Q: John, take us back to the beginning. What did Atlanta Tech Village mean to you when you were building Cooleaf?
John Duisberg:
“I go way back with Atlanta Tech Village. I think I’ve had office space on every floor when I was there building Cooleaf. Being surrounded by other entrepreneurs and tech leaders made for a special community, where everyone was going through some form of a similar journey. I made connections at ATV that I still have today, both professionally and personally. It is the kind of environment that shapes how you build.”
Q: Cooleaf has since had a successful exit through being acquired. How do you reflect on that journey now?
John Duisberg:
“Looking back, I’m incredibly grateful for how formative those years were for me and for our company. Cooleaf grew alongside the Atlanta startup ecosystem, and Atlanta Tech Village was a big part of that growth. The Village gave us access to mentors, peers, and a sense of momentum. It taught me that startups don’t succeed in isolation—they succeed in community.”
Q: Aly, from your perspective, what role does Atlanta Tech Village play in stories like John’s?
Aly Merritt:
“John’s journey is exactly why Atlanta Tech Village exists. We’re here to support founders through every stage—from early experimentation to scale, and even to exit. What’s powerful is when founders come back, like John is doing now, and reinvest their experience into the next generation of startups. That’s how ecosystems sustain themselves.”
Q: John, today you’re coming back in a different role, representing Kingdom Founders. What is Kingdom Founders, and why does it matter to you?
John Duisberg:
“I’ve had a vision to bring together three things that I’m passionate about. My faith, entrepreneurship, and technology innovation. This vision has been on my heart for some time and now I’m excited to bring it to life through Kingdom Founders.
I had to navigate incredibly difficult experiences building my own tech startup that shook my identity. My faith became a foundation for me to persevere and find purpose. It also helped me to become a better leader for my employees, customers, and partners.
Through Kingdom Founders, we’ll invest in Atlanta-based startups through an annual pitch event where this year on June 24 the winning startup will receive a $100K investment prize.
We’ll also be helping the winning startup accelerate growth through mentorship and support.”
Learn more about our Pitch Event.
Q: Aly, how does the Kingdom Founders pitch event align with the mission of Atlanta Tech Village?
Aly Merritt:
“At our core, Atlanta Tech Village is about connection—connecting people to resources, to opportunity, and to each other. Kingdom Founders hosting their pitch event here is what our community is all about, and perfect given John’s history at ATV. We’re excited for the pitch event to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, and the broader tech community.”
Q: What types of startups should apply to pitch at the Kingdom Founders event?
John Duisberg:
“We’re looking to invest in founders building scalable tech startups in the Atlanta area that are in a pre-seed or seed stage with initial revenue traction and looking to raise capital within the next 24 months. We’re looking to partner with founders who are open to mentorship and support to help them grow. Our faith is important to our values, but founders do not have to be Christians to apply.”
Q: How do startups apply?
John Duisberg:
“Founders can submit their application to pitch at the event until the deadline of May 29th. We’ll then be selecting four startups to pitch on stage at the event on June 24th and investing $100K in the winning startup. Leading up to the pitch event, we’ll promote each startup and create a professional introduction video for them as well.”
Q: Aly, why are pitch events still such an important part of the startup ecosystem?
Aly Merritt:
“Pitching is about more than funding. It’s about clarity, confidence, and connection. When founders step onto a stage, they’re practicing how to tell their story—and that’s a critical skill whether you’re talking to investors, customers, or partners. Events like this help founders find their voice.”
Q: John, what are reasons other than the $100K investment prize to pitch at the Kingdom Founders event?
John Duisberg:
“In addition to the financial investment, Kingdom Founders will support startups through mentorship to help accelerate growth. Most of the investors in KF have been founders themselves. We want to support startup founders through sharing knowledge and lessons learned from our own experiences. Each startup selected to pitch will also receive press and promotions, including the creation of a professional intro video. Startups will also have access to the benefits offered through our Partner network.”
Click Here To Apply Your Startup
Click Here For Event Registration