Auction Technology Group (ATG)

The story begins not with a tech startup, but with a trade publication. In 1971, journalist Ivor Turnbull founded the Antiques Trade Gazette in London, a weekly magazine that quickly became the essential 'bible' for the art and antiques industry. For decades, it was a print-first business, connecting dealers and auction houses through classifieds and calendars. The turn of the century marked a pivotal shift. Recognizing the internet's power, the company began listing auction calendars online in 1998. This was the first step in a major transformation. In 2006, they launched thesaleroom.com, a platform for live online bidding, moving the company from a publisher to a technology provider. This new model, providing software and marketplace access to auctioneers, proved powerful. The company, now known as Auction Technology Group (ATG), expanded, launching sites for industrial and commercial equipment like i-bidder.com. A series of private equity investments fueled its growth and transition into a true technology business. In a landmark event, ATG went public on the London Stock Exchange in February 2021, cementing its position as a major player in the digital auction world. Today, ATG operates a global network of marketplaces, continuing its original mission of connecting auctioneers with a worldwide bidder base.