Lately I’ve been doing a considerable amount of work with technology firms that are exhibiting high growth capacity. Typically they fall somewhere between start-up, pre-revenue to profitability, so their needs are continually evolving. Their growth rate is exponential, quickly outgrowing their physical space. Finding a suitable building or parcel of land is the most important piece of the puzzle, but one that is influenced by several factors, including local zoning ordinances and access to high speed data connections.
One of the exciting new projects I am working on is with Q-Bank Group, “a portfolio of companies focused on commercializing brain sciences technologies.” Q-Bank Group currently holds 50 different patents that run the gamut from taking vital signs to revolutionary advances in measuring brain activity. I sometimes like to say, “products to measure your pain and gain insight from your brain.”
- Brain: A product called Metaphor analyzes the patient’s brain activity while performing different language-related tasks. Metaphor raises exciting possibilities in the field of teaching foreign languages.
- Pain: In the event of a natural disaster where some of the injured might be unconscious, Q-Bank Group has a product for performing triage quickly and efficiently, called Objective Pain Detection.
Another exciting project I have taken up is with a start up company called Ecorithm. Ecorithm has developed smart building software that can be installed in any building that is no more than 20 years old. The reason for that is newer buildings tend to be more energy efficient.
The software works best in structures with over 300,000 square feet in floor space, and it’s capable of cutting energy usage between 15-40%. It does so by measuring airflow, temperature, what resources are being expended in real time, and adjusting accordingly.
I am helping them with potential investors, real estate customers, and helping with their national rollout strategy: how they should expand in a logical fashion. Having a professional network in the real estate, non-profit and government sectors is indispensable in large projects like these. Many times I meet with organizations that are completely unaware of potential tax incentives or other savings that are available to them for undertaking efficiency initiatives.
Preserving the past with an eye towards the future is emblematic of our eclectic approach here at New Canaan Advisors. Both of these projects ensure a better world for our kids, as well as ourselves. That’s why I love meeting with entrepreneurs, visionaries and tech leaders – sometimes all in the same person – to look at their parcel of land or “old” building and ask the owners “What do you want to do today?”
