A global Robotics company headquartered in Newcastle Upon Tyne. A hardware manufacturing shop out of Liverpool. A software startup based in Manchester.
That might not sound like the traditional list of startups you’d meet while attending Atlanta’s largest venture capital conference. But last week those companies, and other promising tech startups from across the United Kingdom, were part of a trade mission set up by the British Consulate-General’s office in Atlanta. The delegation, organized by the British Consulate-General in Atlanta’s Senior Trade and Investment Officer Hanna Yu, joined in on the festivities around Venture Atlanta, the conference that saw investors and founders flood the Woodruff Arts Center in Midtown Atlanta for its two-day event.
During their time on the ground in Atlanta, six UK startup leaders met with the Metro Atlanta Chamber, the Technology Association of Georgia, Invest Atlanta, and the Atlanta Tech Village to better understand opportunities available to companies looking to expand across the pond. After a reception at the Consulate General’s home in Buckhead, the trade mission delegates spent part of the week mixing and mingling with investors, fellow entrepreneurs, and ecosystem builders who were part of the Venture Atlanta conference.
Those trade mission delegates included:
Thomas Matheus – Newcastle-based Cystel: Cystel is working with quantum technology to support our clients against quantum threats.
Craig Johnson – Liverpool-based Brainboxes: Computer hardware manufacturing company and developer of connectivity devices enabling industrial machines to communicate with computer networks.
Mark Cole – Liverpool-based Flowpro Limited/Park Smart: Software development company that offers parking management software.
Muhammad Ali – Newcastle-based Uptivity (Senserve): A B2B SaaS startup focused on the ecommerce market
Arran Kirkup and Robert Sandbach – Manchester-based Indiespring Limited: Software development company driving business transformation through innovative mobile-first software
Atif Syed – Newcastle-based Wootzano: A robotics company focused on highly dexterous robots that are able to delicately handle fresh produce with ease
Connecting The UK To ATL
The goal of the trade mission was to give delegates the opportunity to “network, to make new connections, to get more insights into Atlanta and what opportunities are available individually [to startups] to sell into [the city],” said Philip Blacklock, International Trade Adviser at the United Kingdom’s Department for Business and Trade.
Several members of the trade mission told Hypepotamus that they see Atlanta as a potential jumping off point for entering the US market.
Delegate Mark Cole said he was struck by the “energy and the friendliness and the buzz” surrounding the Venture Atlanta conference and all the other tech events the delegates attended over the course of their week stay.
“There’s a bit of an overwhelming sense now that there’s an awful lot we can tap into that we didn’t anticipate,” he added.
While reflecting about their trip, the delegation’s general consensus was that there are a lot of similarities between the business ecosystems found in the Atlanta region and the northern part of England. Besides the fact that Atlanta and Newcastle have been Sister Cities since 1977, the two cities both started out as industrial hubs that have grown into centers for fintech innovation. In other cities across Northern England like Liverpool and Manchester, artificial intelligence, gaming, and HealthTech startups have gained significant ground. Those are also all key industry sectors that are growing in the Metro Atlanta region, which could help connect the two areas even more.
The connection between Atlanta and the UK has also been growing stronger through tech as UK-based companies like software giant Sage, Capital On Tap, and Featurespace have long had a physical presence in Atlanta. With programs like the UK trade mission, there is just might be more British startups in town in the near future.
—
Photos provided by the British Consulate-General in Atlanta