What A3C Festival & Conference does

A3C Festival & Conference is a private, Atlanta-based event production and lifestyle marketing company founded in 2005 that operates an annual four-day festival and conference at the intersection of hip-hop culture, music, technology, and entertainment. The core product is a hybrid format combining an educational conference (50+ sessions covering panels, workshops, masterclasses, mentorships, keynotes, and demos) with a live performance festival featuring 200+ artists, performers, and DJs across multiple venues in downtown Atlanta, with affiliated events such as A3C R&B, Kick Off Party, Oye Fest, Rhyme Revolution, and Domingo Party extending the programming. The business monetizes primarily through tiered direct-to-consumer ticket sales (General Admission at $199 early bird / $249 standard; VIP at $559 early bird / $999 standard, including Greenwood Elevate VIP Lounge access and meet-and-greets) and a diversified sponsor portfolio spanning CPG, spirits, record labels, fintech, music distribution platforms, and hospitality (Monster Energy, Remy Martin, Epic Records, Greenwood Elevate, Coastal World, Bandcamp, DistroKid, Hotel Indigo). Technology infrastructure is limited to a Squarespace-hosted marketing and ticketing website; no proprietary platform, app, API, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed. The company serves two primary personas — music industry professionals and entrepreneurs seeking networking and brand exposure, and hip-hop/R&B enthusiasts seeking cultural experiences — and positions itself as a 100% Atlanta-made, 18-year track-record brand with Forbes recognition as an expertly-curated conference/festival hybrid.

Name

A3C Festival & Conference

Website

https://a3cconference.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

A3C Festival & Conference is a private Atlanta-based event production company founded in 2005 that runs an annual four-day hip-hop, music, technology, and entertainment festival and conference, monetizing through tiered ticket sales and sponsor partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Live Music Events & Entertainment Festivals

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920)

SIC

Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Professional & Association Conferences (MPAGAGAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Training, Workshops & Certification Events (MPAGAGAJ), Hybrid Conferences & Conventions (In-Person + Streamed) (MPAGAOAC)

Keywords

• Music festival events
• Live entertainment production
• Hip-hop conferences
• Event management services
• Conference ticketing services

Headquarters

HQ city

Atlanta

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Primary revenue stream from event passes and tickets. Two tiers offered: Early Bird VIP at $559 (discounted from $999) providing full conference access, VIP lounge access, meet & greets, and exclusive events; General Admission at $199 (discounted from $249) providing conference access and festival performance tickets.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

A3C Festival & Conference produces an annual multi-day event combining a live music festival with an educational conference celebrating hip-hop culture, music, technology, and entertainment. The event features panels, workshops, masterclasses, keynote conversations, fireside chats, meet and greets, and live performances by artists and DJs. The 2023 edition included 50+ sessions, 100+ speakers, and 200 artists/performers/DJs across 4 days in downtown Atlanta, sold through VIP and General Admission ticket tiers.

Product overview

A3C Festival & Conference is an annual event that combines a music festival with an educational conference. The core offering consists of the A3C Conference (panels, workshops, masterclasses, and sessions on music, tech, and entertainment) and the A3C Festival (live performances by artists and DJs). Attendees can purchase VIP Passes for premium access including the Greenwood Elevate VIP Lounge, meet and greets, and exclusive events, or General Admission passes for standard entry. Additional ancillary offerings include partner events such as A3C R&B, kick-off parties, and themed music events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• A3C Conference Annual educational conference featuring panels, workshops, masterclasses, mentorships, keynote conversations, and demos covering music, technology, entertainment, and hip-hop culture. Designed for industry professionals, entrepreneurs, artists, and culture enthusiasts.
• A3C Festival Live music festival component featuring performances by hip-hop, R&B, and rap artists and DJs across multiple venues in Atlanta. Targets music fans and culture enthusiasts seeking live performances and artist interactions.
• A3C Partner Events Affiliated and co-branded events held in conjunction with the main conference and festival, including A3C R&B, Kick Off Party, Oye Fest, Rhyme Revolution, and Domingo Party. Cross-promoted with the main event and tied to specific genres or themed experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 97% of attendees made a connection
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SoSoDef 30th Anniversary FestivalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint festival partnership featuring live performances from Xscape, Jagged Edge, Anthony Hamilton, Da Brat, Franchize Boyz, Young Bloodz and more. Included in VIP and General Admission ticket packages.
• Greenwood ElevatecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerVIP lounge partnership providing exclusive access for VIP ticket holders to connect with speakers, artists, executives, and influencers. Includes meet & greets with special guests.
• Monster EnergyminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor providing brand support and visibility at A3C 2023.
• Remy MartinminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPremium spirits brand sponsor with visible presence at the event.
• Epic RecordsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor record label sponsor supporting the event and its programming.
• Coastal WorldminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor with logo placement and brand visibility.
• Atlanta ChapterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal organization sponsor with Atlanta connection.
• Hotel IndigominorOthersOfficial hotel partner for A3C 2023, offering discounted stays for attendees.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• TechCrunch Disrupt: TechCrunch Disrupt is a major tech industry conference with startup competition, panels, and networking — comparable to A3C in delivering an annual, multi-day professional gathering with strong sponsor monetization.
• VidCon: VidCon is the leading conference/festival hybrid for digital video creators and fans, owned by Informa. It parallels A3C's model of combining a professional industry conference with fan-facing live experiences around a specific cultural community.
• SXSW: SXSW is the largest and most established conference/festival hybrid, combining music, film, and technology programming in Austin. It directly competes with A3C for the music-industry-plus-tech professional audience and sponsor dollars, though at significantly larger scale.
• Rolling Loud: Rolling Loud is the largest hip-hop festival in the world, focused on live performances by rap and hip-hop artists. It competes directly with A3C for the same core audience and sponsor brands within hip-hop culture.
• ComplexCon: ComplexCon is a culture-driven festival/convention focused on streetwear, music, food, and emerging culture. It overlaps with A3C's hip-hop-centric audience and similar festival+conference hybrid format.
• ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO: ASCAP's annual EXPO is a music-industry professional conference featuring panels, workshops, and networking for songwriters and producers. It overlaps with A3C's music-business programming for industry professionals and entrepreneurs.
• Miami Music Week: Miami Music Week combines industry panels, networking events, and live performances during the annual Winter Music Conference. It mirrors A3C's music-industry conference plus live performance hybrid model, though focused on electronic/dance music.

Broad incumbents

• New York Comic Con: NYCC (operated by ReedPop) is a leading pop culture convention with fan experiences, panels, and major brand activations. It is comparable to A3C as a large-scale culture-focused annual event with similar B2C ticket and B2B sponsorship dynamics.
• Pollstar Live!: Pollstar Live! is the leading live music industry conference for touring, venues, and ticketing professionals. It is comparable to A3C's music-industry professional programming but serves a more established industry-exec audience and is run by a major trade publication.

Regional players

• Amsterdam Dance Event: ADE is Europe's largest electronic music conference/festival combining industry programming with live performances. It parallels A3C's hybrid model but operates in Europe and in a different music genre, making it a useful international comparable.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/a3c
• Facebookfacebook.com/a3cfestival
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/a3c-hip-hop-festival

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about A3C Festival & Conference