Benzinga | Jun 11, 2021 02:27AM EDT

EXCLUSIVE: Butterfly Network, Quantum-Si Founder Talks Products, Technology, SPAC Route On 'SPACs Attack'

Digital health company Butterfly Network Inc (NYSE:BFLY) went public via the special purpose acquisition company Longview Acquisition Corp (NYSE:LGVW) in February.

Now the protein sequencing company Quantum-Si is set to go public via special purpose acquisition company HighCape Capital Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ:CAPA) following a recent merger approval.

Dr. Jonathan Rothberg, the founder and chairman of the board of Butterfly Network and founder of Quantum-Si, appeared on Benzinga's YouTube show "SPACs Attack" for an exclusive interview Thursday.

Both Butterfly Network and Quantum-Si are building on a $3-trillion semiconductor foundation to "change the ways things are done," Rothberg told Benzinga.

The people who work at the two companies are the best in the world at what they do because they are driven by passion, he added.

Rothberg On Butterfly Network: The company offers the world's only single-probe, whole-body handheld device, powered by ultrasound-on-chip technology.

The convenience of the Butterfly Network product is what differentiates it from anything else, Rothberg said.

Butterfly's medical imaging products are defined by cost reduction and universal characteristics, he said

Moving from zero to one and being the world's first embodies Butterfly Network, he said, adding that the company aims to change the standard of care.

5G is critical to the company because a fast connection is necessary for the successful use of augmented reality technology, Rothberg told Benzinga.

Rothberg On Quantum-Si: DNA sequencing is the process of decoding genetics in order to understand what will occur in the future, Rothberg said.

If one wants to know what is happening in his or her body related to complex diseases, it is critical to understand how proteins in the body are functioning, he said.

Quantum-Si is digitizing the ability to analyze proteins, the CEO told Benzinga. The ability to analyze proteins digitally allows for the universal analysis of proteins, he said.

The company aims tounderstand proteins on the ultimate level of sensitivity, on a chip using artificial intelligence, Rothberg said.

Companies involved in proteomics complement each other as opposed to competing with each other, he said.

SPAC Notes: The SPAC route offered the best funding and partnership opportunities for the two companies, Rothberg said.

"As a platform, you need application," he said, adding that the SPAC route offered the necessary resources.

Butterfly Network is actively traded on the New York Stock Exchange after successful completion of its SPAC merger. The Quantum-Si SPAC merger was recently approved. The combined company will be listed on the Nasdaq and trade under the ticker symbol "QSI."

BFLY, CAPA Price Action: Butterfly Network has traded as high as $29.13 and as low as $9.20 since it went public in February.

HighCape Capital Acquisition Corp has traded as high as $25 and as low as $9.85 since its IPO.

Butterfly Network lost 0.98% Thursday, closing at $14.20, while HighCape Capital Acquisition Corp. gained 1.23% to $10.68.

Listen To The Interview Here