Meet the Innovator - Simone Ammons, Founder and CEO of QuneUp®

We are pleased to feature Simone Ammons, Founder and CEO of QuneUp®, in our Pennovation Works Meet the Innovator spotlight.

QuneUp^® is a data-driven software tool that reduces equipment down time by enabling access to critical data. Ammons is a Process Engineer who was frustrated with rarely having the critical process equipment data they needed at the right time. Every minute spent digging for equipment specification sheets and manuals, was a minute that the production line was down – racking up costs for the company.

We had a great time getting to know Simone! You can check out our YouTube channel for a recorded version of this interview, or read below to learn more about Simone and QuneUp^®.

Interview Questions - Meet the Innovator Simone Ammons:

What does QuneUp up do? 

• So what we do at QuneUp, we boost productivity and reduce equipment downtime in biopharmaceutical manufacturing facilities. And the way we do that is pretty cool. We use QR codes like you would use to our website or to LinkedIn, but instead our proprietary QR codes take you to the equipment landing page that gives you all the information that you need about that piece of equipment, including manufacturer, date of manufacturer, serial number, model number. It also includes links to SOPs and other documentation that you need to show with your equipment on the production floor.

Simone, tell us what's your favorite part about working at Pennovation Works? 

• Here at Penetration Works, I feel like they really try to build a community between all of the entrepreneurs and all of the businesses. For me, as a new entrepreneur, it's really interesting to see people who are a few years ahead of me, a few decades ahead of me, and learn from them from where they are on their journey, so that I can improve my journey where I am right now. 

What do you find to be the most rewarding about your work? 

• At Pennovation, it really allows me to be creative in how I want to build my company. And so the different, things that I've had to do here, including a pilot, I was able to actually evolve my product more. And I don't think I would have had that opportunity had I not been at Pennovation. 

What do you find the most challenging about your work? 

• What is challenging is getting to the next step. I think I got to that big hump of getting my first pilot here at Pennovation Works, so thank you. But from there now landed like my first paying client, which is really cool here too, that a lot of the companies they already have paying clients. So I'm hoping to learn from the ecosystem that you all have here so that I can plan my next step, moving forward in 2024. As we close out and into 2025. 

What does a typical day look like for you at QuneUp? 

• So as a mompreneur my day starts very early in the morning dropping my kids of. And one of the convenient things of being at Pennovation Works is that my student my childrens school is actually of the street, so that's very, very convenient for me. So once I get that done, I come here and I just start my day with just going through everything that I missed over the weekend, including emails, any reach out for potential clients or customers. And I also always, always check in to my software developer who I work with, he is remote, in Europe. And so we're always collaborating, making sure any of the features, any of the bugs that we have have been worked out. And in the second half of my day, that's when I work on my strategy, my marketing campaign, so to speak. So everything that I post on LinkedIn when I'm going to post, how I'm going to post how, much content I'm going to post. All of that is part of my strategy of getting QuneUp to the next phase. 

What is one thing you want people to know about your company? 

• So QuneUp was founded by myself. Who I am, a process engineer. So everything that I put into the company is coming from the perspective of a process engineer who has had 15 plus years in the manufacturing industry. It's not another app, it’s not something else to add to your to your bottom that is going to eat away at your bottom line. It's actually going to help you boost your productivity and make sure you get your equipment back up and running and making products for the patients that need them the most. 

What has been your favorite event at Pennovation Works so far?

• My favorite event was the first year I joined actually was a Pennovation Works Showcase. That's where they brought all of the entrepreneurs within the entire ecosystem from Penn, PCI and Pennovation Works and we're all there in a room in front of investors, in front of academics, in front of mentors. And we were all there, not necessarily pitching, but just showing the work that we had accomplished over the year. It was phenomenal to see the other people that I was in the room with. I was really blown away. That really solidified my experience here and made me want to stay even longer at Pennovation Works. 

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to fellow innovators or startups?

• I would say get out of your comfort zone. For me, that meant finding a community like I have here at Pennovation Works. That also meant seeking out mentors, which they also have here at Pennovation Works, and just making sure that everything that I'm doing is in alignment with what is established, good practice in our entrepreneurial community. I'm not going to learn that from a book. I'm not going to learn that from just being, you know, working from home, just being, isolated. I'm going to learn that from my peers, from entrepreneurs, from mentors, from business leaders, from academic leaders that all connect here at Pennovation Works. 

That's great advice. So how do you see QuneUp growing and transforming in the future? 

• It already has because now I get to say I'm affiliated with Pennovation Works. I think just being connected to something like the University of Pennsylvania. Here in the Philadelphia area where we live has already made a dent in how I'm perceived in the community. So hopefully from that I can piggyback on that and expand QuneUp outside of just this region and into other regions in the Northeast.

All right. So Simone, for our lightning round. Are you ready? 

• Yes. Okay. 

What are you reading currently? 

• I have a kindergarten. So currently we're reading whatever she gets assigned, which right now is Minnie Mouse and the tea party. 

That's so cute. Who or what inspires you? 

• Right now, I'm inspired by all of the entrepreneurs and business owners who are betting on themselves to have a better life for them and their families. Their stories and their journeys really inspire me to do what I do every day. 

What would you say has led you to where you are today in your career? 

• It was quite a journey. Becoming a process engineer and sitting in the field for so long. So I'm used to doing hard things. Entrepreneurship is hard. Pennovation Works makes it a little bit easier because I'm here in a community of like-minded professionals. But for me, it's just the inspiration. I'm inspired to do more hard things to make an impact in my entire community, which is, process engineers in the biomanufacturing community here in the Philadelphia area. 

Do you have any hidden talents or hobbies? 

• I wish, maybe it’s to build things. I made human beings, so I guess I can make a company.

And if you could describe Philadelphia with three adjectives, what would they be? 

• I would say one bright. When the weather cooperates, it definitely is a bright space to be. Second, I would say it is the City of Brotherly Love. I would say sisterly is my second word, because I do feel they do make, a lot of, accommodations for us as mothers and women in this area. My third thing would be foodie, is that an adjective? Because the food here is amazing. There's cultures from all over the world. And I get to dabble in every part of the world here in Philadelphia.

What's your go to song right now? 

• Right now I'm listening to Bury me in Georgia by Kane Brown. I love him.

And what show are you currently binge watching?

• I just finished watching Average Joe. He's the guy from the Old Spice commercial. And I'm looking forward to seeing Snoop Dog on The Voice coming up in September. 

Great, thank you so much for answering our questions and being our Innovator! 

• Thank you so much!