SpeciNate, Part 2: Building for Trust, Constraint, and Conservation That Works

In Part 1, Tech Scene Media introduced SpeciNate, a conservation funding platform connecting supporters directly to the animals they want to help and the organizations doing the work. Founder Coriano Harris walked us through the mission: closing the gap between people who care and conservation teams that need support.

In Part 2, we go deeper. This piece is a Q&A-style conversation with Harris, focused on how a platform designed for trust actually gets built. What does product-market fit look like when your users are mission-driven, resource-constrained organizations? And what does Memphis teach a first-time founder about building technology that works in real conditions, not ideal ones?

No matter what field you’re building for (conservation, healthcare, education, or any mission‑driven space), the core lessons stay the same. You have to avoid adding features that look cool but make things harder to use. You need to design tools that fit into the messy, real‑life workflows people already have. And before you ask users to grow with you, you must show clear value they can see and trust. These ideas help teams build products that actually work for the people who depend on them.

This is a conversation about building with clarity, discipline, and respect for the people you’re trying to serve. The domain is conservation. The principles apply everywhere.

When did you realize this was systemic, not anecdotal?

I realized it when the same concern came up from very different people. Donors and volunteers kept saying, “I want to help, but I don’t know if it actually matters.” At the same time, conservation staff were asking, “What else do we need to do to get more people supporting our causes?” When both sides feel that uncertainty, it is not just a communication problem. It is a structural one. That was the moment it became clear we needed a platform that helps conservation staff connect with more purpose-driven supporters who understand their real needs and can contribute in ways that truly make a difference.

What hackathon feedback confirmed traction?

It was not applause. It was conservation folks asking, “Can we use this?” Not someday. Not after it scales. Now. That told me the pain was real and immediate, especially for organizations without the time or budget to build systems themselves.

What belief has been challenged since building?

I originally believed transparency alone would create trust. Building SpeciNate taught me that clarity matters more than volume. Too much information can actually increase doubt. Our responsibility is not to show everything. It is to show the right thing clearly.

For founders building anything: This applies whether you’re showing conservation impact, SaaS analytics, or e-commerce order tracking. Users don’t need to see every data point. They need to see the ones that answer their core question: “Is this working?” Overwhelming them with information often creates doubt, not confidence. Design for clarity first.

What was hardest about turning simplicity into a product?

Saying no. Conservation organizations do not need more tools. They need fewer decisions. Every feature had to answer one question: Does this reduce cognitive or administrative load for a team with limited resources?

Why start with one species and one organization?

Because trust is earned through proof. Starting narrow allowed us to validate the full loop from need to funding to outcome without asking organizations to take on risk they could not afford. Scale should follow evidence, not precede it.

What inefficiencies do supporters rarely see?

Fragmented reporting. Teams track impact across spreadsheets, emails, PDFs, and donor portals that do not connect. That work steals time from conservation itself. SpeciNate exists to quietly remove that burden.

For founders building anything: Replace “conservation teams” with your users. Fragmented workflows exist everywhere: customer support teams juggling tickets across platforms, sales teams reconciling data from multiple tools, operations teams patching together manual processes. If your product adds another tool without reducing their cognitive load, you’re part of the problem. The best products don’t just add capability. They remove friction.

What principles guided decisions beyond metrics?

We design for earned trust, not engagement. If something makes the platform look impressive but adds work for an organization or confusion for a supporter, it does not belong. Respect for constrained teams is a design requirement.

How did Epicenter programs change your thinking on capital?

They reinforced that sustainability is about alignment, not speed. For mission-driven platforms, capital should extend impact rather than distort it. Growth has to be something conservation partners can realistically support.

One mistake founders make when trying to prove impact?

They overcomplicate it. Impact is not a dashboard. It is a story supported by evidence. If someone cannot explain the outcome in one clear sentence, trust breaks down.

