In this interview, Quentin, NobleReach Scholar and data scientist at the FDA, sits down with his mentor Mike, a senior commercialization advisor and venture capitalist with decades of experience in the healthcare startup sector. Quentin took this opportunity to learn more about Mike's extensive career journey, gathering wisdom that might help others navigating mission-driven careers.
In this interview, Quentin, NobleReach Scholar and data scientist at FDA, sits down with his mentor, Mike, a senior commercialization advisor and venture capitalist with decades of experience in the healthcare startup sector. Quentin took this opportunity to learn more about Mike’s extensive career journey, gathering wisdom that might help others navigate mission-driven careers.
Career Background
Quentin: Hi Mike, let’s set the stage because you’ve had a pretty amazing career in healthcare and innovation. Can you walk us through the highlights?
Mike: I’ve been a venture capitalist at the Inova Health System in Northern Virginia, managing a $150 million fund. We made two dozen investments from pre-seed through Series C level. But most of my career has been as a multi-time CEO for 25 years. I’ve led everything from university spinouts to internationally publicly traded companies, with three successful exits and over $125 million raised. I’ve commercialized companies from zero to $20-30 million multiple times, gaining extensive experience with FDA, Medicare, and reimbursement challenges. Before that, I worked with Big Pharma (Merck and Glaxo), and my degree is in microbiology.
Mission-Driven Work
Quentin: How did you find your way into mission-driven work?
Mike: I’ve been in mission-driven work from day one. Healthcare is inherently mission-driven – you’re trying to reduce suffering, eliminate disease, improve quality of life. You’re making life more meaningful, enjoyable, and saving lives. There’s money to be made creating disappearing apps for teenagers, but healthcare has global impact on the human race, potentially forever, because everyone builds on the discoveries made today.
Career Advice for Students
Quentin: How would you approach getting into this field if you were starting over today?
Mike: I started with Big Pharma right out of college, which taught me structure and discipline, but also showed me what I didn’t like about large organizations. I wanted to get into startups sooner. For those looking to enter entrepreneurship, understand that without experience in large organizations, you may have a blind spot about what scale and structure look like. Actively seek council and education to fill that gap.
If you’re in a large organization but yearn for more or feel smothered by bureaucracy, understand that startups are exhilarating but challenging in different ways. Ensure you have an insatiable appetite for learning, because you’ll need it.
Mentorship
Quentin: Can you share moments where you benefited from mentorship?
Mike: Unfortunately, I wasn’t fortunate enough to have a mentor until my first CEO job at 39, when my chairman became my first professional mentor. Before that, my wife became my coach – I’d bounce ideas off her to see if they passed a sniff test.
Learning from Mistakes
Quentin: Were there mistakes you made early in your career that taught you important lessons?
Mike: In startups when I was young, I was chasing shiny objects, trying to make an impact and build companies. But I lacked good oversight or strategic mentoring to help me step back and get a better 360-degree view. I often got lost in the weeds, focusing tactically on execution without taking a breath to ensure we were going in the right direction. I needed to better measure accomplishments and failures in real time to pivot more quickly. These were newbie mistakes, and without resources to check my thinking, it was trial and error.
What Makes Technologies Successful
Quentin: What separates technologies that make real-world impact from those that don’t?
Mike: Interestingly, it’s not about the science, technology, or innovation – it’s about the people. Great people do great things and can turn mediocre inventions into amazing, life-changing solutions. There’s so much great science and technology out there, but most rot on shelves because there’s not enough talent and teams to make them reality. In healthcare, it’s a Herculean task to get even incremental innovations to market. Until you get a team bought into a singular vision and mission, nothing’s real. Innovations are like ideas – they’re a dime a dozen. The game-changer is talent.
Finding Great Teams
Quentin: How would you find these teams and talent as a student today?
