Atmail

Atmail Pty Ltd operates as a provider of email hosting services, catering primarily to telecommunications providers, internet service providers (ISPs), and businesses worldwide. Founded in 1998 by Ben Duncan, the company originated from his experience in a web hosting venture, where he identified the need for a robust, white-label mail platform. This realization led to the creation of Atmail, which started as one of the first commercial webmail platforms. Based in Australia, the company began in Kurrajong, New South Wales, later relocating to Peregian Beach and is now headquartered in Brisbane.

The company's business model is centered on offering both cloud-hosted and on-premises email solutions. It generates revenue by providing white-labeled email platforms that its clients can brand as their own, turning what is often a cost center into a potential profit and retention tool. Atmail's services are designed to be secure, stable, and scalable, currently powering over 170 million mailboxes globally. Their cloud offerings are managed on Amazon Web Services (AWS), with data centers available in the US and Europe to comply with regulations like GDPR. The product suite includes a webmail interface, mail server, calendaring, and spam protection featuring tools like SpamAssassin. Key features include domain registration, groupware, and mobility across devices. For a monthly fee, clients can transform their email services, as exemplified by a telecom client that successfully transitioned to a subscription model, significantly reducing churn and increasing profitability.

Ben Duncan, the founder, started the company after leaving home at 16 and co-founding a web hosting business. His technical background and hands-on approach were instrumental in developing the initial product while traveling across Australia. He led the company as CEO for many years, growing its customer base to thousands across dozens of countries before stepping away from daily operations in 2017 to serve as a board member. Dave Richards, an email industry veteran with over 20 years of experience, took over as CEO in April 2017. A significant milestone in the company's history was securing $2.08 million in a Series A funding round from Starfish Ventures on November 20, 2012, to fuel product development and international expansion. More recently, in January 2024, Atmail was acquired by Inbox.com AS, marking a new chapter in its growth.

Keywords: email hosting provider, white-label email, cloud email solutions, on-premises email, telecom email platform, ISP email services, SaaS, email security, webmail platform, mail server, messaging services, CalDAV, groupware solutions, email monetization, customer retention email, email platform migration, Ben Duncan, Dave Richards, Inbox.com, Starfish Ventures, enterprise email, scalable email infrastructure