Meet Katie Kalafut.
CEO of Tracks Technology.
"It takes a village, and Cincinnati is here to help. Make friends, be open, and dream big. "
Tracks Technology creates technology solutions designed to simplify and enhance animal behavior management and data collection - for national zoos, local shelters, and your home.
Q: What makes Cincinnati a great place to start a business?
A: Cincinnati is a great place to start a business for the same reason it is a great place to live, the community! We have yet to find someone who is not eager to help, support, lend a hand, or give advice.
Q: How did a grant from Main Street Ventures impact you and your business?
A: With the supporting grant from Main Street Ventures we are now able to purchase the materials that will allow us to stay ahead of our customers, and offer some of our devices 'off the shelf'. This will better allow us to serve our existing customers, and allow us to put effort into finding new customers.
Q: What does a typical day in your life look like?
A: Most days, after taking my son to school, you can find me on my computer. Like many people during the pandemic, I am working from home, either on a Zoom meeting, working with students for my day job as a Professor, or working on the business. On a really good day, you can find me at the Cincinnati Zoo, or a local shelter, working with the amazing care staff on various research projects. Then back home for a walk with the family to enjoy the amazing spring that Cincinnati is starting to show us.
Q: What is a lesson you've learned that has shaped your work?
A: Each client, species, and individual animal is different, which means we need to communicate with our clients to truly understand their wants and needs. The best results are obtained when we work together to develop solutions.
Q: What's next for Tracks Technology?
A: We are working with new clients who have some really great ideas on how to help better understand and support their animals. We think this could be the beginning of a very important shift towards a more tech-driven approach in animal care. We are quickly moving to clients outside Cincinnati and onto the national (and international?) stage. We are excited to bring Cincinnati with us, the city that has helped make it possible.