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In its sixth iteration, Atlanta Startup Battle awarded not one but two companies $100,000 each. The event was the culmination of a competition that narrowed down more than 500 applicants to just five presenting on stage at Techsquare Labs.
Greenzie and Permits.com won the battle. Greenzie builds software for autonomous robotic lawnmowers to reduce the labor costs of lawn maintenance. The Atlanta-based company is founded by Georgia Tech alum Charles Brian Quinn. It is the first startup to come out of Atlanta Ventures Studio, an incubation program spearheaded by David Cummings, Atlanta-based serial tech entrepreneur and founder of Atlanta Tech Village.
The second awardee Permits.com simplifies how contractors get permits using an online standardized application. The software then verifies and completes uploaded paperwork for error-free submissions to municipalities. The company is headquartered in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina and is spearheaded by Adam Michel, Ray Antonino, and Rebecca Antonino. Ray and Rebecca is a couple who previously owned a profitable, debt-free construction company for seven years before turning to tech.
Greenzie and Permits.com join 39 other companies in a $1.5 billion-dollar portfolio owned by Paul Judge and Allen Nance. They are the partners, tech entrepreneurs, and investors behind Techsquare Labs. The partners behind Techsquare also tout that the companies make $100 million dollars in recurring revenue while employing one thousand people. “[Tonight] is about helping curate this next generation of startups that are going to be born right on this stage,” Judge told the crowd.
Along with the investment from TechSquare Labs’ early-stage venture fund, the startups receive mentorship, resources, and access to a highly curated network, which includes the Google for Entrepreneurs (GFE) network.
Nance said without the judges committing their time and expertise, the event wouldn’t have been possible. “At the end of the day, without the venture judges who come from around the country, this event doesn’t work.” The panel of VCs included Kobie Fuller, Upfront Ventures (CA); Bryan Janeczko, Loeb.nyc (NY); David Payne, Techstars Atlanta; Karen C. Houghton, Atlanta Ventures; and Thiago Olson, Engage Ventures.
Selecting the winners was one takeaway from the night. The other was Techsquare’s commitment to growing the tech startup ecosystem and bringing together tech, music, and culture in a way that is unique to Atlanta.
Judges came out to rap music and food trucks, including the immensely popular Slutty Vegan, parked on the rooftop overlooking views of a bustling and skyrocketing Midtown. Not to mention appearances by notables including former Mayor Kasim Reed, entertainment industry executive Kenny Burns, and television personality Eva Marcille. The sold-out event attracted 1000+ attendees.
Partners for the event included Morgan Stanley Partners, POINT A, and Google for Startups.
