Render ATL, an Atlanta-based tech conference, kicks off on Wednesday, a three-day event that aims to be a platform for Atlanta innovators.
Justin Samuels, CEO of the event, said Atlanta’s innovator ecosystem sits at the intersection of hip hop and the business world, and is redefining innovation from the perspective of young Black and brown creators.
“What I’ve built is a message to the South that we’re tired of being picked on, we’re tired of having our talent stolen,” Samuels said.
This year’s Render is expected to attract more than 5,000 attendees and feature more than 100 speakers, including Georgia Pro Football Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe as keynote speaker. Major technology companies such as Microsoft, Google and Amazon are sponsoring the event.
“We want to be a top-five technology hub,” said Donnie Beamer, a senior technology adviser to Atlanta First. “But I want to point out that [that] The finer point is to do it fairly.”
Organizers hope attendees will make meaningful connections in fields such as cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and software development. About a third of the tech industry is made up of people of color, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens said he would have loved something like this as a kid.
“Twenty years ago, people didn’t really think that African-Americans could lead in technology,” Dickens said.
He said it’s great for the next generation of innovators to witness that.
“The generations after us, even kids who are in high school and college now, are saying, ‘How can I be a part of this?'” Dickens said.
Dickens would like to see more events held to foster the growth of local innovators so that Atlanta can benefit from the economic impact of the tech industry.
This will all take place during Atlanta Tech Week, a series of events held around Atlanta to engage the city’s startup community. The main conference runs through Friday, June 14th at AmericasMart in downtown Atlanta.
DJ Pee Wee, also known as Grammy Award winner Anderson .Paak, will perform at the conference’s after-party concert.
