Three winners of the Atlanta Metro Export Challenge (Atlanta MEC) pitch competition were awarded grants at an event hosted by the Metro Atlanta Chamber Wednesday evening. This year-long program assists local companies in their global business development efforts. The 2025 winners of the Atlanta MEC include:

• 1st Place $15,000 grant - LockThreat

• 2nd Place $10,000 grant - ZCorum

• 3rd Place $5,000 grant – Compac Industries

Each winning company was also awarded a flight voucher courtesy of Delta Air Lines. 

"It’s initiatives like the Atlanta Metro Export Challenge that lay the groundwork for regional success,” said Katie Kirkpatrick, president & CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “We’re excited to bring together targeted resources from regional partners to support growing companies ready to expand into global markets." 

Companies participating in the program receive a $5,000 reimbursement grant used for expenses related to their international business growth. They also benefit from a tailored mentorship and counseling program to assist in the development of global sales plans and go-to-market strategies, as well as flight vouchers from Delta Air Lines. Minority-, women-, or veteran-owned businesses make up 38% of grant recipients.

The Atlanta Metro Export Challenge started in 2016 with a single grant from JPMorgan Chase and has grown into a region-wide collaborative effort to encourage export growth. Since its implementation, the program has supported 149 metro Atlanta copmanies with $920,000 in financial support and counseling.  

Exporting companies grow faster, pay their employees more and file more patents than their non-exporting counterparts. American exporters also benefit from a widely held perception of quality of U.S. products, as well as advantages of scale and diversification. 

The event marked the conclusion of the year-long program and the kickoff to the 2025 season. Applications for the 2026 cohort are open now through January 17, 2026, and are available at metroatlantachamber.com/metro-export-challenge.

The judges for the 2025 Metro Export Challenge pitch competition include:

• Darrel Hulsey, UGA Small Business Development Center - International Trade Center

• Daraka Satcher, Georgia District Export Council 

• Michael Howley, Georgia Department of Economic Development

Companies pitching: 

• Compac Industries: Manufactures and packages goods under six distinct brands, distributing and selling them online and offline in both B2C and B2B markets 

• Ecoslay: Produces eco-friendly, handmade, and all-natural haircare and beauty products that are hand-packaged and sourced from local farms 

• Lockthreat LLC: Leverages an AI-powered governance, risk, and compliance platform to optimize management of regulatory obligations, internal controls, and risk assessments

• Patientory, Inc.: Leverages data analytics to help patients and healthcare providers improve health outcomes via a mobile app 

• ZCorum: Provides a comprehensive suite of broadband products and services to broadband operators, including municipalities, utilities, MDUs, cable operators, and telephone companies 

The 2025 Atlanta MEC cohort was made possible by funding from the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Atlanta Mayor’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs, Invest Atlanta, Partnership Gwinnett, Select Cobb, Select Fulton, and NRW Global Business, in addition to funds generated by Certificate of Origin (COO) processing fees by the Metro Atlanta Chamber. All proceeds from COO sales are reinvested in MAC’s export initiatives, principally the MEC, fueling growth of the region’s next generation of exporters.

Photos of the pitch day event are available for download: metroatlantachamber.pixieset.com/2025metroexportchallenge

Applications for the 2026 MEC cohort are now open through January 17, 2026.
Learn more at: metroatlantachamber.com/metro-export-challenge