Rizse’ing to the Top

Colby Harvey of Rizse tells us how they are reimagining inspections for the aviation industry.

First of all, how are you and your family doing in these COVID-19 times?

Colby Harvey: We’re doing great. Everyone is healthy and doing their part to weather the storm.

Tell us about you, your career, how you founded Rizse.

Colby Harvey: The idea of Rizse came from my university class. My professor asked us to create a fictitious airline without worrying about the cost. My team and I created a full-autonomous airline that only delivered cargo to not worry about individuals’ perceptions. I thought one step further about an autonomous and asked: “what would make this autonomous airline truly autonomous.” I came up with drones, and that was really where things begin to take shape.

How does Rizse innovate?

Colby Harvey: Our company innovates by leveraging new cutting edges technologies in a pragmatic industry that is far overdue.

How the coronavirus pandemic affects your business, and how are you coping?

Colby Harvey: COVID made fundraising much more difficult and made running a lean business essential to weather the storm. However, it did benefit us as it gave us more time to focus on product development that we needed to explode in 2021, which is turning out to be working in our favour.

Did you have to make difficult choices, and what are the lessons learned?

Colby Harvey: Yes, I could not meet the company’s payroll needs and had to forgo paying myself and my team for two months. I have learned never to entirely stop identifying investor money sources as a promise to invest means nothing until that check clears the account.

How do you deal with stress and anxiety, how do you project yourself and your company in the future?

Colby Harvey: I handle stress & anxiety very well. I’m not typically an anxious person, and I understand that are things beyond my control that I will need to roll with the punches to weather. I’ll take a break, go work out, or hang out with friends to take my mind away from the struggles that may be occurring. I envision Rizse being the true autonomous standard for infrastructure and Space infrastructure.

Who are your competitors? And how do you plan to stay in the game?

Colby Harvey: We have several competitors, none of which are in the United States.

Doncele based in Talus France

Mian Blades in the Netherlands

Dent & Buckle [not a direct competitor]

Invert Robotics

We have a fundamentally more robust product, connection with US-based Airlines, and continue to implement new cutting-edge technologies.

Your final thoughts?

Colby Harvey: My goal is to demonstrate that no matter what you look like, who you love, or how you grew up, we can build something amazing. Being a black gay man, I face more challenges than my counterparts, but that has not slowed or stopped my drive to be something more.

Your website?

https://www.rizse.io