Tech on Tap February 2026 Recap
Duke Hartman on The Hero's Journey of Entrepreneurship
Our February 2026 Tech on Tap brought a special guest and an unforgettable founder story. Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann kicked off the evening by introducing Duke Hartman, cofounder and CEO of Integer Technologies, with a reminder of why entrepreneurship matters in our city.
The Mayor shared his own journey as an entrepreneur who started "with an idea on a napkin and a handful of credit cards," emphasizing the value of being connected to other founders who understand the journey. He also gave a shoutout to Tech Beans – one of first tech startup meetups in Columbia, where he showed up as a mayoral candidate years ago to support Columbia's emerging tech community. His message was clear: Columbia is creating exciting opportunities for tech entrepreneurs, and Integer Technologies is proof of what's possible here.
About Duke Hartman and Integer Technologies
Duke Hartman cofounded Integer Technologies in 2021 with Josh Knight, building a defense tech and software firm from their headquarters in Columbia, South Carolina. What started as a bootstrapped venture with partnerships through the University of South Carolina and government contracts has grown into one of the state's most remarkable success stories.
Integer's recent achievements speak for themselves:
#1 fastest-growing company in South Carolina in 2024
Top 100 on the Inc. 5000 list for 2025
35x growth in the last 3 years
Through their partnership with USC's College of Engineering and Computing, Integer tackles cutting-edge research on real-world problems for student engagement. Their work spans autonomous systems, digital engineering, AI-driven software, advanced manufacturing, power and energy systems, and robotics. The collaboration demonstrates Integer's commitment to advancing national security, defense workforce development, and strengthening South Carolina's knowledge-based economy.
But as Duke made clear in his presentation, the path to this success wasn't the glamorous journey you might imagine.
The Belly of the Whale: A Mythical Guide to One Founder's Adventure
Duke framed his founder story through the lens of Joseph Campbell's "Hero's Journey" – a narrative arc that appears across myths, legends, and stories throughout human history. "We are all the heroes of our own stories," Duke explained. "And in these times, we need heroes."
The Hero's Journey isn't just about adventure—it's about transformation. The hero leaves the ordinary world, faces trials, descends into darkness (the "belly of the whale"), and returns with something valuable to give back to their community. For Duke, this framework helped him make sense of the challenges, setbacks, and ultimate success of building Integer Technologies.
Start With Your Why
Before you can embark on any hero's journey, you need to understand your motivation. Duke challenged attendees to uncover their "why."
Is it family? Financial freedom? Escaping the "golden handcuffs" of trading time for money when you really want independence to focus on what matters most? Whatever your why, it becomes the foundation for setting meaningful goals and sustaining you through the inevitable hard times.
The Journey: Key Lessons from Duke's Path
When you're ready to commit, the mentors and ideas will come.
Duke emphasized that once you make the decision to move forward, support appears. The teacher shows up. The ground gets prepared. Places like the Boyd Innovation Center exist to provide that mentorship and community when you're ready to receive it.
Burn the boats when it's time to go all in.
Leaving a stable job for a startup isn't the path for everyone, Duke acknowledged. But if you've reached the point where it's time to fully commit, that "do or die" conviction becomes part of your competitive advantage. Total commitment changes how you show up every day.
Find partners and allies who complement your strengths.
Duke credited much of Integer's success to his cofounder, Josh Knight, who brought complementary skills and strengths to the partnership. A great cofounder isn't someone who thinks exactly like you – it's someone who fills in your gaps and challenges you to be better. The right partnership multiplies your capabilities in ways you can't achieve alone.
You will be attacked—keep going anyway.
Whether it's competitors, doubters, market challenges, or your own fear, obstacles are guaranteed. Duke described the "belly of the whale" moments: waiting for contracts to come through, dealing with customers who say they're in but haven't signed yet, the brutal waiting periods where you can't pay yourself to ensure your team gets paid and money stays in the business.
His advice? Keep going. One day at a time. One more call. One more email. One more hour of coding. One more pitch. Just do it today, and then tomorrow do it again. See what happens.
It doesn't take brilliance—it takes learning the rules.
Duke described himself as a "public school kid from Hawaii" to make a crucial point: you don't need an Ivy League education or exceptional genius to build something great. You need to learn how the rules work, stay persistent, and take action.
"Now is the time," Duke emphasized. "People are building products and companies faster than ever, with less experience and fewer resources than you have. So why not you?"
Return and Give Back
The Hero's Journey is meaningless unless the hero returns with something valuable to share with their community. Duke closed with a powerful reminder about the importance of giving back.
Five years ago, he was sitting in the crowd at a Tech Beans meetup with an early-stage startup, learning from other founders. Now he's on stage sharing his success story. "We have to keep giving back to keep the flywheel spinning," Duke said. "Help set the goals for the next person. Make the world a better place."
Integer Technologies exemplifies this commitment through their partnership with USC and other colleges & universities, creating pathways for students to work on cutting-edge projects that support national priorities while building the next generation of South Carolina's tech workforce.
Key Takeaways
Uncover your why before you start the journey. Your motivation will sustain you through the hardest moments.
Commit fully when you're ready. Half-measures don't work in entrepreneurship. When it's time to go all in, burn the boats.
Choose your cofounder carefully. Find someone whose strengths complement yours and who will challenge you to be better.
Expect the belly of the whale. Dark periods where everything feels impossible are part of every founder journey. Keep moving forward one day at a time.
You don't need to be exceptional—you need to be persistent. Learn the rules, take action, and don't wait for perfect conditions.
Give back to your community. The hero's journey is complete when you return with wisdom to share with the next generation of founders.
Duke's story is proof that extraordinary success can be built right here in Columbia when founders commit fully, partner strategically, persist through challenges, and contribute back to the ecosystem that supported them.
The hero's journey continues—and Columbia's tech community is here to support every founder brave enough to embark on it.
Want to be part of Columbia's innovation community? Join us at the next Tech on Tap on the third Thursday of each month at the Boyd Innovation Center or become a member of our community.
Photos by The Good Habit Photography.
What is Tech On Tap?
Tech on Tap is our monthly series bringing together Columbia's tech community for expert insights and real connections, every third Thursday from 5-6:30pm at the Boyd Innovation Center. Featured speakers share practical lessons from their founder journeys, followed by networking over drinks and light bites. It's where Columbia's tech founders, professionals, and future entrepreneurs gather to learn, connect, and grow.
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