Nine Atlanta Companies Win $5,000 Export Challenge Grants

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Nine Atlanta companies were tapped as winners of the Atlanta Metro Export Challenge, an annual grant program where companies receive $5,000 toward growing their international sales. 

The reimbursable grants, now being awarded for their sixth year, help local companies explore new markets by covering the costs of attending trade shows, internationalizing websites, translating sales materials or traveling to meet customers, among other creative uses.

Judges selected the winners, who span various industry sectors, our of a broader pool of applicants. In addition to the funding, they gain access to customized export training and trade counseling, as well as dedicated support from the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Georgia District Export Council, the U.S. Department of Commerce and the Small Business Development Center at the University of Georgia, as well as travel vouchers from Delta Air Lines. 

They’ll also be able to come back for the return of the MEC pitch day, where recounting how they used of the first tranche of funds could win them an additional $10,000.

Since it started in 2015, the challenge has awarded $690,000 in founding to 129 companies from across the metro area. 

This year’s cohort, which showcases the diversity of Atlanta’s business community with strong representation from minority-, women- and veteran-owned companies but only has winners from three metro-area counties, includes: 

While the Metro Atlanta Chamber administers the program, the initiative is backed by economic development agencies in City of Atlanta as well as the four most populous metro counties of DeKalb, Fulton, Gwinnett and Cobb, with support from the above-mentioned organizations as well as NRW.Global Business from the German state of North Rhine Westphalia.

Learn more about the program and this year’s cohort here, or contact Stefan Harrigan, economic development manager for global business development, at sharrigan@macoc.com.