In Grand Rapids, software development company Atomic Object received critical business support early-on from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. Yet in its 18th year, COVID-19 created uncertainty in its sales pipeline and hiring plans.
The company acted quickly to protect their employees' health and income, applying for, and receiving, support through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). However, as demand for services and cash on hand were stabilized, with a solid foundation built through MEDC support early on, Atomic Object realized it could meet payroll without the PPP loan and returned the money in full.
Today, Atomic Object has kept its commitment to the six Computer Science graduates it had offered to hire before the pandemic emerged, and it even brought on three more.
"The foundational support MEDC provided showed us they believed in Atomic and what we set out to achieve," said Shawn Crowley, Co-CEO of Atomic Object. "We knew they had our backs along the way."
