Meet
the Team
the faces of
Launch Factory
We are a team of explorers, thinkers, and builders. Startups are our passion and their success is our daily mission. We bring together experience as founders, managers, and investors to create meaningful opportunities for experienced and aspiring entrepreneurs alike.
Launch Factory Team
Brad Chisum
Partner
Brad is the former CEO and co-founder of Lumedyne Technologies, a MEMS Inertial Sensor company acquired by Google.
Prior to Lumedyne, Brad held engineering and management positions at the U.S. Space and Naval Warfare Defense Systems Command (SPAWAR), and with semiconductor manufacturer STMicroelectronics.
Brad holds four patents and three degrees: an MBA from San Diego State University, a B.S. Electrical Engineering and B.S. Mathematics from Southern Methodist University.
James Hereford
Partner
James previously served as the Chief of Staff for the Technology Engineering division of Google’s Hardware Product Area.
Prior to Google, James held engineering, program management, and business analyst positions at ION Geophysical and Chevron Technology Ventures.
James holds three degrees: an MBA from Rice University, an M.S. in Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University, and a B.S. in Multidisciplinary Studies – Physics from the University of Oklahoma.
Alessandro Rinaldi
Principal
Alessandro previously held roles as an operator and founder in enterprise software and consumer goods start-ups.
He currently leads our ideation efforts and due diligence into new business opportunities.
Alessandro graduated from Stanford Graduate Business School in 2018. He also holds a Master’s Degree in International Management (Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) and a B.S. in Business Administration and Information Systems (Northeastern University).
Gail Mosse
Strategic Advisor
Gail is a highly experienced Silicon Valley attorney who serves technology clients through periods of growth, transition, and globalization.
Her work includes substantial privacy and security counseling, helping her clients adopt cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning programs. Gail has worked in-house in B2B software and B2C tech companies and presently operates her solo legal consultancy practice, which has been active for 10+ years serving clients such as Netflix, LinkedIn, and Yahoo. Additionally, she has served as an independent Director of Lawyers’ Mutual Insurance Company (LMIC) for 6+ years.
Gail received her B.A. in Economics and Political Science and J.D. from Stanford University.
Andy Ballester
Entrepreneur in Residence
Andy Ballester is a co-founder of GoFundMe, the world’s largest online fundraising platform, and a technology mentor and advisor.
Prior to GoFundMe, Andy served in senior management and founder positions at several companies, including Create a Fund and California Product Shop.
He also volunteers as a Mentor with the EvoNexus incubator, Techstars Anywhere Accelerator, and Ad Astra incubator where he helps multiple startups and their founders navigate product development.
Andy holds a B.A. in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Ken Potashner
Strategic Advisor
Ken has vast executive and board experience in high growth, high tech global organizations, including several companies that achieved Billion+ valuations.
He has served as a director in the US and in Asia of eight public company boards in addition to numerous private boards. Ken was most recently Chairman of Newport Corporation (NEWP), which was sold in 2016 for $980M to MKS Instruments. Previously, Ken served as the CEO and Chairman of Maxwell Technologies (MXWL) and Sonicblue (SBLU). When away from the office, Ken is running, hiking, biking, skiing, snowboarding or on some form of danger-infused adventure travel.
Ken has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Lafayette College and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Southern Methodist University.
Robert Phillippy
Strategic Advisor
Robert Phillippy is an independent consultant, advising technology companies on a range of strategic, operational, and organizational issues.
He previously served as the President, Chief Executive Officer, director, and board member of Newport Corporation acquired by MKS Instruments. He currently serves on the boards of three publicly held companies – ESCO Technologies, Kimball Electronics and Materion Corporation; and in advisory/board roles for selected private equity and emerging technology companies.
Robert has over 35 years of experience in technology-related industries, including various sales and marketing management positions at Square D Company, now part of Schneider Electric.
Robert holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Linda Spain
Strategic Advisor
Linda previously served as the Chief Financial Officer at Visualase, Inc., which was acquired by Medtronic in July of 2014.
Her board of directors experience includes Lasergen, Inc. and Lumedyne Technologies. Much of her career has been transaction-oriented – M&A, business development, supply chain – and includes transactions ranging from under one million to over one billion dollars.
Linda holds a BA from Rice University.
Mark Schmid
Strategic Advisor
Schmiddy is a serial product inventor & multiple patent holder in the action sports & consumer products spaces.
He is personally responsible for putting over 4 million professional skateboards and related accessories under the feet of skateboarders worldwide and has deep manufacturing, marketing, product design, brand launch, & supply chain management knowledge.
Kumar Kilambi
Accelerator Operations Manager
Kumar focuses on supporting our portfolio companies during incubation and coordinating other areas of internal operations.
He received a B.S. in Business Management Entrepreneurship from San Diego State University.
