Real Advice From a Founder Who’s Been There: Scaling Smart Tech the Right Way
- SFL Staff Member
- Jul 11
- 3 min read
At Smart Futures Lab, we believe that real-world insight is just as critical as innovation. That’s why we’re proud to introduce Kelly Pickering, one of our dedicated Urban Catalysts, a seasoned entrepreneur and thought partner who brings decades of hands-on industry experience to our community of founders.
As an Urban Catalyst, Kelly mentors both accelerator and incubator members through dynamic roundtable sessions that dive deep into the realities of building in the smart cities space. These discussions are more than just theoretical, they’re grounded in the complexities of customer discovery, scalable deployment, and aligning with city priorities. From lessons on leading a mission-driven team to navigating the slow pace of government partnerships, Kelly helps founders think critically about growth, strategy, and impact.
In this Q&A, Kelly shares practical advice for early-stage founders, from preparing for city pilots to scaling solutions across sectors. His insights reflect the kind of candid, real-world knowledge that defines the Smart Futures Lab experience.
Founder Q&A with Kelly Pickering
Q: What's your advice for aligning a startup's solution with a city's strategic priorities or infrastructure goals?
A: Develop strong professional relationships with key stakeholders early and maintain them. Understand their priorities both inside and out, and tailor your value proposition to align with their broader strategic objectives. Don't just pitch your product. Demonstrate how you can help them close a known gap or meet a critical need.
Q: From your perspective, what makes a smart city solution truly scalable or investable?
A: A smart city solution is scalable and investable when built for more than one customer segment beyond just the municipal client. Design your offering to grow across multiple verticals or geographies, and you'll attract both public and private investment.
Q: How should founders approach customer discovery when their "customers" might include both city officials and end-users like residents or workers?
A: Map your ecosystem. Be very clear about who your champions, adopters, opposers, and saboteurs are inside city hall and in the community. Develop a strong hypothesis about the problems you're solving and test it directly with both officials and end-users to uncover what will drive or block adoption.
Q: If you could offer one tip to a founder preparing for their first pilot or deployment in a city environment, what would it be?
A: Cities move at the pace of government, so plan for delays and roadblocks; they will happen. Protect yourself by documenting every commitment and decision in writing to prevent scope creep and avoid overcommitting yourself.
Kelly Pickering
Founder & CEO, Addazu
Kelly is an experienced entrepreneur with over 20 years of industry product experience. He founded Addazu to address the affordable housing crisis with a resilient and sustainable solution. Kelly holds a Master's degree from the Colorado School of Mines in advanced manufacturing and excels in Lean Startup, Customer Discovery, Innovation, Atomic Design, and Systematic Manufacturing. He established Addazu in 2021 to create customizable and transportable homes using energy-efficient materials. His dedication to innovation and community impact has made him a respected leader in the housing sector.
Learn more about Kelly and Addazu, at addazu.com
Comments