Rory Laitila, cofounder of Wilmington-based software development startup itr8group, must really want that Delaware Innovation Award his company’s weekly newsletter has been nominated for.
The startup is currently building some new software called SyncQL, a SQL database platform designed for third-party API integrations for business applications. But itr8group is not doing it traditionally. Instead, Laitila is documenting the entire build publicly via a new video series appropriately dubbed “The Road to SyncQL.”
Laitila has set a six-week deadline for the build, intentionally falling on the first day of Delaware Innovation Week. Needless to say, we’re flattered.
Laitila said that every post will have a one-minute introduction overviewing the build’s progress, followed by in-depth 3-5 minute videos on product development, business development and technology. There will also be supplemental content showcasing innovation in technology in Wilmington.
Laitila said the idea was born on a walk to his headquarters at the coIN Loft.

“The itr8minute has been really successful and continues to get interest long after a post is released, and we were thinking of how we could start to build a community prior to the product actually being launched,” said Laitila. “The idea struck me to detail the entire product creation process from start to finish, then when I realized we had just a couple of months until Delaware Innovation Week, it seemed the obvious opportunity to set a deadline.”
The result, said Laitila, a “crazy idea” to publicly build the core software in six weeks — regardless of whether the process succeeds or fails.

Here’s the first video from the series:

Check out the full series