Small Business Showcase: iCleanse
Each month, we profile a Connecticut small business, showcasing the ingenuity and innovation driving the state’s economy. For May, we spoke with iCleanse, based in Avon.
When was your company founded?
2014 (as ReadyDock)
How many employees work for your company?
11
Who are your customers?
Prior to the pandemic our customer base was hospitals across the country, but with the awareness and the need for disinfection due to the pandemic, our markets have expanded exponentially.
Currently, that client base includes corporate America, retail locations, restaurants, hospitals, salons, sport venues, airports and any number of other businesses in between.
The country and the world, for that matter, now sees the importance of disinfecting your phone and washing your hands as part of a daily routine.
What makes your company unique?
The uniqueness of our company lies in the fact that we were born as a disinfection company and have morphed into a digital out of home media company combined with disinfection.
This uniquely positions us to provide a relevant service that is revolutionary and provides a recurring revenue stream to our customers.
What is a fun fact about your business or its history?
The company was originally called ReadyDock, and initially provided docking stations for recharging tablets in various doctor’s offices.
They started in the disinfection space in late 2014, well before COVID or any pandemic.
In 2020, our CEO Chris Allen, who was an investor in ReadyDock and the former CEO and founder of iDevices, decided to acquire the business with a group of investors and transform the company into iCleanse, yet another “i” company!
Why did you choose Connecticut?
ReadyDock was founded in Connecticut and Chris Allen has deep roots in Connect, having lived here for the last 45 years as a West Hartford native. Chris believes in Connecticut, its workforce, and the beauty of being able to be to NYC or Boston in under two hours.
In addition, he feels it’s one of the best places to work, live, and raise a family.
What is the greatest advantage to operating in Connecticut?
Besides the strategic location, being in the middle of NYC and Boston, we have a tremendously talented workforce. Chris believes in building great teams, teams that allow his companies to grow and flourish.
The only way to do that is with great people, and that is one of the best assets the state of Connecticut has to offer.
How do you try to give back to your community?
Chris is very philanthropic in the community, and while iCleanse is still an early-stage company, he still finds ways to help others.
An example is this, is the generous donation of 10 Swift UVs to various organizations across the state and the country during the launch of the company’s latest product Swift UV earlier this year.
In addition, if his prior company iDevices is any indication of things that will happen going forward, you will likely see iCleanse support charities like Habitat for Humanity, the Humane Society, inner-city school children, and numerous other organizations.
Where do you see your company in five years? Ten years?
The vision for Chris and the iCleanse team is to grow the company to $50 million-plus in revenues and then look for suitable acquirers as an exit. We would do this while always being mindful of keeping and growing jobs and opportunities here in Connecticut.
What is the main thing policymakers could implement to make your company more competitive?
One of the biggest hurdles in the state is venture capital and the availability of venture capital for smaller companies like iCleanse.
While we have some great programs, like Connecticut Innovations and the angel tax credits, we could be doing more to woo a few of the large VC firms into the state.
As mentioned before, we have tremendous talent, now we must extract the value of that talent through the growth of our VC-backed companies that will eventually go public or be acquired, but in either case, they drive significant revenue for the state.
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