Uncharted

Uncharted Supply Co. designs and manufactures premium emergency preparedness gear, survival systems, and specialized outdoor equipment. The company focuses on creating high-quality, intuitive products, such as its notable SEVENTY2 system, engineered to provide individuals with essential resources and confidence during unexpected crises. Their approach emphasizes functional design and durable materials, ensuring readiness for a broad range of challenging situations.

The company was founded in November 2016 by Christian Schauf, who also serves as its CEO. Schauf’s insight for establishing Uncharted Supply Co. emerged from a realization of the widespread need for effective and accessible emergency tools, stemming from personal experiences like being caught unprepared in adverse conditions. His vision was to empower individuals to face emergencies with greater self-reliance.

Uncharted Supply Co. caters to a diverse customer base, including outdoor enthusiasts, adventurers, and everyday individuals seeking robust preparedness solutions for their homes and travels. The company's mission is to equip people with the necessary tools and knowledge to navigate emergencies, fostering peace of mind and resilience in unpredictable circumstances, thereby promoting a culture of proactive readiness.

High-Level Overview

Uncharted refers to multiple entities in the tech and investment space, but the most prominent matching the query is the New York-based PaaS company founded in 2011. It builds an operating system for last-mile infrastructure, enabling cities and developers to deploy and manage smart, sustainable infrastructure like clean power networks more efficiently and equitably.[1] Serving urban planners, developers, and communities, Uncharted solves the high cost and complexity of last-mile deployments—such as fiber, EV charging, and resilient power grids—while prioritizing social justice, cleantech, and climate solutions. Its MWBE certification and award-winning status underscore its focus on equitable growth, with partnerships like CoPeace providing capital and consulting since 2019 to expand universal access to affordable power.[1]

The company has gained traction through leadership from CEO Jessica O. Matthews, a Harvard-educated entrepreneur named one of Fortune’s Most Promising Women Entrepreneurs, driving impact in sustainable cities.[1]

Origin Story

Uncharted was founded in 2011 in New York by Jessica O. Matthews and her team, emerging from a vision to empower communities through smart infrastructure.[1] Matthews, with her background in innovation and social impact, pivoted toward building technology that authentically collaborates with local stakeholders for equitable urban development. Early pivotal moments include earning MWBE certification and launching a PaaS platform that reduces deployment barriers, attracting impact investors like CoPeace in March 2019. This investment provided not just capital but strategic guidance, aligning with Uncharted's mission amid rising climate urgency.[1]

Core Differentiators

• Equitable Infrastructure PaaS: Unlike traditional infrastructure tools, Uncharted's platform acts as an "operating system" for last-mile networks, slashing costs and complexity for smart city projects like clean power and cleantech.[1]
• Community-Centric Approach: Emphasizes authentic collaboration with underserved communities, ensuring social justice integration from day one, setting it apart in sustainability tech.[1]
• Impact-Aligned Partnerships: Backed by mission-driven investors like CoPeace, offering capital plus consulting to scale resilient, affordable power solutions globally.[1]
• Proven Leadership: Led by Jessica O. Matthews, blending technical expertise with entrepreneurial recognition to deliver real-world climate and justice outcomes.[1]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Uncharted rides the wave of smart city expansion and climate tech, where last-mile infrastructure gaps hinder net-zero goals and equitable urbanization. Timing is ideal amid global pushes for resilient grids and EV adoption, with market forces like government sustainability mandates and cleantech funding favoring scalable PaaS solutions.[1] It influences the ecosystem by democratizing access for cities and developers, fostering inclusive innovation that counters tech's historical inequities, and partnering with impact funds to model blended finance for social good.[1]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Uncharted is poised to dominate last-mile infrastructure as cities race toward 2030 climate targets, expanding its PaaS to new verticals like 5G and renewable microgrids. Trends like AI-optimized urban planning and policy incentives for MWBE firms will accelerate growth, potentially evolving its influence from niche innovator to global standard-setter. With strong leadership and aligned backers, expect partnerships with hyperscalers and municipalities to drive outsized impact, redefining equitable smart cities from the ground up.[1]