Innovation Economy Advisory

I decode startup ecosystems for the people who fund, partner, and build.

I coach founders on the pitch, help corporate partners structure OEM relationships with startups, and design innovation programs for universities. Thirteen-plus years of pattern recognition from TechCrunch Startup Battlefield and Disrupt, applied across aerospace, defense, and deep tech.

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Who I Work With

Make the story match the substance.

In markets where relationships define access and context shapes outcomes, I provide the coaching, storytelling, and strategic direction that raise the yield on every opportunity.

Early & Growth Stage

Founders

Outside perspective before a raise, pitch, partnership, or public moment.

Identify and fix narrative gaps that stall rounds
Connect innovations to markets
Refine pitch structure, delivery, and narrative
Navigate high-stakes moments and Q&A

VCs, CVCs, Accelerators

Investors

Portfolio company not landing the room, or a pitch that hides deeper strategy issues.

De-risk the pitch before the room
Bridge technical depth and investor psychology
Sharpen story, delivery, and Q&A across a portfolio
Scale cohort coaching for demo days

OEMs & Corporate Partners

Enterprise Partnerships

Structured evaluation of startup and partnership opportunities against strategic priorities.

Grid and gap analysis of the partnership landscape
Startup funnel design and qualification
Story construction and internal buy-in training
Ongoing advisory through execution

Universities & Programs

Institutions

Program design, instruction, and partnership building for university innovation programs.

Curriculum design and delivery for applied innovation courses
Cohort mentorship for student and research teams
Building bridges between programs and outside partners
Event narrative and cohort storylines

Engagement Models

Three ways to work together.

1:1 Coaching

Rapid refinement for a specific fundraising round or a must-win partnership conversation. Every session sharpens the story.

Readiness Sprint

Intensive cohort preparation for demo days, pitch competitions, or investor showcases, with consistent quality across every founder.

Advisory Retainer

Ongoing, on-call pitch and partnership support for high-conviction portfolio companies or corporate teams during active raises, launches, or partnerships.

Photo

Track Record

Where this experience comes from.

The Aerospace Corporation

Strategic Advisor

Built startup engagement programs bridging dual-use technology and commercial investment. Curated and coached cohorts for the Space Transformation Summit, Spoon Bender Demo Day, and TechCrunch Disrupt Space Stage Pitchoff.

TechCrunch

Senior Global Commercial Partnerships

Coached hundreds of founders across 13+ years of Startup Battlefield and Disrupt programming. Trained annual cohorts of 60 to 100 startups on pitch structure, investor psychology, and competitive positioning.

UCSD · i4NS

Entrepreneur in Residence

Teaches applied innovation curriculum, connecting research teams with outside partners through a structured, cohort-based program.

Google Cloud NVIDIA NASA AWS Lenovo Atlassian Waymo J.P. Morgan VivaTech HumanX

Also On Stage

Working together isn't only 1:1. I judge, host, and moderate too.

Judge VivaTech Innovation of the Year Award, Paris

Host Google Cloud Pitchoff, HumanX 2025

Host Aerospace Pitchoff, TechCrunch Disrupt 2024 & 2025

Moderator NAB Artificial Humans Panel, 2024

Mentor Milken Prize, Africa

Speaker SXSW, 2020

Interviewer Elijah Allan-Blitz on "Remembering," the first AR short on OTT (Disney+), Infinity Festival 2022