I'm currently working as a business planning and development consultant with Science2Games and UCSB to on a project to develop an online health avatar program. We’re working with the Cognitive Fitness & Innovative Therapies Center and a grant from the Alzheimer’s Association to build an online social network in which users interact via virtual avatars that visually and interactively reflect user’s health data.
More information coming soon...
Management Solutions
In 2009, while living in Vietnam, I was hired as a consultant by Thang Long Securities, the brokerage and financial services arm of the Military Bank of Vietnam. At Thang Long Securities I worked in a team with the three other Americans at the firm to create a new consulting and special research division called Management Solutions.
Together we crafted specialized market and equities research for some of our partnered investment funds, as well as worked on several internal projects to bring the firm up to international best practices. We also built a strong presence in the Vietnamese international business community, which boosted the image and reputation of our firm, as well as gave our new division access to many specialized partners for collaboration on consulting projects.
After some initial success we were able to expand our consulting team to eight people. Management Solutions is currently still operating as a division of Thang Long Securities and executing multiple contracts in the private and public sector.
In December 2008 I was hired as a consultant by CCRD, the Center for Community Health Research and Development in Vietnam, to help them write their business/strategic plan to present to their investors for their next round of funding.
The plan included:
executive summary
introduction
history of the organization
mission and vision
market analysis
industry analysis
development strategy
marketing plan
financial plan
challenges and alternatives
an ongoing plan for reviewing progress and updating strategy
Cliché Posters LLC was founded by me and Ian Cox in the summer of 2006. Its mission was to empower artists while bringing exciting new posters to the retail market. We seek out and build relationships with artists, license their art, and sell poster prints featuring their work. Our artists retain the copyright to their art, and make a 50% royalty on all profits generated from their work.
After four years of building this business, retailing posters through our website postersforhumans.com, vending on our college campus, art fairs, though local businesses, and trying to get poster publishers excited about carrying independent art, we were still never quite able to make the business profitable, so we've shut it down. Thanks to everyone who supported us, especially our artists.
A brief, and somewhat incoherent, article written about us: Independent.com
Nitride Solutions
Nitride Solutions was founded in the spring of 2008 by myself, Troy Baker, Bruce Allen, and Muriel Taylor. Using a proprietary growth technique developed by Shuji Nakamura at the Nitride Crystal Growth Laboratory at UCSB we are able to grow the world’s highest quality Aluminum Nitride Substrates. These will be used in the manufacturing of Ultra Violet LEDs and other optoelectronic semiconductor devices. Our breakthrough process technology will enable UV LEDs to have ten-x increase in efficiency and lifetime, further expanding the fast growing multi-billion dollar solid state lighting industry.
Our venture won first place in the National Collegiate Venture Forum S.E.E.D competition in March 2008, the first ever win for a University of California team. We then won the two top prizes and $15,000 at UCSB's College of Engineering New Venture Competition.
The company is now Aurora UV and is currently working on bringing in its series A venture funding. I am no longer actively involved in this project.
For more information contact Troy.Baker@AuroaUV.com
After four years of building this business, retailing posters through our website postersforhumans.com, vending on our college campus, art fairs, though local businesses, and trying to get poster publishers excited about carrying independent art, we were still never quite able to make the business profitable, so we've shut it down. Thanks to everyone who supported us, especially our artists. 