Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Announces Finalists for 2018 Atlanta International Startup Exchange
Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms Announces Finalists for 2018 Atlanta International Startup Exchange
ATLANTA – The City of Atlanta announced today the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs and Invest Atlanta, along with international partner Metropole Toulouse, have selected the final eight companies for the 2018 Atlanta International Startup Exchange. The one-week international residency will provide Atlanta-based companies a platform for global expansion in France. Four Toulouse-based companies will also travel to Atlanta as part of the program.
“The International Startup Exchange provides businesses in Atlanta with unique opportunities and resources to increase their global presence and achieve sustainable growth,” said Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms. “It is important to build and maintain productive relationships with our growing international community as the City continues to attract new residents and investments from around the globe.”
Representatives from ThingTech, Loupe LLC, TC Poly, and Blind Tiger Communications will travel to Toulouse on September 30, 2018 through October 7 during the EmTech Conference. During the week, the startups will meet with French entrepreneurs, European decision makers, investors, and executives in their respective sectors.
“In today’s global economy, it is vital for startups to gain early access to international markets,” said Dr. Eloisa Klementich, President and CEO of Invest Atlanta. “In fact, companies exporting beyond our borders grow 20 percent faster and are less likely to go out of business. Through the International Startup Exchange, the City of Atlanta is giving our startups the chance to tap into new customers and funding opportunities. Atlanta is a global city, and part of that means hosting international startups, so they can see all of our city’s assets as they look to grow and expand.”
Four Toulouse-based startups, Geotrend, VUF, Pixstart, and VYFE, will travel to Atlanta during VentureAtlanta, which will take place October 15-19, 2018. The visiting startups will connect with local startup ecosystems, gain access to international conferences and engage with investors, business leaders and potential clients. Atlanta and Toulouse partnered for the exchange based on the strength of their existing relationships and shared growing industries.
“Sister cities Toulouse and Atlanta are ideal partners in this startup exchange. Toulouse is the home of Airbus, and Atlanta has the world’s busiest airport. Atlanta is rich in Fortune 500 companies, and Toulouse has world-renowned research institutions. It is our pleasure to welcome the Toulouse startups each year and watch them expand their global reach using the connections they make while here,” said Louis de Corail, French Consul General in Atlanta.
The inaugural Atlanta International Startup Exchange program was launched in October 2016 during the 40th anniversary celebration of the Atlanta-Toulouse sister city relationship. The program expanded to the United Kingdom when it returned for a second year in October 2017. Last year, the Atlanta International Startup Exchange program was awarded the Sister Cities International 2017 Economic Development Award.
