Founders’ Reflections: Phil Spratt on the Start-up Journey
As part of our #DeltabaseTurns6 celebrations, we’re publishing a series of reflections from the team. It’s a chance to pause, take stock of what we’ve built together, and look ahead to what’s next. In this post, Co-Founder Phil Spratt shares his honest take on the journey of building a startup through uncertain times—and what keeps him motivated.
Building a category-defining business from scratch is a privilege—not unlike becoming a parent for the first time. You can prepare all you like, but the reality hits harder, faster, and more intensely than anything you imagined. At Deltabase, that reality hit early.
We launched the business in mid-2019, and less than a year later, the pandemic changed everything. Navigating Covid-19 as a new company was hard. Add in rising energy prices, inflation, and global uncertainty—and we had to learn quickly how to lead, adapt, and stay focused.
What’s carried us through is a mindset of agility and resilience. We didn’t just ride out the storm—we pivoted when we needed to, tested new offerings, and worked closely with our early adopters to refine our value. From intelligence for M&A and private equity to supporting corporate strategy, our use cases expanded rapidly. We weren’t just building a product—we were building an ecosystem of insight that had real relevance in changing times.
One thing that’s stood out to me is how often our intelligence gets used in moments of strategic importance. Whether it’s a PE firm making a £200m investment decision, a transformation lead reshaping an organisation, or a leadership team benchmarking themselves against industry disruptors—our Workforce Intelligence and Culture Intelligence products have made a tangible difference.
That’s what gives me the most satisfaction. The data, the automation, the tech—these are all essential. But it’s the impactthat matters. Every time we hear from a customer that a key decision was influenced by our insight, it reminds me that all the pressure, all the complexity, is worth it.
The road hasn’t been easy, and the challenges will keep coming. But if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that momentum doesn’t come from avoiding turbulence—it comes from leaning into it, together. And as we look toward the next six years, I believe Deltabase is only just getting started.
To every partner, client and Deltabaser who bet on us—thank you. The real story isn’t what we’ve shipped, it’s what you’ve built on top of it.
– Phil Spratt, Co-Founder
Phil Spratt
http://deltabase.ioPhil has 18 years of management consulting experience, helping the world’s leading companies achieve transformational change. His vision for Deltabase is rooted in his deep understanding of how intelligence shapes corporate success.
