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hen Aaron Herrington and David Catalano launched Modea back in 2006, the company was based on the belief that applying technological solutions to common problems could disrupt large markets. Modea developed a platform that allowed Graco Children’s Products to reward customers when they included Graco’s products on third-party baby registries. It also allowed Graco to collect data on its customers. That early success won the company a lot of business, kicking off five years of praise and growth. Yet Herrington says that success also caused the company to lose its way. Rather than focus on ways Modea could provide value to clients, the company began doing whatever clients asked them to do and began drifting “outside our sphere of excellence.” So Herrington and Catalano redefined Modea’s mission and
Photo by Jim Stroup, courtersy Virginia Tech
goals, creating a team and infrastructure they believe can succeed in the future. In some ways, that process is similar to what’s happening in the region’s technology community. The Roanoke and New River valleys won’t ever be mistaken for Silicon Valley, and some in the tech community say that’s a good thing. Yet they do see growing support for tech entrepreneurs — from state and local governments, educational institutions and elsewhere — coming together to form a true entrepreneurial infrastructure. This structure will help tech startups gain a foothold and give the best of them the ability to thrive and grow. ROANOKE BUSINESS
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