Through Black Enterprise Editors
June 10, 2025
Those early days were difficult
When Justin E. Samuels got into the technological conference scene for the first time more than ten years ago, he was not alone Note a goP. He felt it.
“I would go to these events where the speakers were solid and the information was useful, but the energy was always the same,” Samuels recalls. “Company. Stiff. Disconnected from the real culture. I would leave with perhaps a good note in my phone, but no real connection. No spark.”
That missing spark became the driving force behind RenderatlNow one of the fastest growing and most culture-forward technical conferences in the country. Renderatl was launched as a full bootstrapped idea of Samuels, an old engineer and founder, was built from the ground with a deliberate focus: community, culture and advanced technology in one compelling experience.
A new type of conference
The idea for Renderatl was not born from one big aha moment, but rather a series of realizations over time. Samuels saw a pattern. Brilliant developers, creatives, product managers and founders did not have the visibility or access they deserved because they were not in the traditional technical mold.
“We don’t need any other version of the same,” he says. “We need something new. Something that honors our creativity, our energy, our way of appearing.”
That faith drove the renderatl blue pressure, not only to compete with existing conferences, but to create a completely new job: think of professional development, live shows and cultural events at night during the day – tech with an atmosphere.
Build without blueprint
Renderatl is even more remarkable because it was not called by Silicon Valley or is stuck by large investors. Samuels launched the conference without a trust fund, no VC support, only a vision, a Google document and a close network that believed in what he was building.
“Every decision had to be strategic,” he explains. “We had to convince speakers, attendees and sponsors to believe in something that did not even exist yet. That meant showing excellence from the first day.”
Those early days were difficult. Logistics, trust structure and credibility were fighting battles, but Samuels credit the implementation and consistency as the keys to building Renderatl’s Momentum.
Where tech culture meets
Although many technical events encourage innovation, not everyone is innovative in shape. Renderatl runs that modeling by turning culture into a core pillar, not a side issue.
“When you take the music away, the food, the atmosphere, what is left is just another Lanyard and a lunch in boxes,” says Samuels. “We said no, we bring the entire package.”
Renderatl gives that package the feeling like no other technical meeting. It is a place where you attend a workshop about AI leadership in the afternoon and in the front row at a concert with your favorite artist in the evening. That merger of learning and lived experience keeps people back and what distinguishes the Renderatl.
Full-Circel Moments
Samuels has had many proud moments on this trip, but one stands out.
“Last year I was backstage and looked forward to this sea of people who flew from all over the world for something that we have not built from anything,” he says. “That hit me hard. It was a full-circle moment.”
Yet the messages he gets afterwards are what reminds him of the real impact. “It is the DM that says:” I got my first technical job because of render. “Or the one who says,” I met my co-founder there. ” That is the kind of ROI I care about.
Scales with intention
Even with the rising popularity of Renderatl, Samuels is aimed at slow and deliberately scales. He is not interested in expanding the expansion.
“I don’t try to hit everything in our name,” he says. “We build media, pop-ups and community support throughout the year. But the focus is still what it has always been: authenticity, creativity and respect for the people who make technology what it is.”
For Samuels, growth is not just over the size. It is about redefining what growth in technology means.
Advice for the next generation
When asked what advice he has for entrepreneurs who want to build community -driven brands, especially in technology, Samuels is not sugar.
“Don’t wait for perfect. Use what you have and get started,” he says. “I had no investors or a production team. I had an idea and a document.”
He emphasizes the importance of building community before he imposes influence. “Hype dies quickly. Trust takes. Know your audience, listen more than your pitch, and if it gets difficult, and it will remember why you started.”
But above all, Samuels is urging to bet others on their own. “If you are not your greatest believer, you can’t expect someone else to be.”
Renderatl Herdefinierts what a technical conference can be: community -oriented, culture -rich and built for the future.
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