No Clear Path: A Tech Startup Journey with Mantis Biotech

In this episode of Tech Startup Stories, Natalie Binns speaks with Georgia Witchel, founder and CEO of Mantis Biotech, about what it really takes to build a company from scratch in one of the most complex and underserved areas of technology.

Georgia’s journey stands out not because it follows a traditional founder path, but because it doesn’t. From early exposure to programming as a child to launching a biotech infrastructure company, her story is rooted in curiosity, conviction, and an ability to move quickly from idea to execution.

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Starting Early and Thinking Differently

Georgia’s path into technology began unusually early. Growing up in a small town in Colorado, she was introduced to programming through homeschooling, where computers became both a tool and a gateway into a much wider world.

What began with building video games quickly evolved into a deeper interest in software engineering. By the time she reached higher education, she found herself at the centre of a growing wave of interest in computer science, an environment that helped reinforce her decision to pursue a career in tech .

Her early experience also shaped how she approached problem-solving: not as something theoretical, but as something to be built, tested, and improved in real time.

From Tesla to Taking the Leap

After gaining experience through an internship at Tesla, Georgia faced a decision familiar to many early-career professionals: follow a stable path or take a risk.

Rather than continuing within a large organisation, she chose to step into the startup world, eventually working in sports tech in Italy before deciding to build something of her own. The turning point came when she realised that the gap between leadership and execution was smaller than it appeared, and that she could step into that role herself.

Building What Didn’t Exist

Mantis Biotech was born out of frustration. Georgia set out to build the company she wished had existed during her time working in biotech.

At its core, Mantis provides foundational software infrastructure for biomedical engineering companies, acting as a layer that enables developers to build more effectively within a space that has historically lacked the same level of tooling seen in other industries.

It’s a complex proposition, but one grounded in a clear and practical need.

Selling First, Building Along the Way

One of the defining aspects of Georgia’s approach is her focus on sales from day one. Rather than waiting for a fully polished product, she prioritised speaking directly with potential customers, using cold outreach as her primary channel.

Her days were split between selling and building, closing deals during the day and writing code late into the night. This constant feedback loop allowed her to refine both the product and the value proposition in parallel.

Importantly, her experience challenges the idea that email as a channel is no longer effective. For Mantis, it has been the primary driver of early traction.

The Reality of Execution

A recurring theme throughout the conversation is the gap between expectation and reality.

As Georgia explains, everything in a startup takes significantly more effort than anticipated. Securing customers, building usable products, and ensuring adoption are all far more complex than they initially appear. What seems like a straightforward process often becomes a series of iterations, adjustments, and compromises.

One key insight is that building a company is not a linear process. Product development, sales, hiring, and marketing must all be developed simultaneously, each one requiring attention and resources at the same time.

Rethinking the Solo Founder Experience

Whilst many describe solo founding as isolating, Georgia offers a different perspective. Through networks such as Y Combinator and founder communities, she has found a strong support system that challenges the idea of loneliness in entrepreneurship.

Her experience highlights the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people, even when building independently.

Looking Ahead

With ambitions to scale rapidly, including significant revenue growth and future funding rounds, Mantis Biotech is still at an early stage, but moving with clear momentum.

Georgia’s story is a reminder that building a company isn’t about following a predefined path. It’s about identifying real problems, staying close to the customer, and being willing to do the hard work, often long before the results are visible.

And perhaps most importantly, it’s about choosing to build something you genuinely care about, because in a competitive landscape, passion is often the only sustainable advantage.

Listen to the full episode with Georgia Witchel, from Mantis Biotech on Tech Startup Stories, and follow for more conversations that focus on the realities of building, rather than just the outcomes.

Listen to the Podcast

Available on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.