Mike: Become adept at understanding people and talent. Improve your EQ and understand how people act in team environments, under stress, and when facing adversity. Focus on behavioral questions in interviews. Understand yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, but also try to understand what makes potential teammates tick. When a team gels, amazing things happen. With today’s tools – social media, internet, AI – you can learn faster and get up to speed in a fraction of the time it took people like me.
Advice as a Mentor
Quentin: Is there advice you always give to those you mentor?
Mike: It varies case by case, but there are common themes. For those entering startups, understand the grit and resilience required. Work-life balance doesn’t really exist in startups, but you can effect change on a global scale. In healthcare specifically, I explain to teams that you have to wake up every day committed to excellence. Someone on this planet is waiting for your innovation to save their life or improve quality of life. Feel that urgency and greater calling, and rise above the adversity of the day, week, month, and year.
What Success Feels Like
Quentin: What does it feel like when you succeed and bring that potentially global impact?
Mike: Most people who succeed at saving and changing lives remain unknown – they live and die with only loved ones, friends, and coworkers knowing their impact. There are so many unsung heroes in healthcare making daily differences. It feels great to know you’ve made an impact, even if you’re in the shadows. As a venture capitalist, I see people who made fortunes in tech ultimately turning to healthcare, seeking meaningful impact beyond software that made them wealthy. Healthcare is incredibly complex and challenging, sometimes soul-crushing, but the satisfaction is profound.
What Makes Someone Worth Mentoring
Quentin: What qualities make you think someone is worth investing in as a mentor?
Mike: Stay humble and modest – it enables better clarity in accepting counsel. Be coachable. Absorb advice, understand it, and apply critical thinking. Show grit and resilience – don’t give up when things get tough. Hard work matters; we pick hard work and grit over traditional intelligence in startups. Have an insatiable desire for learning – you never stop learning, and the pace of change accelerates daily. Finally, be well-rounded. Don’t just focus on your field – understand other things, whether it’s ancient Roman history, food science, or philosophy. Being well-read makes you interesting and improves pattern recognition, helping you connect dots across disparate situations.
Final Thoughts
Mike: Seek counsel and mentors if you can. Many people want to pay it forward as life becomes more complex and change accelerates. Read widely, listen to diverse opinions, and don’t be close-minded. Also, seek out ground truth—with AI hallucinating and other challenges, it’s becoming harder to find your North Star and understand what’s actually true.
At NobleReach, we believe that securing our nation’s future depends on the strength of our talent and our ability to push the boundaries on innovation. Since launching the NobleReach Scholars Program in 2024, we’ve seen firsthand how emerging technologists—driven by purpose and equipped with cutting-edge skills—can make an immediate impact in federal agencies. Today, I’m proud to share that we are taking a bold next step: expanding the program to include placements in state and local governments across the country.
This expansion reflects our belief that innovation and service shouldn’t be confined to the federal level. Our Scholars have already been instrumental in shaping initiatives in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and business process innovation. Future scholars can now go where policy meets practice where communities are shaped, where public services are delivered, and where the most pressing challenges are often felt most acutely.
Meeting Urgent Needs Across America
State and local governments are the frontlines of public service. These institutions are responsible for the infrastructure we rely on, the health systems we depend on, and the economic development efforts that lift up entire regions. Yet many of these agencies face constraints in both resources and access to technical expertise. By embedding Scholars in these environments, we are answering that need—introducing fresh energy, critical skills, and entrepreneurial thinking into places that will benefit from these partnerships.
Our Scholars will continue to experience the strong foundation that defines this program. They will participate in our immersive two-week professional development bootcamp in Washington, D.C., before beginning their placements across the country. They will join a mission-aligned cohort that supports and challenges one another throughout the fellowship. And they will be matched with mentors who help guide them as they navigate the complexities of public service
Our Unchanging Mission
While the scope of the program is expanding, our purpose remains the same: to help emerging leaders find meaningful, impactful pathways to serve. For recent graduates in technical fields, this new opportunity offers a chance to work on real problems, in real communities, with real stakes. It also offers something rare—an up-close look at how decisions get made and policies get implemented outside the halls of Washington.
