RocketReagent Safety Tech

RocketReagent aims to solve the pressing public health need for better tools to test and verify psychoactive substances, to lower risk of fentanyl overdose and harms related to substance use.

Drugs have been a central force of humanity; at center of decades of conflict, division, criminalization, and loss of lives. History tells us we need a new approach. Following the War on Drugs, beginning in 1971, the U.S. adopted a criminalization approach that led to the imprisonment of millions, disproportionately impacting minority communities. Despite these stringent measures, drug use and its associated harms have skyrocketed, with increasing amounts of lethal contaminants in the drug supply and undue burden placed on our prison system without addressing the root causes of substance use disorders. 

Scientists, policymakers, and organizations like NIDA and SAMHSA have publicly promoted our need to shift towards a public health approach to drug use - which means focusing on harm reduction, treatment, education, and human-centered compassion. Following this, many U.S. cities have moved towards decriminalizing drugs, highlighting our need for better harm reduction and education to go along with it. Paramount to a public health approach to drug use is destigmatized, safe access to testing tools for all individuals. Fentanyl-related overdose has increased nearly 60-fold in the last decade, including the rise of deaths of many young adults at high risk of overdose from experimentation. Individuals accessing substances from unregulated sources are inadvertently exposed to serious health hazards which could be avoided through the use of testing tools. In 2021, more than 100,000 Americans died from preventable drug overdoses. Prevention doesn't come from saying "just say no"; it comes from meeting individuals where they're at, recognizing the likelihood that they may already be using psychoactive substances and need better tools to stay safe.

Contributing to the rise of overdose deaths, the current landscape of drug identification tools is marked by limitations in accessibility, interpretability, and comprehensiveness. At present, reagent kits available for substance verification often demand a level of expertise for accurate use and interpretation. The inconvenience and limitations of the current solutions discourage widespread testing and lead to risky consumption practices. 

Targeting communities of recreational drug users, there's an urgent need for accurate substance verification. Globally, UN's World Drug Report 2020 indicates that around 35 million people worldwide have drug use disorders, with over half a million deaths linked to drug consumption, primarily due to substance adulteration.

Our solution is a novel drug test poised to drive a public health approach to fentanyl and the overdose epidemic, by creating a portable, user-friendly device for identifying substance composition and potential harmful contaminants. We aim to address the risks of drug use by offering the first universal test of its kind, aiming not just to detect, but also to educate and shift the landscape in substance use towards greater safety and transparency.

The device expands on previous reagent technology by housing all necessary reagents in one place on a microfluidic chip, enabling a rapid point-of-care testing that anyone, regardless of their technical expertise, can perform. A QR code will lead to an AI-powered app that interprets the color pattern, providing insights on the drug composition. Unlike the messy, costly, and expertise-demanding solutions today, our integrated fentanyl analysis and AI-driven interpretations will eliminate the technical barrier, making drug testing accessible and educational.

1. Streamlined Testing: RocketReagent simplifies the testing process. Users introduce a small sample onto our device, and within moments, a reaction occurs, producing a distinctive color pattern.
2. AI-Enhanced Interpretation: Users will be directed to our smartphone app via a QR code. This app, powered by AI, provides an easy-to-understand analysis of the color pattern, offering insights into the substance's composition.
3. Harmful Contaminants Alert: Our device isn't limited to just identifying recreational substances; it's also designed to detect potential life-threatening adulterants, ensuring users have all the information they need to make safer choices.
4. Educational Outreach: Beyond testing, RocketReagent is poised to act as an educational tool, offering users guidance on substance effects, risks, and safer consumption practices.

We aim to make sophisticated, reliable drug testing accessible to a wide audience, from individual users to event organizers. By prioritizing both safety and education, we're not just offering a product but championing a movement towards informed and safer substance use.

We are dedicated to addressing the needs of a multifaceted audience unified by the need for greater safety and education, with a key focus on supporting the communities disproportionately affected by the war on drugs and adults at high risk for overdose. Recreational substance users aren't limited by demographics; stats show that drug use is widespread across age, gender and socioeconomic status; with around 21% of Americans reporting past-year use of illicit substances according to SAMHSA.

