FROM SCREAMING EAGLE TO FOUNDER
Meet Colin Buchanan, founder of Pl8tek.
Colin Buchanan grew up in the North Carolina outdoors, fishing and hunting the waters around Lake Norman. That love of the outdoors shaped his next move: after college, he joined the US Army. Following Infantry and Airborne school, he was sent to the 101st Airborne Division and spent the rest of his service in a sniper section.
A medical retirement ended his time in uniform. He gave golf a run next, but country club life wasn't the right fit, so he set out on his own. A fishing guide service in the North Carolina mountains became a passion project until Hurricane Helene made it clear it was time for something more stable.
Prayer led him to the first Pl8tek product, the R.O.E.t8 system. Working hands-on with SRT teams to get it into the field surfaced a new problem: those same operators needed a better rifle mount. That request became the StandA.R.D. system, with more in the works.
Today Colin spends his time designing tactical gear that helps end users do the job faster and safer.
SHARPENING THE STRATEGY
SCOTT BLACKWELL
Sr. Operating Partner & President, Outdoors · eFormed Ventures
Scott is a senior executive and business strategist who builds and scales companies in the outdoor and firearms commercial markets. He currently runs the Outdoor Fund portfolio at eFormed Ventures, integrating brands, distribution, and digital commerce into a single operating platform.
Prior work includes: leading Outtech Inc. through its transition from private ownership to a six-business ESOP, then selling that ESOP at a 22% premium to Legacy1846 Outdoor Group; restructuring Freedom Group / Remington (Cerberus-owned) from a $1B business into five SBUs with a debt-driven earnings strategy; and contributing to the business strategy and operating structure of Beretta USA.
STRATEGIC ADVISOR
Vetted and advised by elite military veterans
VanSant Ventures is a defense innovation advisory firm; a team of elite special operations veterans, former defense leaders, and founders who've used, tested, and approved technology in the field.
Pl8tek partners with VanSant Ventures because the bar for tactical hardware is set by the people who carry it. Their advisors review Pl8tek gear against real-world mission conditions, not spec sheets.
Chris VanSant
Former US Army SMU operator · Founder, VanSant Ventures
FIELD ADVISOR
Thomas Burton
Former US Army SMU · Ground mobility & vehicle platforms
FIELD ADVISOR