Conversations on Innovation - Tracking the Unseen with SEITEC
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Dan Stevens, CEO and founder of SEITEC, shares how he transformed a Defence problem into a startup success with UXO Tracks, a cutting-edge system for detecting unexploded ordnance using seismic sensors.Summary
In this episode of Conversations on Innovation, Elsee from the EDGY Air Force program sits down with Dan Stevens, founder and CEO of SEITEC, to explore how a Defence capability gap sparked the creation of UXO Tracks. Originally conceived to locate unexploded ordnance (UXO) more accurately on weapons ranges, the system uses seismic sensors to detect bomb impacts with impressive precision—even from several kilometres away.
Dan reflects on the early challenges of building a solution from scratch—starting with a rudimentary prototype in a Bunnings irrigation box—through to spinning out of Defence and founding SEITEC.
The episode is a deep dive into the intersection of military needs, startup grit, and the power of persistence. Dan also offers candid advice to aspiring Defence innovators: take the leap, because the potential impact of innovation far outweighs the risks.