Startup Spotlight #132: Zergo
Zergo develops nanotechnology-enabled sensors for the world’s toughest problems.
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I got the chance to speak with Noah Debrincat, co-founder and CEO of Zergo, about what he’s working on at his startup, and any advice he has for emerging entrepreneurs.
Zergo makes a urine test for helping people get pregnant. Previously known as SannTek Labs (breathalyzer for weed), they're now using their super nanotechnology sensing powers to help couples conceive. Debrincat is a nanotechnology engineer by training, but a people guy at heart. He’s passionate about visioning, team building, and partnerships. In his free time, he’s taking his number 1 pal, Buddy, for walks around the block or renovating Sprinter vans into campers.
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Startup Spotlight: Zergo
Problem: Qualitative ovulation tests are 100% ineffective for 180 million women across the world. If the user’s hormone levels are above a predetermined threshold, the test strip will show a red line, and that’s assumed to mean the user is ovulating; the fact of the matter is that for a large portion of the population, their hormones don’t fluctuate around this predetermined threshold, and the result is in fact a false positive.
Market: The total addressable market in the USA is $1B; This includes the total number of women trying to get pregnant at any given time. The serviceable available market in the USA is $600M; this includes the total number of women trying to get pregnant who already use ovulation tests, and the serviceable obtainable market in the USA is $400M; this includes the total number of women trying to get pregnant who use ovulation tests and would prefer to buy our tests over existing products.
Solution: We make quantitative ovulation tests that monitor hormone surges based on your own personal baselines. It’s an accurate, affordable, easy-to-use, 3-part system to test hormones in urine including a reusable analyzer, single-use cartridges, and a smart-phone app to read data.
Team: Our core expertise is nanotechnology, with 5 PhDs and both founders studying Nanotechnology Engineering at the University of Waterloo in Canada. Recently, we’ve recruited 3 practicing fertility MDs and a growth marketer who scaled her last company to $1M MRR.
Recent Success:
Debrincat: Cold emails. Not one week goes by where I don’t send a cold email to someone for investment, sales, marketing, or customer discovery. I used to have no idea what I was doing (I’m talking mini novella that no one ever read), but I’ve picked up some tricks in the last few years. I still think I can learn to be better, and as tech develops, it seems like people are always coming up with new tricks (no, I don’t mean clickbait subject lines).
Recent Struggle:
Debrincat: Financial modeling. I work closely with a chartered practicing accountant to help make our models. I think my struggle is underestimating the amount of detail required to make them effective. It’s not that my excel skills suck (although compared to my macro master co-founder, that’s debatable), it’s putting in writing a logical flow of assumptions to make the business case compelling to a stranger that’s the tricky part.
Founder Advice:
Debrincat: If you need to pivot your company, tell your investors BEFORE you’re 100% decided that you should do it. You definitely shouldn’t just call them and tell them that it’s decided. Investors want to feel important (and they are important!) and so letting them join you in the decision-making helps fulfill that need. You can’t bring the folks back that are 100% out, but you can convince the ones that are 50/50 by showing them authenticity and transparency. In fact, if executed properly, your behavior during the pivot will build trust.
Three Cool Founders You Should Know About:
Debrincat: Here are three founders you should check out next!
Shak Lakhani, Founder of Avro Life Science: Avro Life Science is a medical device/biopharmaceutical startup developing medicated stickers capable of delivering antihistamines and other small molecules to children.
Khaled Kteily, Founder of Legacy: Legacy is the fatherhood company building a full suite of solutions and services for future, expecting, and new fathers.
Mila Banerjee, Founder of Pronti: Pronti is a smart wardrobe assistant.
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