Bryce Batcheller
“Based on our discoveries, we have developed unique products & approaches to help minimize the burden that fentanyl has had on so many individuals & communities.”
Who is Bryce Batcheller?
I recently had the chance to speak with Bryce Batcheller! He has worked in the harm reduction space for the past five years. He has been able to compete with other fentanyl testing strip competitors and bring the prices down across the industry making harm reduction necessities more accessible. His entrepreneurial perspective gives insight into the process of creating harm-reduction products!
The Beginning: During his time at the University of Colorado, Bryce Batcheller was a true entrepreneur. He dabbled in various small businesses, but as college life went on, he found himself increasingly engrossed in one particular venture – producing drug testing kits. What was the driving force behind this seemingly unconventional choice? It all stemmed from his experiences at concerts, where he and his friends often observed people indulging in recreational substances. Bryce couldn't help but wonder: "How do we really know what's inside those little pills or powders?" The potential dangers of not knowing what they were consuming weighed heavily on his mind. He believed in the importance of responsible partying and ensuring that people were aware of the substances they were ingesting. "Shouldn't we have the knowledge of what we're taking?" he thought.
Testing Strips: With this sense of responsibility in mind, he embarked on a journey to create a business centered around selling small drug test kits. As Bryce's venture evolved, he forged a pivotal partnership with a young entrepreneur from Sweden, whose primary market was in the United States. Together, they worked tirelessly to spread the word about their drug testing kits. Their chosen arena? Music festivals and events across the country. Armed with stacks of kits, they roamed these vibrant gatherings, handing them out to curious festival-goers. But there was a turning point in their journey, one that mirrored a growing crisis in society. Fentanyl, a highly potent and dangerous synthetic opioid, began to surge in popularity over the last five to six years. As the demand for their drug-checking kits increased, Bryce and his partner recognized the urgent need for fentanyl test strips. They encountered BTNX, a company known for its green fentanyl test strips, which were widely acclaimed as the go-to solution. These strips were so renowned that a quick Google search for "fentanyl test strip" would instantly bring up images of their product at the top of the list. However, there was a hitch in their mission: they were distributing these life-saving strips without providing proper usage instructions. Bryce observed the struggle firsthand as friends and festival-goers attempted to decipher the complex instructions, often resorting to aimless internet searches. It was clear that a gap needed to be bridged, and that's where Bryce's journey took an educational turn.
The Packaging: What makes Bryce's testing strips different from others is the packaging. Though his strips are proven to be more effective, it is his innovative way of producing a type of packaging that makes his testing strips more effective. For most testing strips, a set of long instructions comes with. Whether you are going through withdrawals or taking a substance at a concert, sparing 10 minutes of your time is simply too long. He wanted to be able to provide instructions really quickly on the back. On the packaging of his testing strips there are three steps: add a rice worth of substance to a shot glass worth of water, place the strip wavy side down in the water for 15 seconds, and then a picture showing what a positive and negative test looks like. He spoke about the fact that a lot of people when seeing a lengthy set of instructions often see it and find it too complicated. His purpose is for people to have the opportunity to understand how to use this. Bryce's innovative mind and passion for entrepreneurship and harm reduction are truly an inspiration!
