The world has undergone significant advancements in the last few centuries. A couple of centuries ago, men on horseback rode through villages, pillaging and looting everything they set their eyes upon. Today, some of the biggest technology giants in the world enable consumers to reach billions with a few finger touches. In order to invest in this promising world we have built together, it is important for us to build systems with transparency, trust, and accountability. This is even more crucial in the world of technology, wherein sophistication often makes way for hundreds of regulatory loopholes. A voice of reason that promises its consumers a business solution like that is Dakota Hendrickson.
Dakota, the Co-founder and CEO of Filti, is not an inspiration to be trifled with. He founded Filti with a clear mission to bring highly efficient residential HVAC filter technology to millions. Filti’s patented technology took off globally. Meanwhile, Dakota worked on core operations at Filti, including building the brand, R&D for the filter, and expanding its offerings through e-commerce. However, soon after Filti launched, Dakota faced a challenge he had never envisioned – The coronavirus pandemic. The pandemic forced Filti to change its strategy to adapt to growing consumer needs, including demand for the face mask. Dakota took the challenge in his stride and changed the strategic direction for the company. Filti soon started supplying face mask material to various American manufacturers and launched an air filtration mask technology of its own. Dakota oversaw the development of one of the best air filtration mask technology at Filti, with inclusion of nanofiber that promises advancements – still a dream for many mask wearers.
A Promising Technology
Thanks to Filti’s amazing advancements in air mask filtration, the company soon supplied masks to over 40 million individuals across the United States. Furthermore, the company also partnered with various local law enforcement agencies, nursing associations, firefighting departments, government officials, and military personnel to deliver the best technology in the right hands. The company’s Grade A Respirators helped it get an ideal response as soon as it knocked on the doors of individuals and organizations in need. The story of Filti would have never been complete without the leadership of Dakota, who led the company from the shackles of the pandemic to a leading mask-manufacturer in the United States in adverse business conditions. Moreover, his leadership also established a benchmark of innovation at Filti that will likely remain irreplaceable in years to come.
Dakota remains humble about his achievements. He notes, “There is a growing need for advanced air filtration technology. People do not realize that indoor air quality due to pets and other similar reasons can be 2 to 5 times worse than outdoor air quality.” He believes this is the mission at Filti – to conquer the horizons of the best air filtration technology to alleviate a key source of suffering for individuals. The problem of polluted indoor air quality is much severe than many realize. Many people in the United States continue to suffer from illnesses like Asthma, lung problems, among others. Furthermore, the worsening quality of environment through growing wildfires has also exacerbated the air quality challenge for millions. Dakota believes the nanofiber technology of Filti is a promising solution to the problem.
Filti’s air filtration technology is a rare breed of technologies that promise to meet the benchmark standards of the EU, with its high mechanical efficiency and growing ability to capture the tiniest of particles. Dakota expresses, “Our Nano fiber technology is at least 10 times smaller than the tiniest strand of human hair. This size allows our filtration technology to vastly superior than any other competing products.”
A Transparent Chorus for Leadership
Thanks to the tremendous advancements in Air filtration technology at Filti, the promise of its products continues to grow in commercial, industrial, and residential segments. This is contrary to other technologies in use, including electrostatics, which attracts particles via charge. The competing technology is susceptible to water, humidity, and moisture, which neutralizes charged particles. On the other hand, Filti’s technology remains a step above others and has been certified with the most promised benchmarks in technology, including the ISO 16890 certification. Dakota believes it is the need of the hour for standards like these to crossover from Europe to America to drive quality manufacturing in the country. Dakota asserts, “In ISO 16890 standard testing, ordinary mask producers need to neutralize their charges before testing. On the other hand, we don’t’ have any charges, because we are mechanically efficient in our air filtration technology.”
Dakota ends his insights in the air filtration business on a vision accomplished through vast business experience. He believes greater transparency in the industry is the need of the hour. There are many businesses selling air filtration technology to consumers, which is not par with their claims. An example of this is the MERV rating, wherein manufacturers claim a standard 11 rating when they are really testing at standard 8. However, despite the regulatory challenges, Filti keeps growing at tremendous speeds. Dakota believes the goal for the company is to capture 5% market share in the near future. This doesn’t seem like an unrealistic goal, especially when the company has managed to create a benchmark in air filtration and continues to invest in brand building.
Dakota also remains strongly patriotic in his mission to make Filti the leading business in air filtration technology. He shares his patriotism with fellow entrepreneurs. “We’re 100% Made in the USA, so we’re trying to keep manufacturing here stateside,” he says. Only time will tell whether Dakota accomplishes all his stated goals for Filti in the years to come. However, he has led his company with a conviction, vision, and technology prowess that sits in the league of its own.
Dakota Hendrickson, Co-founder and CEO, Filti
