Deepspace Applications’ Founder Jake Butt’s background has more to do with microscopes than telescopes, but he makes clients the “stars” in their own story, setting a trajectory to the farthest reaches of their potential. His company develops cross-platform custom software for precise control of essential procedures, for everything from managing invoices and project estimating to employee scheduling and task management, even system integrations and cybersecurity best practices.
“To me, ‘Deepspace’ signifies the forward-thinking spirit that entrepreneurs have, really pushing the boundaries of how far a business can go,” explains Jake, an admitted Sci-Fi fan. “We help clients stay nimble by streamlining their internal management processes. Because they have these tools in place, they are free to focus on the substance of their business.”
The Launch
Jake’s passion for working with entrepreneurs stems from beginning his career at Tox Path Specialists, the highly focused startup founded by his father. The company’s niche was in neuropathology, or analyzing how drugs affect the nervous system components, like the brain and spinal cord. “Dad was the lead scientist and I was the operations guy,” says Jake, who studied business management. He is also a Certified HIPAA Privacy and Security Expert (CHPSE) and is well familiar with FDA requirements.
When the family business was acquired, Jake put his unique business perspective to work for other rising research industry players. He managed teams, shepherded scientific projects and designed software systems, spending nearly a decade with a preclinical biotechnology CRO before deciding to launch Deepspace Applications, LLC, in September 2020.
Whereas big companies have budgets to match their relatively astronomical size, Deepspace Applications facilitates healthy, scalable growth in small to medium-sized firms.
Jake’s extensive experience designing validated computer systems in a GLP environment inspired one current project, aimed at capturing pathologists’ data. The goal, says Jake, is to modernize that aspect of the industry, freeing users from antiquated software with limited capabilities and cumbersome interface. “The most commonly employed systems are very archaic. They’re hard to use and have poor data analysis tools. It basically amounts to just printing out a PDF.”
While FDA regulations protect public interests by requiring proof of accuracy, there is always room for improvement in an industry that embraces innovation as its very foundation. Jake sees the greatest opportunity for advancement in updating documentation and validation systems.
“If you’re producing any kind of actual raw data from a computer system it has to be authenticated, but technology changes quickly. Something just a couple years old can be drastically outdated…That old, unwieldy validation process from decades ago, for a lot of people, it actually hinders innovation. That’s what we are addressing now. Enabling innovation is the crux of this business… The goal is to transform those processes to suit modern sensibilities, from user experience and interface to data analysis and everything in between.”
Deepspace’s custom solutions also support employers as they grapple with the shifting winds of a post-pandemic workplace. “There is a need for people to be able to work remotely and it’s not going away,” confirms Jake. “We help streamline clients’ capabilities so team members can access the information they need not just on desktop computers, but on mobile devices as well. That’s crucial if they are traveling or in some alternative work setting, rather than sitting in a centralized office.”
The Landing
Jake joined FITCI because of its unique environment as a technology and life science incubator. “It is a perfect fit with my experience and technical skill set,” says Jake, because it combines an independent, entrepreneurial vibe with a strong support system. “Even with my business background, it’s a totally new experience to have to figure out how to market and grow my own company, to go out and find clients.”
FITCI’s wide-ranging contacts and qualified mentors are distinct benefits, including classes such as the Startup-U Business Model series or sessions on marketing and messaging. “It’s energizing to be around like-minded people who have the entrepreneurial spirit, that drive. They are willing to make an effort, to do something different, and to do it on their own. I appreciate working with people who are the idea generators.”
For now, Deepspace Applications is still in its early stages and Jake is looking toward the horizon. “I’m well-positioned and I’m in the right place to help other small to medium-sized companies really make a difference in this space.”
