Emory University’s Goizueta Business School Calls for Startups Seeking Funding between $500,000 and $5M; Applications Close September 28
ATLANTA (July 30, 2023) – The 17th semi-annual RAISE (Retention and Advanced Investment for the Southeast at Emory) Forum is scheduled for Friday, November 10. Supported by The Roberto C. Goizueta Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, this invitation-only event connects startups and top-tier investors from across the Southeast to foster collaboration within the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and ensures that the best startups can stay local.
The Forum is now accepting applications from post-revenue startups based in the Southeast seeking funding between $500,000 and $5 million. Seven startups are selected for each Forum to present to accredited investors actively looking to invest in early-stage companies. To be considered, a company must have revenue and participate in a short, complimentary training session to better prepare applicants for investor presentations. Startups in any field are encouraged to apply to present at the Forum by visiting www.raiseforum.com/entrepreneurs. Applications will close Monday, September 28.
“RAISE Forum’s unique approach to connecting investors and startups has fostered a very impressive 20-25% success rate to date,” says RAISE Forum Co-founder Barry Etra. RAISE Forum is the only funding forum in the Southeast,and all funded companies (43 to date) have remained in the Southeast or have exited.
Investor and Community Support
Current investor support for the Forum comes from across the region and includes hundreds of investors, including Circadian Ventures, Panoramic Ventures, VentureSouth, AIM Group, Fulcrum Equity, and 11-11 Ventures. Additional support comes from Georgia Bio, ATDC, Atlanta Tech Village, Launch Tennessee, Tech Alpharetta, and other influential Southeastern startup incubators and influencers.
“This program fulfills one of our key goals of keeping startups in the region, along with showcasing a diverse group of founders and companies, as about 30% of RAISE founders are regionally underserved,” says Charles Goetz, Associate Professor in the Practice of Organization & Management at Goizueta Business School and RAISE Forum Co-founder.
Active investors or regional organizations interested in supporting the Forum should visit raiseforum.com/investors or raiseforum.com/sponsors to learn more about sponsorship opportunities and registration.
About the RAISE Forum
RAISE Forum was co-founded in 2014 by Barry Etra and Charles Goetz as a vehicle for bringing together startups and investors from across the Southeast, as well as fostering collaboration within the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. RAISE was honored by Atlanta Inno and the Atlanta Business Chronicle in 2019 as one of its initial “50 on Fire” in Atlanta, and the Forum was one of 11 original “Blazer” winners. The Forum, an integral piece of the Entrepreneurship program at Goizueta Business School and the “Entrepreneurial Practicum” course, was developed to give students first-hand experience identifying factors that make a successful startup and ways to practice investor due diligence techniques. To learn more about the event, visit www.raiseforum.com.
