3Ci Weekly Tech Minute is a weekly installment of Atlanta’s top tech news. Hosted by one of Atlanta’s own tech experts, Titania Jordan, the Weekly Tech Minute is where our city’s tech leaders and enthusiasts turn to receive up-to-date stories about Atlanta’s buzzing tech scene.
Take a moment to stop and digest all of Atlanta’s top tech stories from April. #ATLtech #techATL 
Top Tech Stories
Apple Introduces a New Kind of Credit Card
Apple recently announced a credit card that is built on simplicity, transparency, and privacy and designed to help customers lead a healthier financial life. Apple Card aims to simplify the application process, eliminate fees, encourage customers to pay less interest, and provide a new level of privacy and security. It will be available in the US starting this summer and touts having a very compelling rewards program.
Samsung Takes Multi-Tasking to a New Level
This month, Samsung announced one of the biggest leaps forward in mobile innovation that US consumers haven’t seen since the launch of the very first smartphones—the Galaxy Fold. This groundbreaking new product is a true first of its kind. It offers a tablet-like experience when you want it and a compact smartphone when you need it. The content easily moves from the cover display to the main display and allows users to use up to three apps simultaneously. We’re excited to give it a try!
Atlanta Funding News
SingleOps
Business management software, SingleOps, has raised a Series A of $1.6M led by entrepreneur and investor David Cummings of Atlanta Ventures. The cloud-based management software allows outdoor service businesses (like tree care and landscaping companies) to build estimates, schedule work crews, track inventory, send invoices, and reach their customers more efficiently. From revenue to team size, the company has more than tripled its metrics over the past two years.
International Screening Solutions
This provider of a global know your customer (KYC) / customer due diligence (CDD) solution just closed a $1.5M funding round led by Naples Technology Ventures. According to CEO Chuck Papageorgiou, this investment will fund the company’s current initiatives that will double their 2019 revenue from 2018 and position them for similar growth in 2020. After significant development, ISS is adding a cognitive AI agent into its Risk screening platform to further eliminate the hassle of false positives—the number one complaint of risk screening professionals in the financial services industry. The AI virtual adjudication agent, “Aivaa” for short, is based on advanced military AI technology recently made available for commercial use, and is several years ahead of announced plans by other screening firms, earning ISS a Gold Level Certification by the Cognitive Software Alliance.
Stord
This month, Atlanta-based supply chain software startup, Stord, raised a $12.3M Series A led by venture capital firm Kliener Perkins. The company grew its revenue by 10X in the last year and expanded its workforce from five employees to 30. They recently moved to an office in midtown and plan to hire another 50 this year primarily in technology and product. With this raise, Stord will focus on improving its software platform, connecting with more enterprises, and hiring.
Cognosos
This Atlanta-based company just raised another $1.5M. It previously raised $7.1M in 2017 in a Series A led by Cox Enterprises. Cognosos is the complete IoT solution to connect, inform, and optimize your operations—from inventory management to asset checking. It’s used by leading players in this industry like Cox Automotive.
Companies on the Move
Fleetcor Making Moves to Buckhead
Fleetcor, the Atlanta-based fintech company providing fuel payment products and solutions, is moving its 250 employees from its headquarters in Gwinnett County to office space at Terminus 100, a 27-story tower right at the corner of Piedmont and Peachtree. Talk about a prime location!
Atlanta Tech Scene
Recognizing the Unsung Heros of Atlanta’s Startup Community
The inaugural Siggie Awards will honor early-stage investors and is set to take place on Wednesday, May 18 at the Avondale Innovation District. The ceremony is named after long-time investor, Sig Mosley, often referred to as Atlanta’s godfather of angel investing. Sig has invested in 145 startups with 105 liquidity events since 1990 through his firm, Mosley Ventures. Nominations for the awards will be accepted from investors and startup founders through April 30th.
Required Reading for Any Growing Business
Friend and former Connect guest, Chis Tuff, just released a book that’s already made its way onto US Today’s National Bestseller list. The Millenial Whisperer is a practical and profit-focused playbook for working with and motivating the world’s largest generation. Millennials will make up 75% of the workforce by 2030, and this book will help companies and leaders better understand the practical steps they can take to immediately increase productivity (without beers kegs, ping pong tables, or participation trophies). Happy reading!
IoT.ATL AgTech Challenge Kicks Off on the BeltLine
Last year, the Metro Atlanta Chamber, Invest Atlanta, and other partner organizations announced the IoT.ATL AgTech Challenge to help bring tech-enabled solutions to farming and food production under the umbrella of making Atlanta a smart city. Nine startups were announced as program participants and will have the chance to test their solutions along the Atlanta BeltLine. Congrats to those chosen and thank you for the impact you’re making!
Atlanta’s Premier Startup Competition At It Again
Two winners were awarded $100,000 each at this month’s Atlanta Startup Battle including Greenzie, an outdoor robotics software on a mission to free humans from repetitive outdoor labor, and Permits.com, a company that helps contractors get permits, navigate requirements, predict turnaround times, and gain insights into compliance. A big congrats to the winners and to all of those who battled it out this month.
FinTech Enthusiasts Descend Upon Atlanta for FinTech South
Atlanta hosted another successful FinTech South at the Mercedes Benz Stadium this month, attracting international companies and speakers across multiple industries. The event brought in more than 1300 FinTech executives from 450 companies generating $72 billion in revenues and processing over $118 billion transactions annually.
To stay up-to-date with all of Atlanta’s top tech news, be sure to tune in every week by subscribing right here or via the 3Ci YouTube channel by clicking right below.
{{cta(‘fcf4fcde-d5a1-4c92-a95d-af9a7a9ef06e’,’justifycenter’)}}
CONNECT is the brainchild of 3Ci — Atlanta’s most innovative and progressive tech talent and training company. 3Ci believes in connecting mission and purpose while empowering the tech community.