Viridiana Perez is the CEO of NANOSentinel in Burnaby, BC. NANOSentinel is a B2B company that is bringing metal monitoring to clean tech manufacturers. 

The 2023 OKGN Angel Summit began on January 10 with a group of over 45+ applicants hoping to take home the $225k investment fund. Over the past 2 months, this year’s angel investors have narrowed it down to the final 6 companies. These courageous founders have demonstrated their commitment to learning the capital raising process, and building valuable connections along the way. With the culmination of their hard work on the horizon, we caught up with each of the finalists to learn more about their backgrounds, their businesses, and the ambitious goals they hope to achieve if they receive the investment. 

What prompted you to start your company?

During my time in academia, I realized I wanted my work to have a positive impact well beyond producing a research paper. Building instruments and measuring things has always been my passion, and when I struggled to find a company that was looking for a better way to measure metals, I decided to start my own. The goal has always been to use our knowledge for the betterment of humanity and to create a workplace that celebrates creativity and diversity in a fun environment. 

What makes you and your team the best ones to build this business?

Our team is passionate about turning complex scientific processes into quick and user-friendly solutions. Our deep understanding of the technical challenges associated with measuring metals, and the variety of applications our technology can impact is part of our competitive advantage. We pride ourselves on making our knowledge useful for those helping the world transition to clean energy. 

Why should investors be interested in your company?

Almost everything we use involves metals at some point during the manufacturing process. Although we don’t hear about it every day, measuring metals promptly and accurately keeps us all safe from harm. An investment into our company would help bring metal testing to the point of use so we can keep metal away from everyday items like chocolate, children’s toys, and our food and water. 

What has this experience taught you about the entrepreneurial journey?

It’s been challenging to shift from easily measurable outcomes as a scientist, to long term progress and growth as an entrepreneur. On a day-to-day basis, it can be hard to see progress, but it has been very rewarding to look back and see an idea blossom into a growing company. The road ahead of us will undoubtedly have challenges and surprises. In true entrepreneurial fashion, we are excited to stay the course and adapt to overcome these obstacles. 

What is one key learning you are taking away from the Summit experience?

Effective communication is key! You can have the most amazing product in the world, or the best most profitable business model, but if you can’t effectively communicate the impact of your work, nobody will benefit from it. This can be challenging, especially if you are an expert in your field. It’s important to take a step back and become more comfortable sharing your knowledge and communicating ideas in more than one way.

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