Kieran Jha
Innovation Analyst
He received a B.A. in Economics and Digital Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California
Brad Chisum
Partner
Brad is the former CEO and co-founder of Lumedyne Technologies, a MEMS Inertial Sensor company acquired by Google.
Brad holds four patents and three degrees: an MBA from San Diego State University, a B.S. Electrical Engineering and B.S. Mathematics from Southern Methodist University.
James Hereford
Partner
James previously served as the Chief of Staff for the Technology Engineering division of Google’s Hardware Product Area.
Prior to Google, James held engineering, program management, and business analyst positions at ION Geophysical and Chevron Technology Ventures.
James holds three degrees: an MBA from Rice University, an M.S. in Predictive Analytics from Northwestern University, and a B.S. in Multidisciplinary Studies – Physics from the University of Oklahoma.
Andy Ballester
Entrepreneur in Residence
Andy Ballester is a co-founder of GoFundMe, the world’s largest online fundraising platform, and a technology mentor and advisor.
Prior to GoFundMe, Andy served in senior management and founder positions at several companies, including Create a Fund and California Product Shop.
He also volunteers as a Mentor with the EvoNexus incubator, Techstars Anywhere Accelerator, and Ad Astra incubator where he helps multiple startups and their founders navigate product development.
Andy holds a B.A. in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Alessandro Rinaldi
Principal
Alessandro previously held roles as an operator and founder in enterprise software and consumer goods start-ups.
He currently leads our ideation efforts and due diligence into new business opportunities.
Alessandro graduated from Stanford Graduate Business School in 2018. He also holds a Master’s Degree in International Management (Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore) and a B.S. in Business Administration and Information Systems (Northeastern University).
Ken Potashner
Member, Board of Directors
Ken has vast executive and board experience in high growth, high tech global organizations, including several companies that achieved Billion+ valuations.
He has served as a director in the US and in Asia of eight public company boards in addition to numerous private boards. Ken was most recently Chairman of Newport Corporation (NEWP), which was sold in 2016 for $980M to MKS Instruments. Previously, Ken served as the CEO and Chairman of Maxwell Technologies (MXWL) and Sonicblue (SBLU). When away from the office, Ken is running, hiking, biking, skiing, snowboarding or on some form of danger-infused adventure travel.
Ken has a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Lafayette College and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Southern Methodist University.
Gail Mosse
Strategic Advisor
Gail is a highly experienced Silicon Valley attorney who serves technology clients through periods of growth, transition, and globalization.
Her work includes substantial privacy and security counseling, helping her clients adopt cutting-edge artificial intelligence and machine learning programs. Gail has worked in-house in B2B software and B2C tech companies and presently operates her solo legal consultancy practice, which has been active for 10+ years serving clients such as Netflix, LinkedIn, and Yahoo. Additionally, she has served as an independent Director of Lawyers’ Mutual Insurance Company (LMIC) for 6+ years.
Gail received her B.A. in Economics and Political Science and J.D. from Stanford University.
Robert Phillippy
Strategic Advisor
Robert Phillippy is an independent consultant, advising technology companies on a range of strategic, operational, and organizational issues.
He previously served as the President, Chief Executive Officer, director, and board member of Newport Corporation acquired by MKS Instruments. He currently serves on the boards of three publicly held companies – ESCO Technologies, Kimball Electronics and Materion Corporation; and in advisory/board roles for selected private equity and emerging technology companies.
Robert has over 35 years of experience in technology-related industries, including various sales and marketing management positions at Square D Company, now part of Schneider Electric.
Robert holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Northwestern University – Kellogg School of Management and a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin.
Linda Spain
Strategic Advisor
Linda previously served as the Chief Financial Officer at Visualase, Inc., which was acquired by Medtronic in July of 2014.
Her board of directors experience includes Lasergen, Inc. and Lumedyne Technologies. Much of her career has been transaction-oriented – M&A, business development, supply chain – and includes transactions ranging from under one million to over one billion dollars.
Linda holds a BA from Rice University.
Mark Schmid
Strategic Advisor
Schmiddy is a serial product inventor & multiple patent holder in the action sports & consumer products spaces.
He is personally responsible for putting over 4 million professional skateboards and related accessories under the feet of skateboarders worldwide and has deep manufacturing, marketing, product design, brand launch, & supply chain management knowledge.
Kumar Kilambi
Accelerator Operations Manager
Kumar focuses on supporting our portfolio companies during incubation and coordinating other areas of internal operations.
He received a B.S. in Business Management Entrepreneurship from San Diego State University.
Kieran Jha
Innovation Analyst
He received a B.A. in Economics and Digital Entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California
Portfolio advisors
Alan Gardner
Advisor for OmniSync
Arthur Levy
Advisor for OmniSync
Chris d'Eon
Advisor for Productified
Sam Riehn
Advisor for OmniSync
Will Groah
Advisor for Privatyze
Adrian Pelkus
Advisor for Productified
Brian Fried
Advisor for Productified
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