For founders building anything: This applies to every product demo, investor pitch, and customer onboarding flow. If you can’t explain the value in one sentence, your users won’t either. Complexity might make you feel thorough, but simplicity is what earns trust. Start with the story. Use data to support it, not replace it.

How did Epicenter shape your readiness beyond pitching?

It gave space to challenge assumptions around pricing, partnerships, and sustainability for purpose-built SaaS models. That matters when your customers are mission-driven and careful with money.

What’s Memphis’s role beyond traditional SaaS?

Memphis understands constraint. That makes it a strong place to build purpose-built technology that works in real conditions, not ideal ones. SpeciNate reflects that mindset.

Advice to first-time impact founders in Memphis?

Talk to users early and listen closely when they tell you they do not need more features. Build something smaller, clearer, and easier to say yes to.

For founders building anything: This isn’t just advice for impact founders. It’s a discipline every builder needs. Users rarely ask for less, but they often need it. The hardest part of product development isn’t adding features, it’s having the confidence to ship something narrow, clear, and immediately useful. If you’re waiting to build the “complete” version before launching, you’re already late.

What do you hope supporters, conservation organizations, and species survival efforts feel in five years, and what is different for endangered species?

I hope supporters feel confident. Not hopeful or overwhelmed, but certain that their support made a measurable difference. I hope conservation organizations feel less stretched, with clearer funding, fewer administrative distractions, and tools that respect their limited resources. And I hope species at risk are still here because conservation teams spent more time doing the work that matters and less time proving it mattered.

Coriano’s journey from hackathon idea to beta product isn’t unique to conservation technology. It’s the path every mission-driven founder walks: identifying a structural problem, resisting the urge to overcomplicate the solution, and building something users can actually adopt.

If you’re moving from side project to real product, these are the questions worth asking:

Memphis tech grows when founders like Coriano share what they’ve learned—not just what worked, but what they got wrong and had to correct. That’s how ecosystems strengthen: one honest conversation at a time.

SpeciNate is proof that constraint can be a competitive advantage if you design for it intentionally. And Memphis is proof that you don’t need to leave home to build something that works.

This could be your story next. Whether you’re at a hackathon refining an idea, navigating Epicenter’s programs, or building in public at a Code Connector meetup. Memphis has the community, the support, and the practical mindset to help you turn a demo into something real.

The next founder story we cover might be yours.

1. Clarity > Volume
Transparency doesn’t build trust. Clarity does. Show users the right information, not all the information. Whether you’re reporting conservation impact or SaaS metrics, overwhelming people with data creates doubt.

2. Design for Earned Trust, Not Engagement
If a feature makes your platform look impressive but adds work for users, it doesn’t belong. Respect for constrained teams isn’t a nice-to-have. It’s a design requirement.

3. Reduce Decisions, Not Just Problems
Users don’t need more tools. They need fewer decisions. Every feature should answer: Does this reduce cognitive or administrative load? If not, say no.

4. Start Narrow, Validate Fully
Don’t ask users to take on risk they can’t afford. Start with one clear use case and validate the full loop, from need to funding to outcome, before scaling. Trust is earned through proof, not promises.

5. Impact Is a Story, Not a Dashboard
If you can’t explain the outcome in one clear sentence, trust breaks down. Use data to support the story, not replace it. Complexity might make you feel thorough, but simplicity earns trust.

6. Memphis Understands Constraint
Building in Memphis means building for real conditions, not ideal ones. That’s not a limitation. It’s a strategic advantage. Purpose-built technology that works where resources are tight often works everywhere.

7. Listen When Users Say “No More Features”
The hardest discipline in product development isn’t adding features. It’s shipping something smaller, clearer, and easier to say yes to. If you’re waiting for the “complete” version, you’re already late.

Memphis tech thrives when builders share what they’re learning in real time. Whether you’re navigating your first product launch, looking for early users, or figuring out how to validate an idea without overbuilding—you’re not alone.

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