Innovation and Impact Shine at the 2025 Atlanta Startup Awards

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Published by UrbanGeekz Staff at October 16, 2025

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Atlanta’s thriving startup community has come together to celebrate innovation, resilience, and collaboration at the 7th Annual Atlanta Startup Awards. Last week’s event, hosted by Startup Atlanta, took place at TSQ ATL The Garage, drawing more than 150 entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem leaders.

Now in its 7th year, this year’s awards received nearly 250 nominations—the highest in the event’s history, underscoring the growing momentum of Atlanta’s startup scene. In total, 44 finalists competed across nine award categories, celebrating achievements in social impact, innovative business models, and community leadership.

“We saw a record-breaking response this year with nearly 250 nominations — our biggest yet in our seven-year history of hosting the Atlanta Startup Awards,” said Lexie Newhouse, President of Startup Atlanta. “The most competitive categories — Underrepresented-Founded Startup, New Startup, and Community Builder — reflect exactly what makes Atlanta’s ecosystem so special: our diversity, our impact, and our deep sense of community.”

Justin E. Samuels, Founder-CEO RenderATL and Kylan Kester of Morehouse Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center (Left to Right): Photo courtesy of Atlanta Startup Awards, photographer: Justin Laryea

2025 Winners

Best B2B Startup: Art Pharmac
Best B2C Startup: LZRD Tech, Inc.
Best Startup for Good: Infinite Giving
Best New Startup: CareerPilot@work
Best Underrepresented-Founded Startup: Scarlet by RedDrop
Best On-Campus Startup: TAPN (Tap•In)
Investor of the Year: Bill Nussey
Mentor of the Year: Jane (Karwoski) McCracken
Community Builder of the Year: Nisha Kavalam

Startup Atlanta presented its highest honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, to visionary entrepreneur and innovation champion Christopher Klaus. From scaling billion-dollar companies to inspiring the next generation of founders, Klaus’s impact is undeniable.

Honoring Atlanta’s Diverse and Dynamic Startup Community

For Dana Roberts, founder of Scarlet by RedDrop and winner of the Best Underrepresented-Founded Startup, the recognition holds deep significance. “I’m honored that Scarlet by RedDrop was selected as the 2025 StartUp Atlanta Underrepresented Founder Award. It feels amazing to be seen as we push this business forward into its 7th year. It’s been a very hard, rewarding journey. I believe it is also an appropriate time to remind investors in the room that .03% of venture funding went to Black Women last year. Less than 1.0%! If we want to truly honor diverse founders, give them the same opportunity as the 99.97% are getting.”

Allyson Eman, CEO at Venture Atlanta, and Dana Roberts, founder of Scarlet by RedDrop, on stage: Atlanta Startup Awards Photo courtesy of Kunbi Tinuoye

On winning the Best On-Campus Startup award, Andrew Grant, CEO of TAPN, said, “Winning Best Campus Startup is more than a milestone for TAPN — it’s proof of what happens when students design with people in mind. At TAPN, we take an attendee-first approach because great event experiences don’t end when the lights go out — they spark connection, investment, and growth right here in the city. If Atlanta wants to become a top-five innovation hub, events will be the catalyst — and TAPN is the platform making those events better, smoother, and more connected than ever.”

Andrew LM Grant Founder and CEO of TAPN: Photo courtesy of Atlanta Startup Awards, photographer: Justin Laryea

A Night of Recognition and Connection

The Atlanta Startup Awards continue to spotlight the city’s most promising ventures and the individuals driving its innovation economy. From social impact startups to tech pioneers, the night reflected Atlanta’s diversity, creativity, and strong sense of community.

Robyn J. Woods (Yardi), Aly Merritt (Atlanta Tech Village), and Kunbi Tinuoye (UrbanGeekz) at the 2025 Atlanta Startup Awards

As the city continues to position itself as a national innovation hub, the awards serve as both a celebration and a call to action – support founders, nurture collaboration, and keep Atlanta’s entrepreneurial spirit thriving.

About the Atlanta Startup Awards

Launched in 2017, the Atlanta Startup Awards is the premier annual event celebrating the achievements of Atlanta’s most successful and promising early-stage companies and ecosystem leaders. Organized by Startup Atlanta, the awards recognize founders, investors, and community champions who drive innovation and economic growth across the region.

Through this flagship event, Startup Atlanta shines a spotlight on the entrepreneurs and visionaries who are shaping the future of the city’s vibrant startup ecosystem, one that continues to attract national attention as a hub for inclusive innovation and opportunity.

Main Image: Courtesy of Atlanta Startup Awards, photographer: Justin Laryea

UrbanGeekz Staff

UrbanGeekz is the first to market tech blog focused on covering content from a diverse and multicultural perspective. The groundbreaking videocentric multimedia platform covers technology, business, science, and startups.