"Stan and I funded the first phase of the work ourselves. It was secret"

Martin Fleischmann's quote suggests that he and Stan moneyed the first phase of a project without anybody else's aid. This indicates that the job was of a private nature, and that they wanted to keep it a secret. This might mean that the project was of a delicate nature, or that they wanted to keep it under covers till they had actually accomplished a particular level of success. It could likewise suggest that they wished to keep the task far from the general public eye until they had a much better understanding of the results. Whatever the factor, it is clear that Martin Fleischmann and Stan wished to keep the job a secret till they had actually accomplished a specific level of success. This could be translated as an indication of their commitment to the task, and their desire to ensure its success.