Episode 44, “Stealth Mode: Locked,” introduced us to Ian Sanders, CEO of an up-and-coming stealth company. As part of a follow-up series on Ian’s growth, I met with him 6 months later to see what was going on.
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July 21, 2022•
3 minutes of reading
High Tech on the Low, presented by Jordan Kastrinsky, is on a mission to make high technology accessible to the world. In my podcast, I explore the many different facets of the high-tech world, from development to marketing to sales to entrepreneurship and more. As society increasingly turns to technological solutions to make processes more efficient and safer, it is important, now more than ever, that we bring together the collective resources of the high-tech sector under one roof to reap the benefits of this knowledge sharing. There are so many opportunities to grow within the industry that we must provide the tools through which to do so. So what do we discover this week?
When Ian and I first spoke, the topic of discussion was basically how to run a startup in stealth mode and how that helped you in your development process. We talked extensively about the need to be able to protect original ideas and products while also being open with the right people. As we learned, a careful balance between understanding the competition, the market, and potential followers is needed to decide if stealth is right for your startup, and for Ian it was.
As part of a series of follow-up interviews to understand the entrepreneurial journey, I caught up with Ian to see how his startup has evolved over the past six months. So, has he left stealth mode? The answer: kind of.
“We are Blue Cape and now we are saying our name and telling people what we are doing, we are in but being careful who and what. We are in half stealth mode. Still, we have validated our technology and made significant progress in our field,” adds Ian. Blue Cape deals with issues of epidemiology and endemic respiratory diseases. Using unique prediction models, their goal is to provide the data needed for people to understand how these diseases interact with and react to human population centers.
Unsurprisingly, one of Ian’s main goals is trying to find traction in the market with potential partners and customers who will actually use the solution. At the end of the day, Ian understands that he must create a business solution, even if what he has may be a tool to use, in a sense, for the greater good. It must make money, and investors interested in it are waiting for it. Ian shares with us that Blue Cape has multiple partners and traction cases, “and unlike most deep tech companies that may have revenue only 5 or 10 years from now, Blue Cape’s use cases have them set up to earn money in the next 3 to 4 years.”
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With the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, not to mention other respiratory problems like influenza and avian flu affecting our societies, I think Ian is right. You have answered a need, at a critical time, and you have a solution that could change the way we treat disease. See the article : Three Square Food Bank is fighting inflation but continues to serve those in need. As Ian puts it, “Very few people have any idea where this could go, and we’re looking at future trend lines and we’re seeing in the near future this market will be bigger and our expansion as a company will grow.” Like the personal computer, who knows what the market holds for disease prediction?
So how does Ian support Blue Cape if he’s not completely out of stealth mode? First, Ian adds that you shouldn’t just expect money from investors. “They don’t want to just give you money, and you have to understand that.” But what Ian is looking for are strategic partners and investors who can add value to him and his company.
