Atlanta’s ArtCloud Merges With London Firm

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared on Hypepotamus. It is published on Global Atlanta as part of our content partnership with the Southeast’s top source for innovation news. Sign up for Hypepotamus newsletters here. 

Atlanta-based ArtCloud, founded in 2015 as a tool for artists and gallerists, announced this week it is merging with London-based Artlogic.

Similar to ArtCloud, Artlogic’s platform helps galleries, artists and collectors manage their sales and backend data. The merger creates a “comprehensive technology platform” for the art community, according to a press release. It will ultimately combine Artlogic’s art management software and website solutions with ArtCloud’s technology around collector engagement, AI, and integrated payments.

The complementary platforms will “support the secure management, marketing and sales of over 15 million artworks across both companies,” the two companies added.

Financial details of the merger were not disclosed. But Artlogic and ArtCloud will continue to operate independently for the time being. Alex West, the Atlanta-based CEO of ArtCloud, will join the Artlogic executive team as Chief Innovation Officer.

Artlogic is backed by private equity firm Cove Hill Partners out of Boston.

The Merging Of Two Art-Focused Companies

ArtCloud and Artlogic have connected for some time through their shared focus at the intersection of technology and art.

“Over time, we kept bumping into each other in conversations about what the art world really needs from its tech. It became clear we were trying to solve the same problems, just in slightly different ways. Eventually, those conversations turned into a bigger idea: what if we did it together?,” West told Hypepotamus.

Artlogic CEO Mike Profit said that ArtCloud’s platform, energy, and “their focus on customer experience” stood out from the early days.

“The calibre of the ArtCloud team was immediately apparent. They bring strong technical expertise that compliments our very experienced team, a deep understanding of small to medium sized galleries’ needs, and a real commitment to thoughtful, user-driven design. What they’ve developed has been both clever and highly practical,” Profit told Hypepotamus. “It’s the kind of innovation that makes a tangible difference in day-to-day gallery operations. We saw right away that this was a team we’d be proud to work alongside and it naturally compliments what we have been developing and building for so many years.”

As ArtCloud’s team prepares for its next chapter, we asked West about what were some highlights from building the company over the last decade.

His answer: “One big one was integrating website building into our inventory software. We built a tool that gave people full creative control without needing a developer. That user-first mindset has always been at the heart of what we do. We also set out to build more than just “art software”, we built a platform that helps galleries run their business, from sales funnels to collector engagement, all in one place. That’s been incredibly rewarding to grow.”