Despite the equal spread of substance use across race, the war on drugs has disproportionately impacted black and minority communities, leading to a cycle of criminalization and mistrust. These communities often lack access to resources and tools for safe substance consumption. We aim to bridge this gap and offer an accessible, reliable, and destigmatized solution, partnering with governmental organizations, universities, and safe use sites, to expand our reach. 

In addition, we aim to target young recreational substance users; predominantly aged 18-25. While we don't encourage illicit drug use, the reality is that young adults are the heaviest experimenters with nearly 40% of this age group reporting past-year use of illicit substances; and many preventable deaths have occurred in young adults due to a current lack of testing tools. Evidence suggests this group is most likely to actively seek clarity on the composition of substances they consume, yet they currently lack the affordable tools and education to do so. We aim to ensure that they have the tools to make informed decisions to make drug testing mainstream and radically reduce the risk of overdose and risky consumption practices.

Proximal to these groups are parents and educators, equipping them with tools to guide and protect the younger generation, and event organizers and venue owners to ensure safety at public gatherings. Our solution can be seamlessly integrated into event settings, guaranteeing a safer environment for all attendees.

Our solution directly impacts lives by reducing the risks associated with unknown or mislabeled drugs. For communities that have historically been at the forefront of the drug crisis, this knowledge can be lifesaving. Additionally, by promoting awareness and education, RocketReagent fosters a more informed community, shifting the narrative from mere substance identification to holistic harm reduction. We envision a future where every individual, regardless of their background, is empowered with the knowledge and tools to make safer choices in substance use.

My journey with this technology is rooted in both my educational journey and volunteering in harm reduction, substance use, and addiction neuroscience. As a recent graduate with my BSc in Neuroscience and Master of International Business, I invested several years in the lab researching the neurobiology of addiction and global mental health. During my degree I also gained on-ground experience, volunteering in harm reduction at festivals, and interacting with top thought leaders in the harm reduction space, which have shown me the urgency and importance that we develop a way for everyone to access drug testing.

I've witnessed the intricacies of substance use and its societal implications firsthand and my Master's in International Business has equipped me with the strategic acumen to navigate the multifaceted challenges of this endeavor. 

Hands-on exposure testing drugs for the communities we aim to target has not only honed my skills but has intimately connected me with the people who will use our solution. These insights are invaluable and have guided every decision we make to promote safer substance use.

Our team embodies this ethos of community-centric innovation. My partner, a machine learning engineer, has volunteered alongside me in harm reduction. This combined expertise ensures that our technology is not just advanced but is also rooted in real-world needs.

We also have advisors on our team, experts in chemistry and microfluidics, who ensure our solutions are scientifically robust. Their guidance, combined with our ground-level experience, creates a holistic approach to problem-solving.

As we've developed RocketReagent, we've actively sought feedback from the communities we aim to help. Their stories, struggles, and insights drive our mission and shape our solutions. We're not just creating a product; we're building a movement, and it's essential for us that this movement is co-created with our target population.

In essence, while our academic and professional backgrounds equip us for this challenge, it's our proximity to, and deep understanding of, the communities we serve that truly positions us to deliver a transformative solution.

RocketReagent's innovation is rooted in its convergence of advanced microfluidic technology with AI sophistication to revolutionize harm reduction in substance use. Unlike traditional drug testing methods, which often involve multiple reagent kits, each testing for a specific substance or contaminant, our solution encapsulates all necessary reagents, including those for fentanyl detection, within a single device. This not only simplifies the testing procedure but also reduces the potential for user error, making it more accessible and user-friendly.

Furthermore, the integration of AI capabilities ensures that the interpretation of results is precise and easily comprehensible, removing the technical barriers that may deter individuals from testing substances. By streamlining the process into a single device, RocketReagent encourages more individuals to adopt harm reduction practices, potentially leading to a safer substance use landscape.

In terms of broader impacts, our solution sets a new industry standard. Its innovative approach challenges the status quo of drug testing, prompting other players in the market to rethink and innovate their offerings. As RocketReagent gains traction, it could catalyze a more widespread cultural shift towards harm reduction, emphasizing safety, education, and awareness.

