NanoLumens®, award-winning creators of uniquely compelling interactive LED visualization solutions, today announced that they have been named a semi-finalist in the annual Atlanta Metro Export Challenge (Atlanta MEC), a grant competition supported by JPMorgan Chase, UPS and Partnership Gwinnett, which boosts support for small and medium-sized businesses looking to begin exporting or to increase their export programs. Twenty-eight companies from metro Atlanta were selected as semi-finalists and each will receive a reimbursement grant to apply toward expenses related to building export capacity and activities.
“We are extremely proud to be a recipient of this prestigious grant, and to have NanoLumens’ contribution to the Georgian economy recognized,” said NanoLumens CEO Rick Cope. “NanoLumens is dedicated to building and expanding a world-class export- driven company right here in Georgia. We take great pride in our community and in the men and women who are making NanoLumens a global success story. We look forward to continuing to show the committee that we are dedicated to exporting our high-quality LED displays all over the world, and bringing more business and more jobs to Georgia.”
NanoLumens will have a chance to win additional prize money early next year. Each semi-finalist must utilize the grant funds during the second half of 2017 and show export success to be invited back for the second round of competition at Pitch Day – a Shark Tank-style pitch session before a panel of judges. The Atlanta MEC will distribute a total of $200,000 over the course of the competition. The program was created through a grant from JPMorgan Chase as part of the firm’s ongoing work to promote global competitiveness in metros around the country. This year they are joined by UPS, contributing an additional $25,000, and Partnership Gwinnett, contributing $5,000.
“We congratulate the first round winners for their innovation and focus on global growth. UPS is honored to be a part of this collaborative effort to encourage metro Atlanta companies to explore and pursue export opportunities,” said Bill Seward, U.S. International President at UPS. “Being an integral part of the Atlanta Metro Export Challenge aligns with UPS’s commitment to expand our customers’ horizons and connect a global community through intelligent logistics networks.”
“Companies with global perspectives are more likely to create new jobs and tend to be more resilient and innovative as they respond to global market demand,” said David Balos, head of Chase Middle Market Banking. “We applaud the latest round of winners and believe these export efforts will lead to more job creation and growth for our local economy in Metro Atlanta.”
The MEP is the first phase of Atlanta’s participation in the Global Cities Initiative (“GCI”), a joint project of the Brookings Institution and JPMorgan Chase that aims to help leaders in U.S. metropolitan areas reorient their economics toward greater engagement in world markets.
To see the full list of grant awardees, click here.