Today we’d like to introduce you to Brett Scott.
Invasive species are one of the biggest threats to a healthy biome, costing $1.4 trillion annually to the world economy. BioInvaders creates scientific laboratory research and teaching specimens by collecting invasive species in areas where they are doing harm, thus reducing populations and damage, restoring ecosystems, and conserving biodiversity.
The firm is “first to market” with both the Invasive Species Marketplace (as a market maker for hunters and users of invasive species) and the Invasive Species Laboratory Specimens. The firm successfully crowd-sources both collecting and selling of specimens and pays commission to ecologically-aware individuals working as independent contractors. With adequate capital also to employ dedicated staff, the growth trajectory would accelerate and marginal costs would fall.
BioInvaders enhance demand for the core business of laboratory specimens by providing services such as educational resources (books & videos) and contract habitat restoration. Specimens are sacrificed immediately during collection in the wild and placed into shipping containers filled with preservative solution. In this way, specimens arrive at either BioInvaders headquarters or directly at the customer ready for laboratory use.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Due to a crowded marketplace of traditional laboratory specimen providers, startup has been slow. We are distinguishing ourselves based on the sustainability of our product. Being an entrepreneur is hard because you can never predict what the customers are going to do.
Also, you don’t have a support system outside public resources that you can fall back on. It does make it rewarding when you make that big sale or meet a new customer though. As expected, some people oppose our use of live animals in the laboratory, for instance on social media sites we are forbidden from selling live animals…. so not everyone is in love with saving the ecosystem by removing invasive species.
Bioinvaders – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
We sell invasive species laboratory specimens and other products made out of bioinvaders. We’re mostly known for lizards and frogs, but we have fish and bugs too. We are most proud of having a positive impact on the environment everytime we make a sale. We are the first company to take a market-based approach to solving the invasive species crisis. By linking collectors and users of invasive species, we are taking advantage of a market mechanism that has a huge benefit for the economy and health.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success is when I make a sale and finish the operation to get the animals to the laboratory. We have to make a profit on the delivery, and we have to solve an environmental problem: specifically encroachment from an exotic plant or animal.
Pricing:
- $4.00/bullfrog
- $2.00/lizard
Contact Info:
- Address: 626 Winter Oaks Dr.
Houston, TX77079 - Website: www.bioinvaders.com
- Phone: 2816588579
- Email: service@bioinvaders.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/bioinvaders
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