Our solution aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3 (SDG 3) for Good Health and Well-Being by proactively addressing substance misuse and its associated risks, which are significant public health concerns globally. Here's how our solution maps onto SDG 3's objectives:

1. Reducing Mortality from Substance Misuse: By providing a user-friendly, accurate, and accessible device for substance analysis, RocketReagent aims to significantly reduce fatalities and health complications resulting from the consumption of adulterated or misidentified drugs. The inclusion of fentanyl detection is particularly crucial given the rise in opioid-related deaths.

2. Promoting Mental Health and Well-being: By ensuring that individuals are consuming substances they are aware of, RocketReagent indirectly contributes to mental well-being. Avoiding unintended consumption can help prevent unforeseen psychological reactions and potential long-term mental health consequences.

3. Strengthening Prevention and Treatment: RocketReagent acts as a primary prevention tool, empowering individuals with knowledge about their substances. This proactive approach can reduce the need for reactive medical treatments stemming from adverse drug reactions.

4. Providing Education and Awareness: Our solution is not just about testing; it's also about education. Through our integrated AI-driven app, users receive not only information about the substances they're testing but also valuable educational resources on safe consumption, further promoting well-being.

5. Supporting Vulnerable Populations: Substance misuse often disproportionately affects marginalized communities, including those that have been historically targeted by the war on drugs, such as minorities and black populations. By making harm reduction tools like RocketReagent accessible and affordable, we support the well-being of these vulnerable groups, emphasizing equity in health and well-being.

6. Data-Driven Public Health Strategies: RocketReagent's ability to aggregate anonymized data on substance use trends has the potential to inform public health strategies, enabling more targeted and effective interventions in substance misuse.

In essence, RocketReagent's mission to pioneer a safer landscape in substance use directly resonates with the ethos of SDG 3. Through our innovative approach, we are actively contributing to a world where all individuals, regardless of their choices, can ensure healthier lives and promote their well-being.

The novel data sets that will be gained from our testing device are poised to supercharge our knowledge on the environmental factors of drug use and support a public health approach to addiction.

After testing, an AI-powered app will interpret distinct color patterns produced by the microfluidic device after substance analysis, drawing insights from vast datasets of known patterns to identify the substance(s) present. As the solution gains traction, it will aggregate anonymized data from users worldwide, evolving into a real-time public health monitoring system akin to a decentralized version of the Netherlands’ Drug Information Monitoring System (DIMS). This continuous monitoring will enable the identification of emerging substance trends or sudden spikes in harmful contaminants, providing crucial early alerts to communities about potential threats. 

Beyond just identifying substances, the collected data will shed light on the environmental footprint of global substance use, offering insights into production and disposal patterns. While the potential of this data is vast, RocketReagent remains committed to prioritizing user privacy and ensuring that all data is used ethically, with the primary goal of enhancing public health and safety.

We are deeply committed to the ethical and responsible use of AI in our endeavors. Given the sensitive nature of substance testing, our foremost priority is ensuring user privacy. All data collected will be encrypted and anonymized, ensuring individual identities and their substance preferences remain confidential while retaining information on the region and drug sample if the user opts-in to allowing this to be used for research. Our AI system will be designed to focus on patterns and trends rather than individual data points, preserving anonymity while gleaning actionable insights.

Security is another major concern. We will implement state-of-the-art encryption techniques to safeguard data both in transit and at rest. Regular security audits will be conducted to identify and rectify potential vulnerabilities, ensuring our system remains impervious to breaches.

Ethically, as we scale, we recognize the potential for misuse of substance use data, especially in regions with punitive drug policies. To mitigate this risk, we're cautious about sharing our insights, ensuring they're disseminated in ways that promote harm reduction and public health, rather than punitive actions. We also engage in continuous dialogue with harm reduction organizations, public health experts, and ethicists to ensure our practices remain aligned with the highest standards of integrity and responsibility.

