaining 50% tree canopy coverage.
#4: The World’s Busiest Airport
Last year, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport had 105 million passengers, making it the busiest airport in the world. From a regional perspective, this translates into direct flights to every major and mid-sized market in the United States, as well as international routes to every major city worldwide. For both business and personal travel, frequent direct flights are a real advantage and continue to fuel the region’s growth.
#5: Positive Can-Do Attitude
Atlanta has been punching above its weight class for the ~180 years of its existence. Originally a point where railroad lines intersected to ship goods from the Northeast to the Mississippi River, Atlanta has grown into the sixth-largest metro in the United States. This growth is largely driven by a warm, inviting culture that embraces progress and ambition. The city’s “can-do” attitude is much like the little engine that could, continuously moving forward and defying the odds. The past is the best predictor of the future, and Atlanta’s continued growth is a great bet.
From population growth to college students to recent developments and a major airport, Atlanta has everything needed for startups to thrive. Startup investors should invest both their time and money in Atlanta.
Entrepreneur
via https://www.aiupnow.com
David Cummings, Khareem Sudlow
