Working at Facible, Brent Fawson believes that the company is poised to leave a lasting impact on lives around the world by making medical diagnostic testing more accessible. We sat down with Brent and talked to him about the medical industry, his company, and capital raising in the medical field.
Q: Tell me a little more about your company. How do you impact the Medtech space and the customers you serve?
A: Facible Diagnostics is a diagnostics company that uses our revolutionary Q-LAAD technology to take hospital-grade diagnostics out of the lab and to the point of care. Legacy diagnostic technologies often require a tradeoff between speed, accuracy, and ease of use. Q-LAAD technology enables the development of faster and more accurate diagnostic tests that are easier to run, and don’t require complex machinery so they can be run outside of a hospital laboratory making hospital-grade diagnostic testing available anywhere. It’s ideal for underserved and rural areas, urgent cares, physician’s offices or even the home.
Q: What excites you most about your industry?
A: I think with the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, we have all seen the limitations with some of the legacy technology platforms. To have a revolutionary technology at the forefront of the industry is very exciting. I feel we are just scratching the surface of understanding and using medical data to improve our lives. There are companies out there, like Apple, that are beginning to use this data for research purposes. We can create richer data sets to understand and address big challenges we all face. With the COVID crisis, we have all seen not only current deficiencies in diagnostics, but also an unprecedented investment at the same time which will work to improve our lives.
Q: How do you see the LSI MedTech event having an impact on your company?
A: We are really excited to meet with like-minded people who understand the value a company like Facible can bring to the world through their partnership. We have a unique vision to offer investors and partners and love to collaborate and explore the endless possibilities of where our technology can go.
Q: Now that your company will be using Regulation A+ for your next offering, how do you see this helping your company?
A: A startup like Facible is always at risk of choosing the wrong funding pathway. Biotechnology development is expensive and it’s easy to start chasing money to keep the company going. You then run the risk of partnering with investors with different goals, objectives, and understanding of how best to use the funds provided. We feel that because our technology is so revolutionary, we want to see our vision realized and Regulation A+ is the best path toward making that happen. This also is a great way to allow people that have supported us all along to finally be able to invest in our future.
Q: Why do you think education on RegA+ places such a vital role in expanding access to capital for medical companies?
A: Right now, there are very traditional ways to raise money. It’s such a well-worn path, it’s great to have these other alternate options out there and understand them. As we started looking at Reg A+ a couple of months ago, we knew nothing about it. It’s vital that entrepreneurs understand all of their options for capital to allow their company to be as successful as possible. Along with that, Reg A+ is so new that there are not many people that really understand how it works. It’s only through talking to people like Oscar (CEO, President, KoreConX) and Doug (Senior Principle, Regulation D Resources) that we have been able to understand it.
Q: What effect do you think Reg A can have on Medtech companies in general?
A: Medtech development is expensive. For a small company who has great ambition, amazing science, but few institutional connections it can be nearly impossible to fund a company. To have access to a broader capital market allows us to sell our vision directly to investors that understand and appreciate the impact that these emerging technologies can provide.
Q: What advice would you give a young Medtech entrepreneur as they begin their journey through capital raising and building their company?
A: You must have a good plan. You need to be willing to test your ideas with the right people so that you understand what value to bring. Make sure you are surrounding yourself with people who are willing to be critical. I have seen many companies try to move without fully vetting their vision. And beyond that, really try to understand what it’s going to take to bring your product to market. It’s an expensive and challenging process so make sure you go in with your eyes wide open.
Regulation A Disclaimer
This communication may be deemed to be a solicitation of interest under Regulation A under the Securities Act of 1933, in which case the following apply:
- No money or other consideration is being solicited, and if sent in response, will not be accepted;
- No offer to buy the securities can be accepted and no part of the purchase price can be received until the offering statement is qualified, and any such offer may be withdrawn or revoked, without obligation or commitment of any kind, at any time before notice of its acceptance given after the qualification date;
- A person’s indication of interest involves no obligation or commitment of any kind; and
- An offering statement, which would include a preliminary offering circular, has not yet been filed with the SEC.