When Justin E. Samuels first stepped into the expertise convention scene greater than a decade in the past, he didn’t simply discover a gap. He felt it.
“I’d go to those occasions the place the audio system have been strong and the knowledge was helpful, however the vitality was at all times the identical,” Samuels remembers. “Company. Stiff. Disconnected from actual tradition. I’d depart with possibly one good be aware in my telephone, however no actual connection. No spark.”
That lacking spark turned the driving power behind RenderATL, now one of many nation’s fastest-growing and most culture-forward tech conferences. Launched as a totally bootstrapped thought by Samuels, a longtime engineer and founder, RenderATL was constructed from the bottom up with an intentional focus: group, tradition, and cutting-edge tech multi function immersive expertise.
A New Form of Convention
The thought for RenderATL wasn’t born from one massive aha second, however reasonably a collection of realizations over time. Samuels noticed a sample. Sensible builders, creatives, product managers, and founders weren’t getting the visibility or entry they deserved as a result of they didn’t match the normal tech mildew.
“We don’t want one other model of the identical factor,” he says. “We’d like one thing new. One thing that honors our creativity, our vitality, our method of displaying up.”
That perception drove the RenderATL blueprint not simply to compete with present conferences however to create a completely new lane: Suppose skilled growth by day, reside reveals and cultural occasions by evening—tech with a vibe.
Constructing With out a Blueprint
RenderATL is much more outstanding as a result of it wasn’t bankrolled by Silicon Valley or propped up by massive buyers. Samuels launched the convention with no belief fund, no VC backing, only a imaginative and prescient, a Google Doc, and a tight-knit community that believed in what he was constructing.
“Each choice needed to be strategic,” he explains. “We needed to persuade audio system, attendees, and sponsors to imagine in one thing that didn’t even exist but. That meant displaying up with excellence from day one.”
These early days have been robust. Logistics, trust-building, and credibility have been uphill battles, however Samuels credit execution and consistency because the keys to constructing RenderATL’s momentum.
The place Tech Meets Tradition
Whereas many tech occasions tout innovation, not all are revolutionary in type. RenderATL flips that mannequin by making tradition a core pillar, not an afterthought.
“Once you strip away the music, the meals, the vibe, what’s left is simply one other lanyard and a boxed lunch,” Samuels says. “We stated nah, we’re bringing the entire bundle.”
That bundle is what makes RenderATL really feel like no different tech gathering. It’s a spot the place you may attend a workshop on AI management within the afternoon and be entrance row at a live performance together with your favourite artist by night. That fusion of studying and lived expertise is what retains folks coming again and what units RenderATL aside.
Full-Circle Moments
Samuels has had many proud moments on this journey, however one stands out.
“Final yr, I stood backstage and regarded out at this sea of people that flew in from all over the world for one thing we constructed from nothing,” he says. “That hit me laborious. It was a full-circle second.”
Nonetheless, the messages he will get after the very fact are what remind him of the actual affect. “It’s the DM that claims, ‘I bought my first tech job due to Render.’ Or the one that claims, ‘I met my co-founder there.’ That’s the form of ROI that I care about.”
Scaling With Intention
Even with RenderATL’s rising reputation, Samuels is targeted on scaling slowly and intentionally. He’s not thinking about increasing for enlargement’s sake.
“I’m not attempting to slap our identify on every thing,” he says. “We’re constructing media, pop-ups, and year-round group assist. However the focus remains to be what it’s at all times been: authenticity, creativity, and respect for the individuals who make tech what it’s.”
For Samuels, progress isn’t nearly dimension. It’s about redefining what progress means in tech.
Recommendation for the Subsequent Era
When requested what recommendation he has for entrepreneurs trying to construct community-driven manufacturers, particularly in tech, Samuels doesn’t sugarcoat it.
“Don’t look ahead to good. Use what you’ve bought and get to work,” he says. “I didn’t have buyers or a manufacturing crew. I had an thought and a doc.”
He emphasizes the significance of constructing group earlier than chasing clout. “Hype dies quick. Belief lasts. Know your viewers, hear greater than you pitch, and when it will get laborious, and it’ll, keep in mind why you began.”
However above all, Samuels urges others to guess on themselves. “In case you’re not your largest believer, you may’t count on anybody else to be.”
RenderATL is redefining what a tech convention will be: community-centered, culture-rich, and constructed for the longer term.
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