Telling the Stories of Black Innovators + Atlanta Culture
06/04/2025
BY BRIAN CARR
Breakthrough ideas in the tech and creative space are springing to life all across Atlanta’s thriving community of Black entrepreneurs. But many of these emerging success stories are still waiting to be told so that Black business owners and founders can attract investment and grow.
Enter Brandon Butler, Georgia Tech alum and CEO of the popular media platform Butter.ATL. From his excellent “Butternomics” podcast that explores Black entrepreneurship to high-energy conferences that rally Atlanta’s creative community, Butler and his team are finding great stories to share at the intersection of business and culture. Want to know what makes Atlanta Atlanta? Butter.ATL is fast becoming a go-to source.
We caught up with Butler to discuss the state of Black entrepreneurship in Atlanta. Read on:
Butter Brings Culture + Black Success Stories to the Forefront
Atlanta has been recognized for many years as the nation's preeminent city for Black-owned businesses to plant their flag. Access to talent, lower operating costs, and a fast-growing number of Black entrepreneurs relocating here have fueled Atlanta’s rapid rise as the ideal place to build relationships and innovate.
Atlanta's collective consciousness about the role of Black entrepreneurs in shaping our city is beginning to expand. And Brandon Butler is helping to accelerate the movement via Butter, a media company that highlights the people, places, and things that make Atlanta culture special. Under his guidance, Butter.ATL expanded its ownership group to include recording icons Antwan “Big Boi” Patton and Michael “Killer Mike” As a result, Butter has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and readers throughout the region. The team at Butter tells the stories of Atlanta through digital channels and events. Butter also does brand marketing and consulting.
“Through the work I've done with Butter, I've had a chance to meet lots of interesting people,” Butler said. “I wanted to build this platform to help tell their stories. Some of them are folks in my network. Some are folks I get introduced to. Some are recommended to me.”
Connecting Awareness About Black Entrepreneurs to Growth
Butler explained that the biggest challenge facing Black entrepreneurs right now in Atlanta is access to capital.
Sometimes, lightning can strike. Butler recounted the recent story of one project led by a white male entrepreneur that raised $300M in one weekend. By comparison, the total amount of venture capital funding that went to all Black entrepreneurs nationally in 2024 was $705M, representing less than 1% of the total VC funding allocated (Source: Crunchbase).
“We have a lot of folks with great ideas, but at the same time we have to execute on a shoestring budget or bootstrap it up,” Butler said.
The good news is more opportunities are available to help empower Black entrepreneurs and narrow the wealth gap in Atlanta. Through Invest Atlanta’s “Open for Business” fund and programs at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, among others, Black business owners and founders can get connected to grants, coaching, workspaces, and more.
The Next Ones to Watch
Who are some of the emerging leaders building the next big ideas in Atlanta? Asked to name a few local innovators to watch, Butler offered several:
There’s RenderATL, the country’s leading conference for technology professionals, founded by Justin Samuels. The event connects Black talent with Silicon Valley and draws some 7K attendees.
Atlanta-based Collab Capital was founded to support and grow Black-led innovative businesses. The venture capital firm, led by Barry Givens and Jewel Burks Solomon, is currently working with some 40 companies at various stages of growth.
The scheduling automation platform Calendly, founded in Atlanta by Tope Awotona, is used by 20 million people across 230+ countries. The company's revenues have quintupled over the past five years.
Ladies Who Golf is redefining the game for professional career women by creating an inclusive, dynamic, and inspiring community. Founded by Keyeriah Miles, the local startup has grown to 1,000 members in just over a year, expanding nationally and internationally.
Fanbase, the next-gen social media app for creators built by Isaac Hayes III, vaulted into the top 10 on the App Store. Fanbase has raised more than $10M of investment and boasts more than 400K users.
These are just a handful of the Atlanta stories that need to be told.
“We see them doing the work,” Butler said. “This is our way to put them on a larger platform.”
Follow Butter.ATL
Find Butter.ATL on Instagram @Butter.ATL
Listen to the Butternomics podcast to learn about Black entrepreneurs building companies and sparking cultural movements for everything from blockchain to brands.
Get plugged into 404 Day, a collab between Butter.ATL and the 404 Collective, where people from all backgrounds celebrate Atlanta (and its best-known area code) annually on April 4 through a series of community events.
The Butter.ATL team will be at Midtown Alliance’s Black Maker's Market event on June 7 to document the day. Find details here.