Author: David Cummings

David Cummings is a Partner and co-founder of Atlanta Ventures and co-founder of Pardot (acquired by Salesforce). He has invested in and supported hundreds of early-stage startups in the Southeast and writes regularly about entrepreneurship, SaaS, and the Atlanta tech ecosystem.

Customer Value Financing Part 2

Last week I was talking with an entrepreneur about financing options and the current fundraising climate. One of the topics that came up was customer value financing, an idea I first explored a couple

Beyond Hyper Growth

Last week, I spoke with an entrepreneur whose company is growing at a pace that goes beyond even traditional hypergrowth standards. I’ve read about companies like Replit and Lovable going from $0 to $

Robots Everywhere

As I look out my window this morning, I can’t help but smile watching my robotic lawnmower carve pictures and words into the backyard. Of course, the artwork is silly and there for fun, but the aha mo

Foosball and the Startup Journey

As we’re dreaming up amenities and experiences for entrepreneurs in South Downtown Atlanta, I’m reminded of the early years, when things were much more challenging and lean. When I first moved to Atla

KPI Definitions in Board Decks

A question I get from entrepreneurs from time to time is to look at past board decks from other startups. Board decks are a normal part of venture-backed startups and help align the executive team, th

Use Advanced Prompts for More AI Value

Last week I was at dinner with a group of executives, and of course, the topic of ChatGPT and AI came up. We went around and shared some of our favorite use cases for the technology, as well as ways w

Investor Responsiveness as #1 Value

Last month, I was talking to an entrepreneur about his experience with a variety of investors over multiple rounds of funding. Toward the end of the conversation, I asked which investor provided the m

Starting Over as an Entrepreneur

Recently, I was asked what I would do if I could start over as an entrepreneur. This question prompted me to reflect on my journey, particularly the early years when I tried numerous ideas that didn’t

Ask for the Startup Office Tour

Whenever I visit a founder at their office, I always ask for a tour. Naturally, the entrepreneur perks up, eager to show off their environment. So much time, energy, and thought go into building a coo