Our story
Built in the field, not in the lab
Seitec started with one Air Force engineer's idea for solving a real problem in the field. That instinct - build for the people who'll actually use it - still shapes everything we make.
Origin
From Air Weapons Ranges to a company
Seitec was founded by CEO Daniel Stevens, born from the idea that better technology was needed to detect, identify and locate unexploded ordnance impacts on weapons ranges.
In 2019, near the end of a 20-year Air Force career spent maintaining fast jets and operating Air Weapons Ranges, Daniel combined his electronics engineering background with first-hand range experience to invent the concept behind what is now Nightingale STRIKE - using the unique signature of seismic waves to detect and localise unexploded bomb impacts. With the support of Jericho, the innovation branch of Air Force, he proved the concept in 2020.
In 2021, Air Force and the Defence Science and Technology Group backed Daniel to separate from Defence and commercialise the technology. Seitec was founded later that year.
Timeline
From concept to contract
The idea
Daniel Stevens, operating Air Weapons Ranges in his final years in the Air Force, conceives the concept of UXOTrackS. This would later become Nightingale STRIKE.
Proof of concept
With backing from Jericho, Air Force's innovation branch, the concept is proven out.
Seitec is founded
Supported by the Defence Science and Technology Group, Seitec is founded to commercialise the technology, with its first injection of capital arriving that December.
Seed investment & first hire
A larger pre-seed round enables the hire of CTO Bevan Fairleigh, Seitec's first full-time employee and founding team member.
First development contract
Seitec wins its first contract, worth $4.2M, to develop what is now Nightingale STRIKE. The company grows to eight employees, forming the core team driving both CORE and STRIKE to market.
First CASG T&E contract
Seitec wins its first $1.2M CASG contract for the test and evaluation of the Nightingale STRIKE capability. This will ideally transition into a sustainment contract pending successful test and verification activities.
Leadership
The team steering Seitec
Backed by a board with deep Defence and startup experience.
Founder / CEO
Daniel Stevens
BEng (Elec) Hons, UNSW · 20-year RAAF veteran - F-111 & Super Hornet avionics, inventor of the original STRIKE concept
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Founding Member / CTO
Bevan Fairleigh
BCompSci · Master of Applied AI · Master of Cyber Security · former Army infantry & DFAT · Seitec's first full-time employee
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COO
Ken Maxwell
GAICD; MBA (Exec), UNSW; MScNucSci, ANU; BEng (Aero) Hons, Former Naval Officer and Strategic Advisor now leading Seitec's operations
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Board Chair
Mark Skidmore
Air Vice-Marshal (Retd), RAAF · former Air Commander Australia & CEO, CASA · US Navy Test Pilot School
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Non-Executive Director
Adrian Waters GAICD
Veteran Army officer · venture capital & technology startup investor, across multiple defence and deep-tech boards
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Non-Executive Director
Ken Kroeger
Former CEO, Seeing Machines · former Chair, ANU Connect Ventures · Canberra venture capital - Activate Capital
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