Thirty of the most promising new companies in Georgia had a coming-out party at the recent 6th annual Startup Riot, a daylong pitchfest. Cash prizes were awarded and connections made with potential investors.

Software, IT and mobile hardware entrepreneurs laid out their dreams in three minutes flat, among them the winner, Excelegrade, and fellow top five finishers Ten Eight and deductmor.

Afterwards, the founders of those three businesses, Lauren Miller, Patrick Braswell and Kevin Sandlin talked about what it’s like to launch.

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This is a rendering of Marriott Atlanta, a planned refresh of the Crowne Plaza Atlanta Midtown hotel at 590 W Peachtree St. (Courtesy of Monomoy Property Ventures)

Credit: Courtesy of Monomoy Property Ventures

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Mathew Palmer, a former Delta Air Lines employee, at his home in Atlanta on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.  Palmer was fired less than two weeks after writing a post on social media about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. (Natrice Miller/AJC)