Metro Atlanta Chamber Announces 2025 Metro Export Challenge Cohort

ATLANTA — Feb. 27, 2025 — Yesterday, the Metro Atlanta Chamber announced the companies selected for the 2025 Atlanta Metro Export Challenge (MEC) cohort. Entering its ninth year, the MEC provides small and medium-sized companies expanding into a new international market with financial and mentorship support for their global business development efforts.  

Each company receives a $5,000 grant to support international business expansion, covering expenses such as travel, trade show booth costs, and website globalization. In addition, participants gain access to a tailored mentorship program, a flight voucher from Delta Air Lines, and the opportunity to compete in the annual Pitch Day event for a chance to win additional funding to accelerate their global growth.

On Wednesday, the 2025 MEC cohort convened for its inaugural meeting and the 10 winners were officially announced.

“Metro Atlanta continues to strengthen its position as a global business hub, expanding our international ties and creating opportunities right here in our backyard,” said Katie Kirkpatrick, president & CEO of the Metro Atlanta Chamber. “Programs like the MEC are instrumental in helping local businesses scale internationally, driving economic growth locally while reinforcing our region’s competitiveness on the world stage.”

The MEC is the region’s largest global economic development initiative, having awarded nearly $900,000 in grant funding to support the international growth of small and mid-sized businesses. These grants have an outsized annual impact. For instance, the $50,000 invested by MAC and our partners in the 2024 cohort supported more than $5.4 million in export successes. This year’s cohort also boasts a diverse group, with 50% of the companies being minority, women, and/or veteran-owned companies.

“As the MEC approaches providing nearly $1 million in grant funding since its creation, it is an incredible opportunity to look back on the opportunities it has created for small and mid-sized businesses seeking to expand their international sales, including numerous GDEcD Trade clients that have gone on to successfully expand sales in multiple international markets,” said Lizann Grupalo, Deputy Commissioner of Trade at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “In 2024, Georgia had its fourth consecutive year of record-breaking exports, reaching $53.1 billion, and it is more evident than ever that Georgia is home to a thriving ecosystem of exporters finding success in markets around the world.”

Program partners include the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of International and Immigrant Affairs, Partnership Gwinnett, Invest Atlanta, Select Cobb, Select Fulton, and NRW Global Business.

The 10 metro Atlanta companies selected for this year’s upcoming cohort include:

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

• Davis Manufacturing and Packing, Inc.: Produces a premium line of animal care products for the veterinary and grooming industries, serving domestic and international markets

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

• Global Atlanta: Provides news dedicated to tracking Atlanta’s rise as a global center for business, education and culture

• Joe Tools Inc.: Supplies tooling for extrusion, including wire and medical tubing industries, serving over 200 customers across the U.S.

• Just for Teens: Offers organic personal care products for preteens and teenagers with a mission-driven brand

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

• Num Num Sauce Company: Produces healthy and flavorful low-sodium tomato and mustard based condiments

• 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

Visit www.metroatlantachamber.com/metro-export-challenge for more information on the 2025 Metro Export Challenge. 

About Metro Atlanta Chamber: 

The Metro Atlanta Chamber (MAC) serves as a catalyst for a more prosperous and vibrant region. We work to advance economic growth and improve metro Atlanta’s quality of life across the 29-county metro Atlanta region. Our charge is to unleash Atlanta’s ambition, and we do this by growing, advocating, and promoting the region’s economy, talent and community. MAC expands the region’s thriving economy, advocates for a competitive business climate, and elevates metro Atlanta’s story on a global scale to ensure that this continues to be a region that rises as one. For more information, visit www.MetroAtlantaChamber.com. 

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