From the Startup Battlefield to the International Space Station: geCKo Materials Made a Sticky Product

For a successful deep-tech startup, lab discovery is only the first step. To turn an innovative technology into a scalable business, a founder must navigate a complex legal process.

This week on Build Mode, Isabelle Johannessen talks to Capella Kerst, founder and CEO of geCKo materials and the second 2024 TechCrunch Startup Battlefield. Kerst was a PhD student at Stanford working on biochemical-inspired adhesives—materials modeled after the tiny hairs that allow geckos to stick to walls. She didn’t want to be a founder, but when she had a breakthrough that made it possible to produce the material quickly and reliably, she knew it was a viable product.

But translating a lab breakthrough into a startup is less about the eureka moment and more about everything that comes after.

“I got the courage to actually reach out to my advisor, like we needed to have a serious discussion about how I’m going to build this company and get it off the ground,” Capella said. And this conversation was the beginning of a long process of making geCKo materials.

Here’s a roadmap for founders rolling out a product outside of academia.

• Reach out to previous partners. Connect with all the people whose work leads to the great discovery. Kerst offered these contributors the options of becoming a member of the company, becoming a consultant, or receiving compensation.
• Make sure you meet the requirements for the licensing process. Kerst began early discussions with the Stanford Technology office about licensing, and learned to explain, she would have to complete her Ph.D. These early discussions also helped her prepare for the procedure ahead.
• Form the company and lawyer up. In this case, Stanford provided a list of attorneys for Kerst to use. “I spent time interviewing lawyers and finding case studies, what others got, what you pushed, what didn’t work, what got pushed back. And so I just learned a ton, picked my lawyer, and then we went to Stanford.” said Kerst, “I want a good deal, because I want it to be a great company and I think it will benefit everyone.”
• Full transition to founding role. Once the licensing deal is finalized, it’s time to transition from PhD to CEO.

Five years later, geCKo Materials continues to scale and develop new ways to apply its proven welding technology in applications ranging from robotics and manufacturing to automotive and even space. The company’s hardware is already in use on the International Space Station, and Kerst says the long-term vision includes replacing traditional attachment methods like Velcro or suction systems.

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Isabelle Johannessen is our host. Construction mode Produced and edited by Maggie Nye. Head of Audience Development is Morgan Little. And a special thanks to the Foundry and Cheddar video teams.