en
England
English engineer and business owner Samantha Moore believes that intellectual curiosity is critical to gaining opportunities and maintaining successful operations.
As one of six siblings, Moore understands the value of encouraging each team member to have an individual view and creating a space where all can propose ideas. “Everyone has a voice and is respected and valued,” she says of her business teams at Moore MedTech Ltd., a WEConnect International certified women’s business enterprise (WBE).
Located in Yorkshire, England, Moore MedTech is an innovative, family-owned technology company that provides safer, cleaner working spaces across the UK. Its technologies include Far-UVC products that destroy 99.98% of airborne and surface pathogens with ultraviolet light, as well as hand sanitizers and customizable antigen testing programs.
“We are a unique company because we offer both the technology and services required to implement and manage the health and safety standards our clients need,” Moore shares of her flexible combination of technology and protocol offerings.
As an engineer, Moore has always been interested in learning about new technology.
So, in April 2020, when most of the world was reeling from the start of COVID-19 pandemic, Moore jumped at the chance to bring additional levels of safety into homes, schools, businesses and other settings for social interaction.
“When the pandemic hit, I was aware of different technologies that were available and not being utilized. I decided to bring these technologies together to create a ‘Clean, Test & Protect’ solution,” she explains.
As a small business, Moore MedTech has created and embodied an identity rooted in efficiently meeting rapidly changing production requirements. Through a team-centered development approach and prioritization of open-mindedness, Moore keeps the company agile and adaptive to the changing needs of a pandemic environment.
But what’s really important—beyond business growth and profits—she provides the peace of mind of safety and sanitization during a chaotic era of lockdowns and the struggle to return to “normal.”
Yet, one of the challenges for small businesses is having to agree to payment terms designed by and for large corporations with significant cash flows. Most businesses, including Moore MedTech, need cash upfront or upon delivery to run their businesses—not a 30- or 60-day payment schedule that inhibits growth. When the pandemic hit, and large corporations needed Moore MedTech’s services, Moore and her team negotiated the type of payment terms needed to run the business. She also explained the situation to her suppliers, who, in turn, negotiated similar payment terms with their supply chain partners.
While many companies have struggled with the economic ramifications of the pandemic, MooreMedTech has fast-tracked its productivity by pushing for the economic climate that small businesses need to grow.
“Despite government leaders saying they support small businesses as the engine of growth, there is no legislation that protects such businesses from the restrictive payment terms built into contracts,” describes Moore. “It’s really up to us to work together and negotiate better terms.”
Moore got certified through WEConnect International in 2020 to open doors to more opportunities. Through this network, Moore MedTech has secured clients such as the CO-OP, BBC, Sellafield and Camelot.
To date, the company has grown 91% from business deals through the WEConnect International network. Moore MedTech has grown 53% from a single deal with MyBio, an Irish woman business owner in the network that specializes in COVID-19 testing services.
When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Moore MedTech was searching for various technologies to stop pathogen transfer. Moore spotted a WEConnect International post on LinkedIn that was touting the science of one of its certified women business enterprises based in Ireland, MyBio.
“I shared the information with my operations team, and we all quickly agreed that MyBio had what we were looking for and was a woman-owned business, said Moore. “The benefit of registering with WEConnect International is not only access to the large member-buyer corporations, but also to the other WBEs in the global network. We can help each other grow by working together.”
Moore considers MyBio a trusted partner after having worked together for almost two years. The relationship all started with a common interest.
“We have been fortunate to connect with several large corporate buyers through WEConnect International correspondence. Speaking directly to people and meeting face to face, you begin to grow relationships. The big benefit of the network, though, are the other members, who provide great support and act as a sounding board,” she says.
Moore likens other WEConnect International network suppliers to “family” members working toward common goals, not unlike her own family.
Moore has plans for the future that involve building technology that uses light spectrum to kill pathogens— technology that is safe, efficient and invisible to the human eye. She is interested in manufacturing it in the UK and is actively looking for a company that can deliver, even using the WEConnect International portal to try to find a partner.
“I’ve learned that we’re all kindred spirits, and we really want to help each other,” says Moore. “The people within the WEConnect International network are why it so special.”
