Launch Momentum was founded by serial entrepreneur Mark Waite and scientist-engineer Dan Martin. Rounding out the team is David Hiatt a financial and operational expert who understands how to evaluate potential business opportunities and provide the direction they need for a successful launch. Together, they have more than 65 years of experience working for more than a dozen successful technology companies. Learn more about what we do.

Mark Waite is an engineer turned entrepreneur who knows how to build high-technology businesses and market complex, innovative products. He co-founded Launch Momentum with Dan Martin to help the Maine technology community transform ideas into successful businesses. His role at Launch Momentum is to evaluate potential business opportunities, and provide strategic business development and marketing expertise that will propel company growth.

Mr. Waite has more than 20 years of experience in the business, engineering, and marketing aspects of technology company development. Prior to starting Launch Momentum, Mr. Waite co-founded semiconductor company Extreme Packet Devices. As Vice President of Marketing and Business Development during EPD's start-up, he was instrumental in establishing corporate structure, developing and executing the product marketing plan and business development strategy. In 2000, Extreme Packet Devices was acquired by PMC-Sierra, Inc. (NASDAQ: PMCS.)

Prior to EPD, Mr. Waite held engineering, marketing, sales, and management positions with Toshiba America Semiconductor, Ring Medical, Analogic Corporation, Tau-tron/General Signal, and Frequency & Time Systems.

Mr. Waite received his BS in Electrical Engineering and Technology with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Maine in 1982 and is a member of the Institute for Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).

Mr. Waite is a member of the Board of Directors for Stillwater Scientific Instruments, and serves on Governor Baldacci's Science & Technology Advisory Council.

Dr. Martin is a technical visionary who solves complex problems and points development teams in the right direction. He co-founded Launch Momentum with Mark Waite to help the Maine technology community transform ideas into successful businesses. His role at Launch Momentum is to evaluate potential business opportunities, and provide engineering insight in both product development and team management.

Dr. Martin is a senior engineer with extensive experience in analysis and software development for navigation systems, image processing, tracking systems, data fusion, optimal estimation theory, and control. He combines experience with real-time software development/testing with experience as principal investigator and task leader on various projects.

As part of the Launch Momentum team working with Stillwater Scientific Instruments, Dr. Martin provided technical management to Stillwater's team of scientists and engineers. He has also delivered technical contributions in software development, algorithm development and DSP architecture. Prior to Launch Momentum, Dr. Martin was the initial principal investigator of the Distributed Control Evaluation System (DISCO), lead software developer on a Multiplatform Tracking Simulator project, and co-principal investigator for Multiplatform Reference Frames for Integrity Systems and the Air Force Research Laboratory. Dr. Martin has experience with commercial software development, image processing, and a variety of navigation systems development with companies including Alphatech, Scientific Systems, and Intermetrics. He has worked in-house at Raytheon and IBM, and has managed a Boeing Phantom Works subcontract team.

Dr. Martin received his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Boston University in 1993, and his Bachelor of Science in Engineering Physics from the University of Maine in 1976.

Dr. Martin is a past chairman of the Maine Section of the IEEE. He has taught university engineering classes as an adjunct lecturer at Boston University and the University of Southern Maine.

David Hiatt is a broadly experienced technology executive who knows how to develop capital structures and transactions, implement financial and business operations, and build technology companies. He has joined Launch Momentum to help the Maine technology community transform ideas into successful businesses. His role at Launch Momentum is to evaluate potential business opportunities and provide financial and operational expertise to launch enterprises.

Mr. Hiatt is a proven executive with more than 25 years of experience in high technology companies. He has an extensive background in domestic and international operations, corporate transactions, financial management, and administration. Prior to joining Launch Momentum, Mr. Hiatt was Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at Anacomp, Inc., a $300 million public company in the document services industry. He served as Chief Financial Officer at Anacomp prior to becoming its COO.

Before joining Anacomp, Mr. Hiatt was Senior Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer for Molecular Simulations Inc., which provides complex drug-discovery software to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. As Chief Financial Officer, Mr. Hiatt took MSI through the public offering process and then its merger with Pharmacopoeia (NASDAQ: PCOP). Prior to his six years at MSI, he was Vice President, Finance and Administration, and Chief Financial Officer at Language Technology Inc. He holds an M.S. in finance from M.I.T.'s Sloan School; and an M.S. in computer science and a B.S. in mechanical engineering from M.I.T.