Inaugural
Event.
51 participants. Every corner of the ecosystem we set out to build — creatives, hospitality, professional services, executives, capital markets, founders, and entrepreneurs. In the room were leading researchers, thought leaders, operators of companies from startups to $100M+, world-class designers, a student founder, and some of the sharpest minds in the region.
The evening moved from welcome drinks at Habit Coffee into a Refined Thinking conversation that challenged the room to rethink how they operate during the current industrial AI revolution and in-between times. Many attendees described it as one of the most practically relevant conversations they’d had about AI and business.
Pitches from Boyd Cycling and Strada Capital drew overwhelmingly positive feedback. The work of visual artist Joni Bleu set the tone throughout the evening — layered, evocative, and impossible to ignore. Dinner by Chef Sarah McClure of Southside Smokehouse held the room together, and Johnny Delaware of SUSTO closed the night with a set that felt like the perfect ending to something that felt like a beginning.
Throughout the night, connections formed between people who had never worked together before — sparking new collaborations, reengaging dormant proposals, and generating fresh perspectives on how to build and grow. This is what we built Ataraxia Community for.
See the next eventSpring 2026
Upstate.
An evening of sharp pitches, candid conversation, a chef-driven dinner, live music, and original art — all under one roof at The Vault at Taylors Mill.
Four companies on the clock. A first-of-its-kind consumer wellness brand raising its seed round. A tax auction investment platform raising private debt to scale its proprietary acquisition model. A mission-driven nonprofit expanding residential recovery services across the Upstate. And Ataraxia itself — raising to fund the platform behind the Community and its growing portfolio of companies.
An expert-led conversation on global strategy, international planning, and what it means to build and protect something enduring in an increasingly complex world. Held under the Chatham House Rule — candor guaranteed.
Dinner is by Chef Michael Rednak — formerly executive sous chef at Husk Barbeque and the force behind Lucy Anne’s. His cooking blends Southern roots with Italian technique: housemade pastas, wood-fired preparations, and the kind of food that holds a room together long after the last pitch.
Artist TBD.
Original work by Laney Milham will be on display throughout the evening. Her paintings move between portraiture and abstraction — arresting, layered, and the kind of work that stops a conversation mid-sentence. Explore her work.
Never settle.
Build amazing.
Ataraxia Community is invite-only and capped at 65 seats per market. If you're ready to show up, engage, and contribute — we'd love to hear from you.
