We recently concluded PSXEmpower 2026, where our global teams came together across our regional hubs in Curitiba, London, Hyderabad, Singapore, and Westlake Village. In nine days, our executive team traveled the globe to meet with teams in person, align on our vision for the year ahead, and ensure every region is connected on where we are going as a company. These sessions were an opportunity to celebrate how far we’ve come over the past ten years, to reflect on what we’ve built together, and to align on the work ahead. There is still so much to do, and bringing our teams together reinforced both the foundation we’ve created and the opportunity in front of us.
Michael McCrary
CEO & Founder
As we begin this anniversary year, I wanted to use this first blog of 2026 to share the story of how PureSpectrum started, the challenges that shaped us, and the decisions that built the company we are today. Anniversaries create a natural moment to look back, but they also create clarity and energy for what comes next. This year marks ten years since PureSpectrum began, and it feels like the right time to reflect on that journey.
On December 14, 2015, I made the biggest professional decision of my life. I wrote the first check to start PureSpectrum. I had spent years in executive roles in the industry, and I understood both the opportunity and the risk. I had thought about founding something of my own for a long time, but there is a difference between thinking about it and committing to it. At some point, the timing is right, and I knew that if I didn’t take the step then, I probably never would.
I am not a technical founder, and that made the early phase especially uncertain. The greatest risk in building a technology company is never reaching a point where the product is live and usable. From the beginning, I became obsessed with that milestone. I was fortunate to connect with a product manager, a UX/UI designer, and a development team, who helped bring the platform to life. We focused heavily on the experience, especially the user interface. The goal was to make launching and managing sample simple and intuitive. In July of 2016, we recorded our first transaction. That moment mattered more than anything else in the early days because it meant we had something real.
Soon after, we raised capital with strategic investors. This allowed us to hire our first employees, including David Boyajian and David Butler, who continue to play critical roles in the company today. In October 2016, we announced our launch publicly, and there was strong interest from across the industry. It felt like we were on a clear path forward.
What followed was a period that tested the company in ways I did not fully anticipate. Clients were slower to adopt than we had hoped, and revenue was significantly lower than our projections. Development costs and operating expenses continued as we invested in building the platform. It was a difficult period, and there were moments when the future was far from certain. Looking back, that time was critical because it forced us to build the company on a stronger foundation. We could not rely on structural advantages. We had to rely on the quality of the product, the strength of the team, and the clarity of our strategy. Then we reached the inflection point, we onboarded three key clients that changed the trajectory of the business. David Butler and I sat at our favorite happy hour spot, beers in hand, and toasted: “We’re going to make it.”
As we moved through that period, the decisions we made around people were some of the most important. Hiring Mark Menig helped establish a long-term product vision centered on quality and delivery. Hiring Stephen Hughes enabled us to expand globally with experienced leadership. Opening development in Curitiba gave us round-the-clock engineering capability and access to exceptional talent. Acquiring Inteligx allowed us to build the services and support infrastructure necessary to operate at scale. Praveen and Kishore built our Hyderabad operation into a cornerstone of the company, supporting nearly every function. James Rogers expanded our presence across APAC, strengthening both our client relationships and our global footprint. Over time, PureSpectrum evolved into a truly global organization with talented teams operating across five continents.
After expanding the company to five continents we realized that we had all the pieces in place to deliver excellence to our clients and partners. Our success to this point was driven by a challenger mentality and a passion for success. It became clear that the keys to success moving forward were centered around clearly defining our company culture in a way that was consistent no matter the geographic location while adaptable to local nuances. We formalized a concept that had been present since the beginning: PSX, the PureSpectrum Experience. PSX represents the alignment of our purpose, strategy, and culture. It defines how we build, how we operate, and how we work together.
Ten years in, PureSpectrum is stronger, more capable, and more prepared than at any point in our history. We have built global infrastructure, advanced technology, and a team capable of operating at scale. At the same time, the opportunity ahead remains significant. The research industry continues to evolve, and the importance of reliable supply, consistent quality, strong technology, and a differentiated experience continues to increase. These areas will define our next phase. We will continue to invest in strengthening our supply infrastructure, advancing our quality systems, building technology that improves delivery and efficiency, and ensuring that the experience of working with PureSpectrum remains a defining advantage.
When I wrote that first check in December of 2015, I did not know exactly how the journey would unfold. There were challenges, setbacks, and moments of uncertainty, but those experiences shaped the company we have become. Ten years represents an important milestone, but it also represents the beginning of the next phase. We are positioned to continue building, improving, and expanding what PureSpectrum makes possible. The work ahead is clear, and we are ready for it.