We are currently finalizing placements for our next cohort of Scholars, and we welcome interest from state and local officials eager to host this exceptional talent.
The Road Ahead
I couldn’t be more excited about what’s next. By expanding to all levels of government, we’re not just scaling—we’re deepening our impact. We’re building a nationwide network of changemakers committed to innovation, service, and the communities they represent. For recent graduates in technical fields, this is an opportunity to work on problems that matter in communities where the stakes are real and the impact is visible. We are currently finalizing placements for the next cohort of NobleReach Scholars and welcome interest from state and local leaders who are ready to bring this capacity into their institutions.
State and local agencies interested in hosting a Scholar can visit our website to learn more and connect with us.
During the MBX Conference, which included our Case Competition, former Commerce Department Senior Advisor and NobleReach Chief Innovation Officer Sree Ramaswamy shared critical insights on America’s industrial policy challenges and the urgent need for business expertise in government. Drawing from his experience helping shape and implement the CHIPS Act, he explains why even trillion-dollar companies struggle to address supply chain vulnerabilities, how government incentives transformed semiconductor investments from $20 billion to $75+ billion, and why MBAs possess the exact financial modeling and strategic skills needed to bridge the dangerous gap between Wall Street and Washington. For business students and professionals seeking impact, this candid talk offers a rare insider perspective on how corporate finance knowledge can strengthen national security and economic competitiveness.
I wasn’t ready to just assign myself to maintain existing systems. I wanted to help innovate and lead the next generation of materials and manufacturing.
Tyse Hipps, one of this year’s NobleReach Scholars, is currently serving in a yearlong role as a Materials Engineering Specialist at Ozark.
We caught up with him recently to discuss his experience in public service, and his advice for anyone considering applying for the program.
The opportunity to work and serve drew me to the NobleReach scholarship program. My journey in engineering began with two formative internships at Fortune 500 companies before completing my materials science and engineering degree. While these experiences helped shape my career aspirations, my first post-graduation role revealed a gap between my ambitions and reality. I found myself primarily focusing on legacy products – important work, but not the innovative engineering I had envisioned.
My drive to create and innovate stems from two major influences: my family’s entrepreneurial background in construction and restaurants, where we approach each project or recipe by envisioning the final product while working methodically from the foundation up. Also, my time at ASU, where the culture of innovation, though sometimes joked about as a student, became deeply ingrained in my professional mindset.
Choosing to study engineering, at least for me, was a hard, upward battle. I wasn’t ready to just assign myself to maintain existing systems. I wanted to help innovate and lead the next generation of materials and manufacturing. That is why I applied.
Success in a competitive interview pool comes from thorough preparation and authentic presentation. Here are my key strategies for standing out:
First, master the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method. This structured approach ensures your responses clearly demonstrate your capabilities through concrete examples. Take your most significant experiences and practice articulating them using this framework.
Create a comprehensive practice routine. I’ve developed a personal question bank from my previous interviews, which has proven invaluable.
For those new to interviewing, start by researching industry-specific questions from reputable sources like professional organizations or career development websites. While AI tools like ChatGPT can supplement your preparation, they should complement, not replace, traditional research.
Practice with purpose. Schedule mock interviews with mentors, friends, or family members who can provide constructive feedback. Record yourself to analyze your communication style, body language, and areas for improvement. Review your most current resume thoroughly, ensuring you can speak confidently about every detail and connect your experiences to NobleReach’s mission.
Research is crucial. Study NobleReach’s values, current scholars’ work, placements, and recent initiatives. This knowledge helps you ask thoughtful questions and demonstrate genuine interest in the program.
Finally, prepare your physical and digital interview space. Whether virtual or in-person, professional presentation matters. Test your technology/connection in advance for interviews or plan your attire and travel time for in-person meetings.
