Metro Atlanta Chamber Inducts Second Group of Technology Companies ‘Backed by ATL’

The Backed by ATL program, an initiative supported by the Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) to support and accelerate scaling-stage startups in the city, has announced an additional eight companies to enter the program in its second year. 

Ally Commerce, First Performance Global, MaxEx, PrimeRevenue, QGenda, Rubicon Global, Skillshot (a subsidiary of Hi-Rez Studios), and Terminus will work with MAC and other business leaders to develop a personalized plan to support their growth strategies. The program is free and has no set end date, since it focuses on the potential of these companies to support economic development and “contribute to the overall health of metro Atlanta’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem,” according to Hala Moddelmog, MAC’s president and CEO.

“In fact, middle market companies were responsible for more than half of the 51.8 million new jobs created between 2011 to 2017 in the U.S. These next generation companies drive economic development and are crucial in ensuring financial vitality for the region for years to come,” Moddelmog said in a statement. 

Backed by ATL is industry-agnostic, but the majority of the companies represent the industries already succeeding in Atlanta, or those which the business community wants to further develop.

For example, First Performance, MaxEx and PrimeRevenue exemplify Atlanta’s strength in the fintech sector. Terminus is one in a string of successfully-scaling marketing technology companies to emerge from the region, which also includes fellow Backed by ATL companies SalesLoft and Springbot.

Meanwhile, Skillshot is aiming to become a leader in an industry that MAC identified as one of its priorities for Atlanta moving forward: eSports and gaming.

“At Skillshot, we believe eSports are the future of entertainment, and Atlanta is the future hub of esports,” Skillshot president Todd Harris said in a statement.  

The first group of companies was announced last year and included Nolan Transportation Group, Patientco, Pindrop, SalesLoft, Springbot, TruRating and Urjanet. In total, the program has resulted in more than 500 hours of in-person sessions with leaders from these companies.

In the last year, the initial group of companies have also created 500 jobs and generated $270 million in total economic output.

Photo provided by Metro Atlanta Chamber