Project MergePal
Project Description
This is an early-stage project that aims to build a location-based social networking website for embedded devices that provides users an intermediary for initiating social interaction with other users within vicinity.
Project Team
Douglas M. Hilling
Co-Founder; CEODouglas M. Hilling II is a Master of Business Administration Candidate at Carnegie Mellon University and a Juris Doctor Candidate at the University of Pittsburgh. He received his Bachelors of Science in Business Administration from Carnegie Mellon where his studies focused on manufacturing management and entrepreneurship. Professionally, he spends his summers working for large management consulting firms from around the world. His most recent work experience was with A.T. Kearney in Dubai, UAE where he assisted one of the world's largest petrochemical manufacturers implement a performance measurement system. In addition, he is an active associate at Keller Williams Realty. Prior to his graduate studies, he was a Business Technology Consultant at Deloitte where he worked on large scale systems integration projects. Outside of school and work, he is involved in real estate investment and entrepreneurial start-ups.
Jon Francis
Co-Founder; CTO
Jon Francis is a masters student in Electrical & Computer Engineering (ECE) at Carnegie Mellon University and a graduate researcher with the university's Intel Science & Technology Center for Embedded Computing. Additionally, he is as a graduate teaching assistant and researcher in the Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon and he serves as either CEO or CTO of various software start-up ventures.
His bachelor's degree, also in Electrical & Computer Engineering at Carnegie Mellon, focused on Embedded Systems and Robotics; his current research projects and graduate studies focus on Parallel/Distributed Computing, Wireless Networking Architecture/Security, and Robotics (localization, machine learning, and vision). Professionally, he has project management experience from (i) leading a multi-disciplinary embedded design team within a global defense contractor under high-profile government contracts, (ii) collaborating within a software development team at an executive branch agency of the United States government, and (iii) serving in chief executive capacities as a serial technology entrepreneur.
David Francis
Co-Founder; VP, Product DevelopmentDavid Francis develops software algorithms in the machine learning and pattern recognition branches of artificial intelligence. He is currently implementing commercial applications of these technologies with other researchers and entrepreneurs affiliated with Carnegie Mellon University. He received his Bachelors degree from Stetson University where his studies focused on Finance and Economics, with concentrations in portfolio management and quantitative finance. He is currently conducting pre-doctoral research in quantitative finance. He has seven years experience trading derivatives and foreign exchange spot for private investors and independent accounts. He is actively invested in and develops software for technology-oriented start-ups.