Remember, the goal isn’t just to rehearse answers, but to build confidence in articulating your unique value proposition to the NobleReach community.
On their first day, next year’s Scholars can expect a blend of excitement and nerves along with warm welcomes. The morning will likely begin with typical first-day jitters – I remember my own nervous anticipation melting away during my commute on the subway, which reminded me of happy memories living abroad.
Don’t hesitate to connect with others around you as you commute to the building. On my way to the building I ran into another scholar, Elijah. It was awesome meeting someone just by chance, I noticed someone dressed up and on a mission like me. We did end up getting a little lost trying to find the building but eventually we found it and were still early! 😊
Professionally, Scholars can expect a structured orientation that introduces them to the program’s expectations, team members, and resources. And a cohort team building activity to encourage the new cohort to bond. I remember the team building activity to be important to Arun, he seemed to be stressing, he really wanted us to form connections that can last a lifetime. I know it’s a bit early to know for sure but I believe Arun’s lifelong connections goal is a success.
I would also say soak it up and enjoy the moment despite the nerves you were chosen for a reason. You belong!
I’ve learned that regardless of an organization’s size, similar challenges arise because every job involves working with people. This has taught me the importance of extending grace to both myself and my coworkers, fostering a more understanding and collaborative work environment.
Technological innovation is most impactful when it is grounded in deep consideration of the human experience
Caroline Gish, one of this year’s NobleReach Scholars, is currently serving in a yearlong role as a Project Analyst at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
We caught up with her recently to discuss her experience in public service and her advice for anyone considering applying for the program.
Applying for the inaugural cohort of NobleReach Scholars was a bit of an exercise in trust. Still although I had limited information about the program, I could tell from the board and team bios, as well as the language on the website, that NobleReach was committed to bringing together a community of individuals with a shared mission to solve complex problems for the greater good of all people, not just for profit. I believe technological innovation is most impactful when it is grounded in deep consideration of the human experience, particularly when addressing the challenges unique to government. As a computational linguist, I was eager to apply my technical and human-centered skillset in innovative ways for the public good. Being a NobleReach Scholar has given me the opportunity to collaborate with like-minded, mission-driven individuals and contribute to projects that will create meaningful impact.
When prepping for your interview, I would recommend spending some time reflecting on your academic and/or professional journey so far and the decisions that have shaped it. Why did you choose your particular field of study? What motivated you to take that specific class or select that project topic? How have you been of service in your previous internships, school classes, or jobs? What are some challenges that you are excited to work on in the future? The initial NobleReach interview is your opportunity to go beyond your resume and showcase the passions and values that drive you as a person and a future leader.
While your on-paper degrees and achievements are obviously important, and commendable, aspects of your application, the purpose of the NobleReach interviews is really to learn more about you as a person. Be your authentic self when responding to questions in the interview. The interviewers aren’t looking for coined responses that sound good; they’re looking for the spark of an innovative spirit, a desire to make an impact, and a willingness to serve no matter the challenges that arise.
Lots of learning! The first day, and the first week more broadly, of the bootcamp is set up as a series of introductions. You will be introduced to key members of the NobleReach team and learn about their varied (and super interesting) journeys into technology-focused public service, you will be introduced to your cohort of amazing, driven scholars and hear about their reasons for wanting to join the program, and you will learn about what it means to work for the public good both inside and outside of government.
Though you’ll most likely be a bit exhausted from the rush of the first day, you’ll get to come back the next day to a welcoming space and learn more from people who have undertaken impactful work while building up your skillset for your own successful future in mission-driven work.
The biggest thing I have learned so far is that the skillset you come in with can be utilized in many different ways. The federal government has its own set of unique challenges that you won’t encounter anywhere else, and this requires creative applications of skills. In your role, you will inevitably be asked to take on tasks that lie outside of what you (think you) have the training for, but if you stay organized and passionate, you can tackle the challenges (and be excited to do so). You’ll ultimately come out of the experience with a much greater scope of ability. And no matter your academic background or specific skillset, if you keep service at the heart of your work and stay oriented toward the human, you will excel and be a successful asset to any federal agency or mission-driven, private sector organization.
