CertAir | Application Preview
CertAir is applying for government grants to secure funding for several key areas as it advances its innovative cleanroom certification technology. The company requests $1.015 million for prototype development, an additional $400,000 for certification modifications and production finalization, $100,000 for inventory and facility expenses, and around $400,000 to sustain operations until revenue aligns with expenses.
The business plan highlights a promising executive summary, noting interest from the two largest global certifiers and major HEPA filter manufacturers for pilot testing and product customization. CertAir aims to capitalize on its first-mover advantage in a niche market, anticipating a strong return on investment for cleanroom certifiers over the next 5-7 years.
The market opportunity indicates a total addressable market of 6,000-8,000 certifiers, with a proposed obtainable market of 332 robots based on a modest utilization rate. CertAir is actively gaining traction, with significant interest from industry leaders for pilot tests and customizations.
The company’s unique selling point lies in fully automating and digitizing the cleanroom certification process, supported by a patent-pending technology. CertAir plans to generate demand through established relationships with pharmaceutical companies, semiconductor fabs, and filter manufacturers, focusing on the critical needs for quality, efficiency, and analytics.
The funding request is further justified by a strong executive team with extensive experience in the cleanroom sector, including the founder Andrew Wert, Chief Technical Advisor David Askey, and strategic partner Tony Caughron. With a potent combination of product innovation and strategic partnerships, CertAir boasts a substantial competitive edge, promising a significant value proposition compared to existing solutions in the market.
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General Information
Business Registration Number: 93-3047077
Location: Lutherville-Timonium, MD, United States
Length of Operation: 1-5
Number of Employees: 1-10 Employees
Annual Gross Income: Less than $100k
Annual Gross Expense: $500k to $1M
Open to Loans: YES
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Funding Usage
In addition to the 1.015M for prototype development, we need an additional 400K to certify and finalize for production (modifications from pilot, CE approval), 100K for inventory and facility expenses, and approximately 400K to cover burn until revenue catches up with expenses.
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Business Plan
Executive Summary Currently, the two largest cleanroom certifiers in the world, Integra (formerly Steris) and Technical Safety Services, are interested in pilot testing our robots and software. Additionally, two of the largest HEPA filter manufacturers are developing specifications to modify the robot for testing filters during manufacturing. Over the next 5-7 years, we plan to leverage a strong value proposition (20-100+% ROI for cleanroom certifiers) and our first-mover advantage in this niche industry. Market Opportunity Niche, Accessible Market: - Total Addressable Market (TAM): 6,000-8,000 global certifiers - Serviceable Available Market (SAM): ~20% utilization for robots - Obtainable Market: 332 robots (net of churn) Business Traction CertAir is gaining significant traction with key industry players: 1. Certifiers: The world’s two largest independent certifiers are interested in a pilot test. 2. HEPA Filter Manufacturers: Two top-10 HEPA filter manufacturers are developing specifications to customize CertAir's robot for in-process testing. First to Market Advantage Innovation: CertAir is the first company to fully automate and digitize the cleanroom certification process. Our technology is patent-pending. Demand Generation We will leverage existing relationships with industry leaders, end-users, and approximately 50 global distributors to drive demand: - Pharmaceutical Companies: Demand for quality, reproducibility, and traceability. - Semiconductor Fabs: Explosive growth, Significant time savings. - Filter Manufacturers: Cost savings and enhanced analytics. Great Team: Executive Team & Strategic Partners Andrew Wert – Founder, President - Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at CertAir. - Former executive at Air Techniques International, #1 market share leader in cleanroom certification test equipment. - Former director at Danaher and Emerson Network Power companies. - MBA, University of Glasgow. David Askey – Chief Technical Advisor - Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer at Ascend Robotics - Chief Operating Officer at Ascend Digital AI based in Cambridge, Massachusetts - Former Chief Business Development Officer, Energid (now Universal Robots) - MSc Massachusetts Institute of Technology Tony Caughron – Strategic Partner - Founder, President of TEC Services, #2 market share leader in cleanroom certification test equipment. - Former President of the Controlled Environment Testing Association (CETA). Great Product: - First mover advantage - Strong value proposition for customer (20-100+% ROI), customers' customers (reduces downtime, improves service quality), customers staff (automates physically-challenging workflow in industry rife with high-turnover).
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Self Identified Competition
Competitor Position: We have co-opted the only known competitor (covered by NDA/non-compete) and established cooperative development agreements with leading test equipment manufacturers. 4x the value proposition.
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