Tech startup Atmos is using its platform to help Charlotteans build the homes of their dreams.
Atmos co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Nick Donahue briefly attended NC State University as a mechanical engineering major before deciding to put his family's background in homebuilding to work. The startup was born out of his desire to use technology to change the industry.
Atmos' online platform makes a selection of vetted local realtors, architects and contractors available in one place, allowing users to customize their home-building experience from conception to move-in.
"We have vetted these parties and put them into a single marketplace to help the client through that journey," Donahue said. "Building a home is one of the biggest things in your life, so why wouldn’t you want it to be like you?"
Through the website, clients start by working with a realtor to find a plot of land. Next, they'll choose a home plan and work with an Atmos concierge to adjust the home plan to best fit their needs. Finishes can be customized or selected from a list of pre-existing options, and the entire interior can be designed and ordered.
Clients are also able to apply for financing through the app, instead of using an outside party, and they're kept up-to-date throughout the entire construction process. Additionally, Atmos promises transparent pricing and a shorter time frame from start-to-finish.
The platform is currently accessible in Charlotte, Raleigh and Durham, though Donahue said they plan to eventually launch in Austin, Nashville, Denver, Salt Lake City, Atlanta and Portland.
He said they chose Charlotte as one of the launch cities because it has become a popular market for tech, and people continue to move to the city at a rapid pace.
"Especially with Covid, there’s mass migration from New York and L.A.," Donahue said. "It’s been booming."
Donahue, along side Trent Hedge, Austin Khan and Matt Rastovac, launched the platform about nine months ago. Atmos recently closed on a $2 million capital raise that Donahue said will be used to build out a core team and figure out additional markets that best fit the platform.
Long-term, he said he and his partners want to continue to grow in a way that allows the platform to give clients the type of modern, technologically-advanced home many people only dream about.
"I think there’s a huge opportunity to become a brand in this space... Technologically, there’s still a lot that needs to change with houses," he said. "Next will be the introduction of computers into everything. Every space will have a brain to it, and that's a fundamental shift that’s starting to come."