I didn’t imagine I would have anywhere near the impact that I have already had with my placement.
Caitlin Casey, one of this year’s NobleReach Scholars, is currently serving in a yearlong role as a TSO Project Manager at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
We caught up with her recently to discuss her experience in the first two months of public service and her advice for anyone considering applying for the program.
Applications for the 2025 NobleReach Scholars cohort are open now.
First, show up every day with an open mind. it’s good to have one because there’s no other way to figure anything out. Joining the federal government is joining a large school of fish in a massive ocean of other schools of fish. The scale, scope, and legacy of the places you’ll work at are part of why your service matters and why you’ll take so much from this experience, but it means you’re joining a large pre-existing orchestra. You’ll get spun around if you don’t learn from your fellow fish and enter following the stream. When in Rome do as the Romans do, when working in federal government watch and learn with an open mind.
Next, the learning curve and timelines are long. After the first couple of weeks at my placement I came to the startling realization that my year-long placement would not nearly be enough time to become a deeply knowledgeable veteran employee. There will be big projects and initiatives and I will move on from my placement long before they reach their “end.” Some of our NobleReach speakers described working in the public sector like a relay. You run with the baton until it’s your time to pass it on, and you’re likely never going to be running the anchor leg.
Finally, you are appreciated. I didn’t imagine I would have anywhere near the impact that I have already had with my placement. That’s not to say that I’ve reinvented some wheel, but that there’s so much work to do! During the NobleReach bootcamp, one of my fellow Scholars described public service as “finding a gap to stand in,” and the first couple weeks of my placement have enforced this definition. So many people wake up every day and stand in gaps for me, I appreciate them more consciously now.
I have been most surprised and impressed by the immense talent and drive I’ve found in the projects and people at my placement. Despite applying for and being excited for the fellowship, I still entered my placement with a lot of negative preconceived notions about why the public sector struggled to produce results and successes. Now I can say without a doubt it is not for lack of incredible talent, effort, and vision.
My decision to apply to a NobleReach Scholar was a very easy choice once I found the program. While applying to jobs, I was really frustrated at having both too many and too few options. I wanted something like a rotational program, but with a cohort. I wanted to expand on the skills I learned in my master’s program, but I wanted work that helped other people. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, and I wanted to learn a lot. NobleReach solved for all of this. If you’re reading this, you’re way ahead of where I was, and good for you.
The agency or firm you work at does not have to be “themed” around the work you want to do for you to be able to get good experience in your desired field or practice. In fact, most agencies that aren’t “themed” after your specific topic might need your expertise even more. The great thing about working in the public sector is that these skills can go anywhere, and cool work is being done everywhere. Even better than cool, the work you do this year will help make the lives of those around you better. It’s a win-win if you have an open mind.
I sort of cheated by majoring in public policy in undergrad, so I was more prepared than I needed to be to start well. The experience and education I’ve drawn on most in my first month of federal government work has been all my various athletic teams. The classes, papers, research, and internships I have experienced have helped me, but nothing has prepared me as well as all the first days and times I was incredibly confused entering new group environments. Everyone at my placement expected to have to teach me what various acronyms and file paths meant, but I needed to show up prepared to ask.
The NobleReach Scholars Program transforms ambitious, mission-driven individuals into future leaders in tech, science, and entrepreneurship. This program is both a pathway into public service as well as a platform to solve the most pressing challenges of our time.
Life-threatening respiratory infections including influenza, COVID-19 and RSV are incredibly difficult to treat, especially in regions without top-tier healthcare infrastructure. Dr. Phil Santangelo, a researcher at Georgia Tech, realized that if patients could inhale their meds rather than swallowing a pill or getting a shot, millions of people might benefit.
