Though 2020 may be a year we'd all like to forget, Atlanta startups and technology companies brought in more than $2 billion in funding.
It was a rollercoaster of a year because of the pandemic — deals slowed in the first quarter and gradually increased as companies bounced back from the 60-day stall in March.
Funding across the state increased to $366 million in the third quarter, nearly flat compared to the same period in 2019 but up from $177 million invested in the second quarter.
One Atlanta startup reached unicorn status, and 18 companies raised $20 million or more during the year.
Here are the top funding deals of 2020:
OneTrust raises $510 million in two rounds
OneTrust, a privacy, security and third-party risk technology platform, raised a $210 million Series B led by Coatue Management LLC and Insight Partners in February and a $300 Series C round led by TCV in December, bringing its valuation to $5.1 billion.
Bakkt raises $300 million
Bakkt, a cryptocurrency exchange and liquidity provider created by the New York Stock Exchange’s parent company, Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE: ICE), raised $300 million in a Series B round in March. Investors include Microsoft’s M12, PayU, Boston Consulting Group, Goldfinch Partners, CMT Digital, Pantera Capital and Intercontinental Exchange.
Greenlight Financial Technology raises $215 million
Greenlight Financial Technology Inc., which aims to help parents raise financially-savvy children, raised a $215 million Series C round, bringing it to unicorn status with a valuation of $1.2 billion. The round was led by Canapi Ventures and TTV Capital in September.
EVO Payments secures $150 million investment
EVO Payments Inc., an Atlanta-based payment technology and services provider, received a $150 million investment in March from affiliates of Madison Dearborn Partners, a private equity firm.
RWDC Industries raises $133 million
RWDC Industries, a biodegradable plastics startup based in Athens and Singapore, raised $133 million in a two-stage Series B round in May. Vickers Venture Partners, Flint Hills Resources, CPV/CAP Pensionskasse Coop and International SA co-led the investment.
Flock Safety raises $62.8 million in two rounds
Neighborhood watch company Flock Safety raised $15.8 million in April and a $47 million Series C round led by Meritech Capital in November.
CallRail raises $56 million
Marketing analytics firm CallRail raised a $56 million round led by existing investors Sageview Capital and Leaders Fund, bringing the company's total capital raised to $132 million.
PPRO raises $50 million
PPRO, a London-based payments platform with U.S. headquarters in Atlanta, closed a $50 million round in August led by Springs Capital with participation from existing investors Citi Ventures and HPE Growth.
Grayshift raises $47 million
Grayshift, a digital forensics startup that provides law enforcement with the technology to hack into iPhone data, raised a $47 million Series A round led by Philadelphia-based PeakEquity Partners with participation from Atlanta’s TechOperators.
Relay Payments raises $43 million in two rounds
Financial technology startup Relay Payments reported raising $7.7 million in July and $35.3 million in December. Lee Fixel, a New York-based investor with Addition venture capital firm, is listed as a Relay Payments director in the SEC filing.
Cypress raises $40 million
Atlanta software startup Cypress raised $40 million in a Series B round led by Boston-based OpenView Venture Partners in December.
Featurespace raises $37.4 million
Featurespace, an Atlanta and U.K.-based fraud protection and risk management startup, in May raised a $37.4 million round led by Merian Chrysalis Investment Company Limited.
Agilysys secures $35 million investment
Agilysys Inc. (NASDAQ: AGYS), an Alpharetta-based provider of hospitality software solutions and services, received a $35 million investment from MAK Capital One LLC, an investment management firm that has been a significant shareholder of the company since 2007.
Stord raises $31 million
Logistics software startup Stord raised a $31 million Series B round in December. San Fransisco-based Founders Fund led, with participation by Kleiner Perkins, Susa Ventures and Dynamo.
Oncology Analytics raises $28 million
Oncology Analytics, an Atlanta-based data-driven utilization management company with a focus on oncology, raised $28 million in a Series C round led by Baird Capital in May.
Point Broadband raises $26.5 million
Point Broadband, a West Point, Ga.-based internet service provider, raised $26.5 million of a $35 million round, according to a May filing with the SEC.
Bluefin raises $25 million
Payment security company Bluefin raised $25 million in growth financing led by Macquarie Capital Principal Finance in October.
First Data, Live Oak Bank raise $20 million
Atlanta-based First Data, a fintech payments company, and Wilmington, N.C.-based Live Oak Bank raised a $20 million round for Apiture, a fintech joint venture. The digital banking experience company, which is based in Wilmington, will use the new capital to develop digital banking technologies.