In addressing potential policy implications, we actively advocate for the decriminalization of personal substance use, eliminating harms and societal divisions created by the drug war while emphasizing the importance of harm reduction. Our interactions with policymakers focus on the health and safety benefits of our system, emphasizing its potential to save lives and reduce healthcare burdens.

RocketReagent's overarching philosophy is that technology, when used responsibly, can be a powerful force for good. Every decision we make, from AI algorithms to data sharing protocols, is guided by this principle, ensuring our solution remains a beacon of ethical innovation in substance safety.

Next Year's Impact Goals:

1. Prototype Refinement & Testing: Complete the prototype, ensuring it meets all desired specifications and safety standards.
2. Community Engagement: Engage with at least 10,000 potential users through harm reduction workshops, festival partnerships, and online campaigns to raise awareness and gather feedback.
3. Data Collection & Analysis: Begin the collection of anonymized data from early users, aiming to analyze substance trends in at least three major cities.

How We'll Achieve Them:

• Collaborate with microfluidics and chemistry experts to refine the chemistry specs for engineering of the prototype.
• Partner with harm reduction organizations and festival organizers to conduct outreach and gather user feedback.
• Implement our AI system to commence real-time data analysis, providing preliminary insights into substance use trends.

Next Five Years' Impact Goals:

1. Widespread Adoption: Have our testing devices in the hands of over a million users across the U.S. and begin expansion into international markets.
2. Public Health Collaboration: Establish formal partnerships with at least five major public health organizations or agencies, utilizing our data to inform harm reduction strategies.
3. Community Trust: Become a trusted name in substance safety, with a recognized impact on reducing substance-related harms and deaths.
4. Policy Influence: Play a pivotal role in influencing at least three major policy shifts towards harm reduction and drug decriminalization, using our data as compelling evidence.
5. Global Health Data Insights: Provide the world's most comprehensive real-time data on recreational substance use trends, risks, and safety measures.

How We'll Achieve Them:

• Scale production and distribution, leveraging partnerships and community feedback to ensure our devices reach those who need them most.
• Actively engage with public health organizations, showcasing the potential of our data to transform harm reduction strategies.
• Continue our harm reduction advocacy, using data-driven insights to sway public opinion and influence policy decisions.
• Invest in R&D to constantly improve our device, ensuring it remains at the forefront of technology and harm reduction.

Myself, my partner, and 4 advisors.

8 months.

We are a woman-led organization committed to prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusivity (DEI) at every level and expanding our team with diverse voices to ensure we address the nuanced needs of all communities. 

During my Master of International Business I had the unique opportunity to delve into social entrepreneurship and my campus initiatives awarded me the distinction as a Social Impact & Sustainability Scholar. I served as program lead for UF's Business for Good Lab, took multiple courses on social entrepreneurship and consulted for start-ups assisting in their efforts to achieve B-corp certification, giving me an intimate knowledge of the possible structures to achieve far-reaching impact. RocketReagent is centered around these experiences and at the forefront of our mission is creating a healthier, more empowered, equitable society using the force of business for good.

Our current leadership team represents varied backgrounds, both professionally and culturally, and our test and business plan is designed with inclusivity in mind, aiming to cater to marginalized groups disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. Our ongoing engagement with harm reduction communities further ensures our strategies resonate with diverse user needs.

Our operational model for RocketReagent is straightforward and driven by our mission to revolutionize harm reduction:

1. Team Structure: I lead the project, bringing my background in neuroscience and business and passion for the vision of driving a safer world. My partner, with expertise in machine learning, handles the AI components. We've also onboarded advisors, including chemists and microfluidics experts, to guide the technical aspects.

2. Stakeholder Engagement: We actively collaborate with harm reduction organizations, benefiting from our years of volunteering in the field. This offers firsthand insights into user needs. We're also pursuing partnerships with institutions like NIDA and SAMHSA for credibility and reach.

3. Development & Testing: We're setting up systems to run chemistry assays, intending to start hands-on testing in controlled environments in Q1 2024. The plan is to first test reagents in basic dishes, then in 3D printed chips before having the chips engineered.

4. Data Collection & Usage: The data generated will be harnessed ethically. While it's a potential revenue stream, our priority is to use this data for public health insights, ensuring user privacy remains uncompromised.

