I first got involved with CoMotion because there is so much exciting work happening at UW, and it felt like a meaningful way to help those innovations to get from the lab into the real world. I have mentored teams in structured programs and one-on-one advising, and enjoy helping technical founders think more broadly about commercial and technical risks, funding, and the path to market. What I value most is that I learn something new from every team I work with.

Working with Color Space Bio has been especially rewarding. I was first paired with the team through the Innovation Gap Fund, where customer discovery led to an important pivot. What began as a highly technical idea aimed at a limited market was reshaped into a solution that was broadly usable and addressed a real need. For the inventor, it was an “ah ha” moment when he realized that what might not become the next Science paper could instead solve a real problem for many customers, be easier to deliver, and form the basis of a strong business. In Plan for Launch, I was able to spend more time with the inventor as he built on that insight and developed a concrete plan to bring the product to market. It has been rewarding to watch the progress from an early sketch of an idea to something now well on its way to becoming a real business.

In grad school, a few friends and I turned making T-shirts in dorm rooms into a small business at a time when selling online was still rare. We were scattered across the country, with one teammate even living in Panama, and all of us immersed in graduate programs, but we still managed to make it work for a while. I learned hard lessons about inventory and production, and even saw big retailers copy our designs, which told us we were on to something. Our simple goal was to one day spot a stranger wearing one of our shirts, and when it finally happened, I called it a success. In the end, our science and medical careers won out, though I still keep an eye out, hoping to spot one again.

For over a decade I worked in global health on initiatives funded by Bill Gates, and I have always admired how he applies his intellect and resources to tackle problems that matter. More recently, listening to Acquired’s series on Microsoft gave me a deeper respect for his journey. The story of how the company began showed the value of iterating with limited resources, finding revenue models that work, and leveraging partnerships to grow. It also underscored the importance of timing, spotting trends, and balancing big thinking with realism.

Outside of work, I spend as much time as possible outdoors, whether skiing, mountain biking, or getting out on rivers. I share these adventures with my almost nine-year-old son, and I coach many of his sports. Helping entrepreneurs stay focused is one challenge, but keeping a team of eight-year-olds on task is another. I don’t always succeed at either, but I keep trying.