Santangelo set out to develop a way to get mRNA treatments, like the ones used in COVID-19 vaccines, into patient’s airways. Thanks to support from DARPA, his work led to a new class of polymer nanoparticles that can deliver mRNA into patients’ lungs with incredible accuracy.
Santangelo founded Tether Therapeutics to turn that research into commercial technology that pharmaceutical companies can use to treat infectious diseases.
To make that vision complete, he’d need a lot of support—and money. But venture capitalists typically view product development in ways that differ dramatically from academic scientists. And despite the recent COVID-19 pandemic, most investors think it’s too hard to make money with infectious disease treatments.
In its role supporting DARPA’s Embedded Entrepreneurship Initiative, NobleReach recruited Michael Chang, a former investment banker and venture capitalist with experience working for the Gates Foundation. Given his deep knowledge of the biotech industry and previous connection to Dr. Santangelo’s, Chang was a great pick to guide Tether through the commercialization process as an embedded entrepreneur.
In addition to the necessary business development and market expertise, Chang possessed a clear understanding of the important role that embedded entrepreneurs play in bridging the gaps between the academic and venture capital communities.
“There’s always this kind of dance of evaluating the data that’s been generated to date,” Chang said, “and determining how to best package that data to sell it to investors, while also trying to push the scientists to generate additional data that they might not have thought to.” In Tether’s case, platform-level data—which showed how Tether’s technology could be used for a number of different applications and treatment scenarios—piqued investor interest.
Chang also played a fundamental role in developing Tether’s commercial rationale, interviewing physicians for feedback about the company’s product and doing extensive market research. He guided the company through months of feedback, facilitating conversations with a diverse set of investors to understand each group’s priorities. Ultimately, Chang and Dr. Santangelo developed a use case that resonated with investors, and Tether went on to raise $5 million in seed funding.
“DARPA had put almost $40 million into the lab to develop this technology,” Chang said. “I was really happy that, at the end of the day, we were able to turn all those years of support… into an enterprise that’s going to move forward—it was a huge win.”
Michael is now CEO of Tether Therapeutics, which continues to research and develop new applications for its gene therapy technology, with the intention of bringing products to the general U.S. healthcare market.
Mesodyne’s LightCell power generator is a revolutionary battery technology that uses light to convert any fuel to electricity. LightCell produces no smoke, smell, or sound. LightCell’s way of using electromagnetic radiation to transmit energy can be used in turbine engines and is significantly more efficient than traditional thermophotovoltaic energy conversion systems.
Mesodyne was a performer in DARPA’s Thermal Engineering using Materials Physics (TEMP) program, which aims to create ways to control the direction of radiative transfer while withstanding corrosive and high-temperature environments. Mesodyne’s LightCell is a portable solution designed for defense use cases, where it can be carried by soldiers as a drone charging system that extends flight time by over 10x. Mesodyne’s innovative product is also 75% lighter than existing battery solutions, making it a viable option for consumer applications, as well.
The challenge for Mesodyne was how to bring this groundbreaking technology to market. Mesodyne was pre-revenue and had not yet raised capital.
Mesodyne brought in Nikhil Jain and Bill Drislane, a pair with decades of experience in product development and operations. They worked closely with the company to assess potential customer groups, create a go-to-market strategy, and develop commercialization and marketing plans.
Thanks to the support of NobleReach Emerge, Mesodyne raised $1.75 million in private equity funding and established a new production facility in Somerville, MA. The company is now poised to become a major player in the next-generation battery space. The success of Mesodyne serves as a prime example of how the right support and resources can help companies bring innovative solutions to market.
LightDeck Diagnostics, a biotechnology research company, received multiple Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants to develop its planar waveguide technology for immunoassay testing. The company’s device is portable, uses disposable test cartridges, and can provide rapid, highly sensitive diagnostics outside of laboratory settings.
