EP 116: How M&A, Product Innovation, and Family Legacy Built a $100M Industrial Platform

<p>Drew Allen didn’t start Grace Technologies — he inherited it.</p><p><br></p><p>But stepping into a family business isn’t just a continuation. It’s pressure: legacy, expectations, and the challenge of evolving something that already works without breaking it.</p><p><br></p><p>In this episode, Drew shares what it’s really like taking over as CEO of a family-founded industrial tech company, and the mindset shift required when preservation meets reinvention.</p><p><br></p><p>From international experience in Hong Kong to leading a U.S. Midwest manufacturing and safety tech business, he breaks down how Grace Technologies evolved from a traditional engineering firm into a full-stack industrial innovation platform.</p><p><br></p><p>At the core of it all is a bigger question: How do you make a “boring business” not boring, and why does that transformation matter more than it seems?</p><p><br></p><p>Why It Matters:</p><p>This isn’t just a family business story; it’s about turning inherited structure into a system that can innovate.</p><p><br></p><p>Drew shows that scale isn’t only driven by capital or speed, but by control of technology, clarity of vision, and building systems that evolve faster than the market.</p><p><br></p><p>In industrial sectors — safety, manufacturing, infrastructure — most people overlook that adaptability can be the difference between downtime and danger.</p><p>----------------------------------</p><p><strong>Raising capital?</strong></p><p>Get a list of vetted VCs for FREE here:<a href="https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders"> </a><a href="https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=EP+116&utm_campaign=%24100M+Exits"><u>https://web.thunder.vc/list-of-investors-vcs-for-founders?utm_source=YouTube&amp;utm_medium=EP+116&amp;utm_campaign=%24100M+Exits </u></a> </p><p><br></p><p>Get the latest fundraising insights, news, and tips:</p><p><a href="https://blog.thunder.vc/funding-101?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=EP+115&utm_campaign=%24100M+Exits"><u>https://blog.thunder.vc/funding-101?utm_source=YouTube&amp;utm_medium=EP+116&amp;utm_campaign=%24100M+Exits  </u></a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>ABOUT DREW ALLEN </strong></p><p>Drew Allen is the CEO of Grace Technologies, where he leads the development and global distribution of innovative industrial technologies. A recipient of the National Association of Manufacturers’ 2020 Next-Generation Leadership Award, Drew has built his career around business development, international sales, product innovation, and family business leadership.</p><p><br></p><p>Beyond Grace Technologies, Drew also serves as CEO of Percev, LLC and sits on the advisory board of Atom Power, bringing a strong passion for technology, product design, and scaling impactful businesses worldwide.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>You can reach out to Drew through:</strong></p><p>LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/allendrew/"><u>https://www.linkedin.com/in/allendrew </u></a></p><p>Website: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Egraceport%2Ecom&urlhash=wiIt&isSdui=true"><u>https://www.graceport.com </u></a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p><strong>ABOUT JASON KIRBY</strong></p><p>Jason Kirby is the co-founder of Thunder, a tech-enabled investment bank helping founders reach their ideal target outcomes through capital strategy and M&amp;A. </p><p><br></p><p>He is a serial entrepreneur with four exits and decades of experience in fundraising, M&amp;A, and business building. In his career, he has coached hundreds of entrepreneurs on fundraising, investing, capital strategy, M&amp;A, and business development. He’s transacted over $135M, and his firm Thunder has transacted over $200M+</p><p><br></p><p><strong>You can reach out to Jason through:</strong></p><p>Email: jason@thunder.vc</p><p>LinkedIn:<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/"> <u>https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/</u></a></p><p><br></p><p><br></p>