(This story first appeared in the Atlanta Business Chronicle)
Public-private tech accelerator Engage announced eight companies selected to participate in the spring 2018 program.
The companies, including three Atlanta-based and two women-led startups, are working on technologies, including autonomous flight, artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain.
Engage is a collaboration between the Atlanta Committee for Progress, Georgia Tech and 10 Atlanta corporations, including AT&T (NYSE: T), Chick-fil-A, Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL), Georgia-Pacific, Georgia Power, Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), Invesco, The Home Depot (NYSE: HD) and United Parcel Service (NYSE: UPS).
The 10 corporations each committed $1.5 million to the $15 million Engage venture fund, which is managed by Tech Square Ventures.
Engage provides Atlanta an opportunity to attract and grow new companies. Corporate partners, meanwhile, get first-look advantage and access to new technologies. The accelerator's inaugural class of companies raised $18 million from the Engage corporate partners.
“Investing with Engage has allowed us to tap the latest in disruptive technologies and look for potential collaborations with our own digital transformation efforts,” Georgia-Pacific CEO Christian Fischer said in a statement.
These eight startups were picked to be in Engage Ventures Spring 2018 class:
- Dev/Con (Memphis, Tenn.) — SaaS-based cyber security software that eliminates advertising fraud.
- Homee (Tampa Bay, Fla.) — On-demand, home servicing app that provides instant access to handymen, electrical, HVAC, and plumbing providers.
- Intrinio (Tampa Bay, Fla.) — FinTech marketplace with access to more than 200 financial data feeds that cover 350,000 global securities.
- Pryon (Seattle, Wash.) — Developers of an AI platform with the accuracy and security features necessary for enterprise applications.
- Stord (Atlanta, Ga.) — Real-time global warehousing network that connects independent, third-party warehouses via an enterprise software platform to drive inventory efficiency.
- SkyRyse (San Francisco, Calif.) — Delivering autonomous flight technologies to revolutionize on-demand transportation.
- ThingTech (Atlanta, Ga.) — IoT service platform that connect assets, fleets, heavy equipment, sensors, machines and mobile workforces in real-time.
- Verady (Atlanta, Ga.) — Combines blockchain and industry thought leadership to bring accounting and audit technology to cryptocurrencies.
