CEO Steps Into Crisis, Builds 5-Time Inc. 5000 Winner

When a promising startup loses its founder, most investors walk away. Will Schmidt walked in.

Schmidt first met the Fire Rover team at a trade show in early 2018 while working at Pacific Western Bank. The Michigan company's industrial firefighting technology fascinated him enough to visit their Detroit-area headquarters, though he admits the company seemed too small for his usual investment scope.

Nine months later, founder Brad Gladstone passed away unexpectedly. What started as conversations about helping the company through a tough transition turned into Schmidt taking the CEO chair in fall 2019.

"The idea was hatched to flip from the side of investing and telling people what they should do to actually getting in the hot seat," Schmidt recalls. It was a bold career pivot from banker to tech CEO, but Fire Rover's mission pulled him in.

The company's technology tackles industrial fires with remarkable speed and efficiency. Thermal cameras, light sensors, and computer vision software detect fires early, while remote operators can release targeted suppression streams within minutes.

The system typically responds five minutes faster than traditional sprinkler systems, which need time for heat to build up and trigger them. That speed advantage translates to 88% less water used, meaning less damage to facilities and faster return to operations.

The Ripple Effect

Under Schmidt's leadership, Fire Rover has cracked the Inc. 5000 list five consecutive years. That growth means hundreds of industrial facilities now have better fire protection, protecting both workers and businesses from devastating losses.

The company's success shows how quickly responding to industrial fires prevents small problems from becoming catastrophes. Every prevented fire means jobs protected, operations running smoothly, and communities spared from industrial disasters.

Schmidt's personal story mirrors his company's mission: stepping in fast during a crisis can save everything.