During the pandemic, LightDeck Diagnostic leveraged government funds to develop a fast and effective COVID-19 test. LightDeck’s technology can also be used to assess cardiac markers in less than 15 minutes for patients with chest pain, provide full hormonal panels, examine biomarkers for sepsis and immune reactions, test for toxins in water, and provide various veterinary diagnostics.
Though LightDeck Diagnostics’ founding team was technically talented, they had limited expertise in medical commercialization or the FDA approval process.
LightDeck Diagnostics sought assistance in navigating federal regulatory processes and developing a go-to-market strategy.
Carrie Mulherin, a field-proven entrepreneur in medical startups who navigated the merger between MBio and Brava Diagnostics that formed LightDeck Diagnostics, lent her expertise. As an embedded entrepreneur, Mulherin:
Following the commercialization strategy laid out by Mulherin, LightDeck Diagnostics was able to secure $11 million in Series B funding with US investors and was awarded a $5.6 million BARDA contract in 2021. Additionally, the company was awarded a $35.1 million DoD contract to build a manufacturing facility in Colorado, significantly increasing its production capacity for COVID-19 point-of-care tests.
LightDeck Diagnostics was acquired for $38.7 million and continues to innovate and expand its reach in the biotech industry. Today, the company’s technology is used to assess cardiac markers, hormonal panels, biomarkers for sepsis and immune reactions, toxins in water, and various veterinary diagnostics.
Inkbit is an additive manufacturing company spun out of MIT that specializes in using machine vision for industrial applications. The company received a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant to expand the capabilities of modern additive manufacturing technologies, especially with regard to manipulating high-temperature and abrasive chemicals, and to do so in a way that could be scaled sustainably.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Inkbit received an additional award from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to produce 3D-printed vaccine vial stoppers and trachea/airway models to be used in training medical personnel. The challenge then became how to ramp up production quickly to meet the urgent needs of the pandemic response.
Inkbit brought on Matthew Munderville, a seasoned entrepreneur with expertise in strategy, commercialization, and business development for additive manufacturing businesses. Munderville identified first market penetration and:
Identified the most promising applications for Inkbit’s technology
Defined the business case and ROI for customers
Ran in-depth competitive and techno-economic market analyses to validate the commercial viability of Inkbit’s product
Conducted user interviews to gather feedback and shape product development
From there, Munderville helped to create a pipeline of prospective customers, culminating in a successful funding round where Inkbit raised $44.8 million in venture capital. This allowed Inkbit to increase the size of its factory five times over and hire 50 people. Additionally, Inkbit received a new SBIR to deliver its 3D printers to the Air Force in 2023 for on-site parts manufacturing.
ColdQuanta, a quantum technology company and Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awardee, received multiple grants by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop its pioneering cold quantum technology.
ColdQuanta created a cold atom system in which atoms are cooled to near absolute zero. Because the atoms are hardly moving at these ultra-cold conditions, lasers can arrange the atoms, perform computations, and record the results—harnessing the atoms’ quantum properties for computing, time, and sensing applications.
ColdQuanta’s system can then be integrated into technologies that operate under normal environmental conditions without the need for refrigeration.
While the company’s quantum technology was set to revolutionize computing and sensing applications, ColdQuanta found itself facing the challenge of how to commercialize this technology successfully for applications such as GPS, radar, sensing technologies, and more.
ColdQuanta partnered with aerospace executive Karl Pendergast, who is renowned for his track record in determining new technology’s dual-use applications for different markets, to identify commercial and defense implementations of the company’s atomic clock.
Pendergast’s security clearances and professional relationships in the time and frequency industries also made him an ideal partner for a business with potential defense applications; ColdQuanta ultimately secured $110 million in Series B funding.
ColdQuanta now focuses on commercialization areas that require very precise timekeeping and navigation, including GPS, radar, navigational positioning, finance, and satellite uses.