Avant South

It was such an honor to speak at the Avant South Conference in Atlanta, this week, alongside Dr. Loretta Daniels, Organizational Leadership, CDP of TAG-Ed! Entitled "Innovative Pathways: Tech Careers of the Future", we explored non-traditional education pathways, with curriculums co-designed by employers and educators, to accelerate our preparation of the innovative workforce we need to grow our local and national economies. The best part of the afternoon was the discussion with the audience of college students, employers, and educators. 1. One of my favorite examples to share is the Mechatronics program at Dallas College in collaboration with Texas Instruments... preparing the semiconductor workforce. ----- 2. These types of programs are highly commendable... but have a major PR problem. How do we reach more people (unskilled, upskilled, reskilled), with marketing campaigns that meet them where they are - classroom, church, Facebook? ----- 3. The fact that these jobs don't require a 4-year degree allows you to get your foot in the door with a great salary, and let them pay for your college degree??! ----- 4. With prestigious university leaders in the crowd, we discussed the ?? in the room. How do 4-year universities stay relevant and necessary in certain fields like tech - as defined by the employer (not just tradition)? Does Texas Instruments REALLY care about your C+ in Humanities ??? You know how passionate Expansion Solutions, LLC is about bridging the divide between K-12/college students, employers, and education systems... to build real-time, sustainable, and effective collaborations. So, this was a true pleasure... I even got to meet THE Albert Dankwa III, M.A. of Microsoft in person!

Had an amazing time engaging with so many talented minds as an exhibitor at Avant South 2024! ?? From showcasing innovation to connecting with the bright future of tech and entrepreneurship, it was an unforgettable experience. There’s something electric about being part of a space filled with passionate entrepreneurs, forward-thinkers, and change-makers, all driving Atlanta's tech ecosystem to new heights. Can't wait to see where these conversations lead next! ???? #AvantSouth #ATLTech #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #TechEcosystem #Atlanta

So excited that I got to meet NBC Sports Maria Taylor at the Avant South Conference at Georgia Institute of Technology yesterday and she is as inspirational as she is talented and beautiful. And also very kind which I think is most important! Thanks to Donnie Beamer Jr., CFA for putting me on to the conference and Michael A. D. for giving me backstage access! Everyday I’m more excited about being a venture capital attorney in Atlanta and the ability to work with investors and founders as they move the needle globally from right here in the South!!

Did you know an Emmy weighs almost 7 pounds? I didn’t have holding the iconic gold statuette on my bingo card when I left the house this AM, but the Avant South Conference at Georgia Institute of Technology was full of surprises. Founders, investors, academics, and ecosystem builders converged to discuss Atlanta’s journey to becoming a top-five tech hub. A standout moment was Brady Jones IV sharing his journey from video intern to 2x Emmy winner for his work on the Super Bowl. His mentor’s advice, “Keep going and do great work,” resonated deeply—especially for startups. It’s a reminder that behind every tech success story are countless hours of unseen effort and resilience. At Fulcrum Equity Partners, I’ve met many early-stage founders who aren’t quite at our investment stage yet. My message to them: keep going, do great work, and let's stay connected. There are no guarantees. Startup life will throw you curveballs, small and large, but excellence attracts success, even if it looks different than you expected. Some of our recent investments came from founders who kept executing until the timing was right. Meeting Brady and holding his Emmy was a powerful reminder that having resilience and doing great work can be the recipe for success. Shoutout to Donnie Beamer Jr., CFA , Michael A. D., Ben Garrett, Recha R. Reid, Dr. Joe Sutherland, Grant Muhoozi Warner, and Dr. Talitha Washington and their teams for an amazing event and the ACES program!

Avant South's 2nd annual event brought innovation, technology, and culture together to discuss how emerging technologies can impact the future. Noteworthy sessions: ?? AI Transformation for Startups ? Celestine Hall ? Rodney Elmore ?? Co-Creating Atlanta's Startup Ecosystem ? Brandy Nagel ? Paul Stonick ? Adam Berk ? Dominick J. Ard'is, I ?? Building the Tech Talent Pipeline ? Dr. Loretta Daniels, Organizational Leadership, CDP ??Keynote by Maria Taylor, Host, NBC Sports’ Football Night in America ?? #atlanta #technologyhub #avantsouth2024 Cisco #premiersponsor #southernhospitality

Excited to share that Culturally Relevant Science won $20K at Avant South’s inaugural pitch competition! We represented Georgia State University. They say entrepreneurship is full of highs and lows, and these past few months have been my LOWEST point in this journey. In full transparency, I lost my grandmother in June and my niece in August. On top of that, funding was scarce and an integral team member stepped away. I was so lost that I considered pausing everything… …until the Atlanta ecosystem I’ve built kept opening doors I couldn’t ignore. I share this as a reminder that even in your lowest moments, your work and it’s believers will keep pushing you forward on their own! There is a clear need for STEM education to be more inclusive, and I’m honored to be trusted with this mission. My ecosystem ?? Donnie Beamer Jr., CFA, Recha R. Reid, Erica Bracey, Deniece Griffin, MBA, Rajiv 'RajNATION' Nathan, Jacey Cadet, Samantha Lurie Carroll, Indra Naraine, Halsey Quinn, + everyone that voted for us. #STEMEducation #Entrepreneurship #DiversityInSTEM #AtlantaEcosystem #PitchCompetition #InclusiveEducation #STEM4All #WomenInSTEM #EdTech #Leadership #Nonprofit

What a time I had today networking and learning at Avant South today! I met so many creatives and founders that have truly inspired me in the work that I am doing. I look forward to connecting and working with so many people, including the fabulous and fellow first-gen Muhsinah Morris, Ph.D, the creator of the Morehouse Metaversity! #firstgenpreneurs #entrepreneurship #firstgenintech

?? Avant South was an incredible opportunity to share insights and connect with brilliant minds at the Georgia Institute of Technology.?Chatting with the President of Georgia Tech ángel Cabrera was a highlight—I’m inspired by their vision for #innovation and #education and the partnership with the #Atlanta Mayor’s Office and Donnie Beamer Jr., CFA. Terrific to see so many universities participating including The University of Georgia, Georgia State University, Emory University, Morehouse College, Morehouse School of Medicine,?Spelman College, and Clark Atlanta University. ?? Great talk and #career journey from Maria Taylor, host of Football Night in America, who also had a recent trip to #Pittsburgh this weekend and shared our struggles with the Plane Train on Sunday at #Atlanta airport. ?? ?? Thrilled to be booked for an additonal talk as well at Georgia Tech in November. Thank you my incredible panel of speakers, Adam Berk, Brandy Nagel, Rachel Wilson, Dominick J. Ard'is, I and Nwanyinma Dike discussing the state of the union in Atlanta’s startup ecosystem and how human-centered #design is key to building an #inclusive, thriving #startup #community. Shout out to Michael A. D. and Philip Cogley for getting me involved with the #conference! ???? Looking forward to engaging discussions and new #collaborations. Let’s push boundaries together! #AvantSouth #GeorgiaTech #Innovation #Networking #MayorAndreDickens #AtlantaTopTechHub

Avant South had something to say! An incredible two days of interaction, discovery, relationship building, and the sharing of ideas came to an end on Monday. Avant South 2024 is a wrap, but we want to see y'all again in 2025!

Visual proof that our Atlanta Forward event was incredible ????