--- title: SMASHD VENTURES Launches CULTURE + CODE at 2016 A3C Conference description: The conversation will highlight the current cultural trends as well as what’s to come, all presented to a curated audience of artists, image: https://blog.a3cfestival.com/hubfs/smashd-logo.png --- [**](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/list/smashd-ventures-launches-culture-code-at-2016-a3c-conference#) - Oct 8-13, 2019 - [Home](https://www.a3cfestival.com) - [Schedule](https://a3cconference.com/shows/index.html) - [Lineup](https://a3cconference.com/lineup/index.html) - [Oct 8-13, 2019](https://www.a3cfestival.com) - [Blog](https://blog.a3cfestival.com) - [Buy Tickets](https://www.a3cfestival.com/tickets) ![](https://udxsva.com/tag?id=11009) - [Home](https://blog.a3cfestival.com) - [Artist Advice](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/list/topic/artist-advice) - [Music Industry](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/list/topic/music-industry) - [A3C Updates](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/list/topic/a3c) - [Events](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/list/topic/events) - [Atlanta](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/list/topic/atlanta) - [Opportunities](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/list/topic/opportunities) # SMASHD VENTURES Launches CULTURE + CODE at 2016 A3C Conference ![Mike Walbert](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/hubfs/Mikelinkedin.png) Posted by [Mike Walbert](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/list/author/mike-walbert) on Sep 20 A3C is pleased to announce it’s partnership with SMASHD Ventures, who will present an intimate panel conversation led by music and tech industry heavyweights Troy Carter, Marlon Nicols, and James Andrews on *Wednesday, October 5**th** from 4:30PM – 6PM at the A3C Conference Center* as part of 12th annual A3C Festival & Conference.  Culture + Code is SMASHD Venture’s nationwide tour of tech, culture, innovation and hustle, which will start at the A3C Festival & Conference.  SMASHD: Cultue + Code is presented by Comcast. The conversation will highlight the current cultural trends as well as what’s to come, all presented to a curated audience of artists, investors, tastemakers, startups and media within the Hip-Hop community. SMASHD Ventures is as a LA-based innovation consultancy that bridges the gap between cultural trends and technology. It was spawned from a joint venture between French Advertising company Havas Group and Atom Factory, which has been an early stage investor in over 75 startups including Uber, Spotify, Lyft and Dropbox led by former entertainment manager and A3C panel guest Troy Carter. Carter, a regular guest shark on the TV show “Shark Tank”, is currently Global Head of Creative Services for Spotify and built the careers of Lady Gaga, Eve, John Legend and Meghan Trainor as a manager before his Atom Factory company became a full time startup technology investor. Carter will be joined on the panel by Marlon Nicols, a fellow partner and co-founder of Cross Culture Ventures, an early stage VC firm focused on cultural investments based in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Prior to co-founding CCV, Nichols served as a director of investments at Intel Capital, where he led investments in women and minority-led technology startups through the company’s Diversity Fund. The third panelist is SMASHD Ventures’ CEO James Andrews, who started off in the music business as an executive at Columbia Records working with artists such as Nas, Maxwell, Destiny’s Child and The Fugees to name a few. As a 20-year veteran in emerging technologies and entertainment business, Andrews heads SMASHD Ventures, including SMASHD Media, SMASHD brand consultancy, and SMASHD Labs. ![smashd-logo.png](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/hs-fs/hubfs/smashd-logo.png?width=640&name=smashd-logo.png) SMASHD Ventures believes that the next wave of innovation will happen in new and emerging markets and urban centers outside of New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco.  The history and importance of the A3C community was a natural synergy for Troy Carter and James Andrews, who both came up in the music industry through the emergence of the 90’s Hip Hop business and fundamentally believe that Hip Hop is the greatest example of entrepreneurship and startup innovation in the creative economy. Each panelist will bring their diverse expertise to this Atlanta audience curated by A3C, whose continued efforts to empower, engage and energize the Hip-Hop community make it the perfect starting point for SMASHD Venture’s Culture + Code. ![Mike Walbert](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/hubfs/Mikelinkedin.png) ### Written by [Mike Walbert](https://blog.a3cfestival.com/list/author/mike-walbert) Mike Walbert is the Executive Director of the A3C Festival & Conference. As as partner in the business Mike oversees various aspects of the business, including: Business Development, Sponsorship, Branding and Marketing. Mike officially joined A3C in 2009 as the Artist Director. Since 2010 Mike has managed the strategy and team that have grown A3C from a regional showcase to an internationally recognized institution in hip-hop culture. 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