5. Tools & Resources: We're securing the necessary lab equipment and software tools for AI development. Our approach leans heavily on collaborations, trading expertise and resources with partners who align with our mission.

6. Scaling & Distribution: Post-prototype validation, we'll explore manufacturing partnerships. Distribution channels will be diversified, from online sales to strategic vending machine placements.

Our plan for financial sustainability is anchored in a multi-pronged approach that balances immediate revenue streams with long-term growth prospects:

1. Product Sales: At the core of our revenue model is the direct sale of our testing kits. Priced to ensure affordability while maintaining a healthy margin, these sales form our primary revenue backbone.

2. Data Monetization: As our user base grows, the anonymized data generated has the potential for a secondary revenue stream. While respecting user privacy, we're exploring ethical collaborations with research institutions and health agencies that align with our public health commitment. This data, showcasing trends and insights, is invaluable for shaping public health responses.

3. Partnerships & Collaborations: Forming alliances with city governments or academic institutions can lead to subsidized or bulk purchases of RocketReagent kits, especially for community outreach or student safety programs.

4. Vending Innovations: Introducing vending machines at strategic locations like festivals, college campuses, and nightlife districts not only streamlines access but also creates an additional sales avenue.

5. Grants & Donations: Given our strong public health orientation, we'll continue to seek grants from organizations supporting harm reduction and public health initiatives. Crowdfunding campaigns, focused on specific milestones, might also play a role in the early stages.

6. Investments: As we validate our product and market fit, we'll be open to strategic investments that align with our mission and can further accelerate our growth.

Currently, our operating costs are approximately $50,000, mainly covering prototype development, consulting fees, and initial marketing efforts. With our team set to expand and the transition from prototype to production, we project next year's costs to be around $250,000. This estimate includes hiring additional talent, ramping up production, and expanded marketing and research initiatives. Human capital, comprising salaries and benefits, is expected to account for 60% of these projected costs.

We are seeking $85,000 to propel RocketReagent's mission in 2024. This number was determined after assessing our operational costs, projected R&D expenses, and the investment needed for the initial manufacturing phase. The funding will be allocated as follows:

1. Prototype Refinement: A significant portion will be directed towards optimizing our microfluidics technology and ensuring the seamless integration of our AI-driven app.
2. Research & Development: As we delve deeper into the chemistry and microfluidics intersection, we foresee expenses in procuring specialized materials and equipment.
3. Community Engagement: To foster trust and spread awareness, we plan to conduct workshops and educational sessions, which will require resources.
4. Regulatory and Compliance: Navigating the legal landscape of our product demands expertise; thus, a part of the funds will be set aside for consultations and ensuring we meet all regulations.
5. Pilot Production Run: As we approach the end of our development phase, initial funds will be necessary to kickstart manufacturing.

The requested amount strikes a balance between our immediate needs and ensuring we utilize every dollar efficiently, maximizing the impact we aim to achieve in 2024.

The Cure Residency presents a transformative opportunity for us at this stage in our development. The seed funding will catalyze our transition from the developmental phase to tangible product realization, accelerating our journey towards a safer substance use landscape. Lab space is invaluable, allowing us to optimize our prototypes and refine our microfluidics technology, ensuring we offer the highest precision in substance analysis.

Beyond the tangible assets, I am excited about the mentorship, connections and educational programming. Drawing from seasoned experts will provide us with insights that can circumvent potential pitfalls and enhance our solution's efficiency. Their experiences and guidance can illuminate pathways we hadn't considered, and their feedback will be pivotal in refining our approach.

Furthermore, networking opportunities can open doors to invaluable partnerships, expanding our reach and impact. Collaborating with like-minded innovators will not only foster growth for RocketReagent but also cultivate an ecosystem dedicated to harm reduction and public health.

In essence, the Cure Residency offers more than just resources; it provides an environment where RocketReagent can thrive, innovate, and most importantly, make a substantial difference in the realm of substance safety. We're particularly excited about the mentorship and the potential collaborations that the networking opportunities can foster.