Startup Communities and Help Through Introductions

When I moved to Atlanta in 2002 I didn’t know anyone in the startup community. Whenever I’d read about a local tech startup in the Atlanta Business Chronicle I’d send the entrepreneur an email, explain my business, and ask them to lunch. Most of the time nothing came of it but a few times it worked out and I had the chance to meet several entrepreneurs in town. My first real intro to a number of people in the startup community came by way of the Atlanta Technology Angels (ATA). I was trying to raise money for Hannon Hill and met with several local venture firms as well as ATA. Through ATA I was introduced to the ATDC, angel investors, and other entrepreneurs in the community. While I didn’t raise any money, it was good to get more connected in the community. The main downside was that it took a year of effort and I was eager to meet more people at a faster pace.

Now, with the Atlanta Tech Village, Atlanta Startup Village Meetup, and Startup Chowdown, entrepreneurs that want to get plugged into the community can meet dozens of entrepreneurs within a week. When entrepreneurs need help, high quality introductions are faster and stronger. Here are some of the most common networking requests:

• Potential sales and customer discovery prospects
• Candidates for job openings
• Introductions to potential investors
• Connections to entrepreneurs and advisors with relevant experience

Stronger, denser startup communities result in faster, better introductions that help improve the chance of success. As much as entrepreneurs want to go it alone, quality introductions can make all the difference.

What else? What are some more thoughts on startup communities and help through introductions?