StartIn: Welcome on our Spotlight series! Can you please give us a quick introduction about yourself and your team, please?
Andrew: Hi, I’m Andrew and I’m the Co-Founder and COO at InxTech. I’m a student currently studying Earth and Planetary Science at Imperial, with a deep passion for exploration, especially on our own planet.
StartIn: Could you share a quick overview of your start-up? Your product, your market / target group?
Andrew: Sure, our start-up aims to provide fully carbon neutral, modular, and user-friendly autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) to the maritime sector.
StartIn: What motivated you to pursue the field of maritime data collection and specifically focus on autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)? Was there a specific moment or experience that inspired you?
Andrew: In a nutshell, it began when I first started talking to Aryan after a uni event. I always thought it was an incredibly niche topic, and I was more interested in space exploration, but the passion that Aryan showed really awoke something in me. I realised that while we should still be focusing on other planets, we have so much work to do here on Earth. Regular discussions and brainstorming sessions only expanded my desire to innovate in this sector. (Hopefully Aryan can elaborate more)
StartIn: In terms of funding and resources, what support have you been able to secure for your startup so far? Is there a plan in place for further funding or mentorship?
Andrew: This isn’t my area of expertise, but we have secured small amounts of funding through various demo days (Aryan will elaborate). We also have an extremely diverse board, many of whom have years of experience in the sectors we are targeting. Our next steps are to expand on this, continue on innovator programs, and take any opportunities we can to get our idea out there
StartIn: What is it about this field that fuels your passion? How do you see your startup making a difference in Earth and planetary science?
Andrew: I think it’s easy to get lost in the wonder of the universe as a whole, that sometimes we forget, so far, there is only one planet, amongst many, many billions, that we know for sure we can live on. That’s this one, Earth. It’s mind-boggling that we have mapped the moon and Mars to a higher resolution than our own oceans. There is so much that can be gained from the data gathered from the seafloor and ocean columns, for example detecting tectonic hazards, optimising offshore renewable energy, tracking carbon content, or maintaining critical inter-continental infrastructure, like seafloor cables and pipes.
StartIn: Finally, considering your experience as a founder, what advice or insights would you offer to other aspiring entrepreneurs in this field who may be interested in pursuing their own startups?
Andrew: It may sound cliché, but I think my biggest piece of advice is that anything is possible. I couldn’t imagine being in the position I’m in now a year ago, let alone before coming to university. Get out there, find what you’re passionate about and be passionate about it, meet as many people as possible, there is always a space where innovation is needed. You can’t lose by putting your ideas out there, it’s the best way to learn, to meet like-minded people, and improve on those ideas.
StartIn: Thank you for sharing your story!
## Share your personal LinkedIn link
## Share your company LinkedIn link
## Share your company TikTok handle: @inx.tech
## Share your company webpage: www.inxtech.org
## Are you currently hiring / looking for investors?: not hiring, looking for investors.