 Tom Bates |
Need some startup advice? You may want to chat with our newest ATDC team member, experienced in the world of technology startups. Tom Bates has joined our distinguished Entrepreneur in Residence team and will help coach member startups on business model searches, fundraising, team development and more. Along with existing EIRs Dan Ciprari and Frank Moyer, Bates will focus on connecting young entrepreneurs with prospective business advisors, investors and customers in the market.
“I’m a huge fan of ATDC. This is such a great resource for the state, with cutting edge companies and a very committed team,” said Bates. “And there’s a real energy around the Georgia Tech campus. I’m looking forward to joining the EIR team and helping out our companies. At the same time, I’m inspired by them as I figure out my next venture.”
Bates has 20 years of experience launching and running digital media companies. He founded Kudzu.com, a website that helps homeowners choose highly rated contractors, and ran the daily operation of Cox Interactive Media’s network of 35 city sites, as well as 25 websites for Cox’s cable, broadcast TV and newspaper divisions. Previously, he served as cofounder of the New Century Network, one of the internet’s first advertising networks, consisting of 130 newspaper websites in the nation’s top 50 markets. He also helped launch and run USA Today’s International Edition, which was sold throughout Europe and Asia.
The seasoned entrepreneur will host regular office hours to accommodate one-on-one meetings with member companies. In addition, he will regularly participate in ATDC events and the monthly New Member Orientations.
When Bates is not working, he can be found supporting a number of children’s causes including The Sharing Foundation, which helps seriously disadvantaged children in Cambodia, and the Atlanta Music Project, a music education program for underserved children. He spent a decade coaching soccer until his two teenagers asked him to retire. A political news junkie, his other interests include modern art, Asian food and blues music.