MindQuilt was founded by a team of search, database, and security experts as an internal project for global telecommunications giant, Vodafone. The MindQuilt team elected to spin the company out as a stand-alone enterprise and relocated to Austin, TX in mid-2010. Today, hundreds of companies around the world rely on the MindQuilt platform as a tool for enterprise question and answer, expert identification, and customer collaboration.

MindQuilt’s management team is comprised of former Vodafone, Yahoo, and Intel executives with deep domain expertise in enterprise search and database management. We are privately held and backed by an industry-leading advisory board from such notables as Oracle, Dell, Goldman Sachs and IBM.

Management

Larry Upton – CEO
Larry heads up MindQuilt’s executive planning and business development efforts. A serial entrepreneur, Larry has managed channel development efforts for two successful start-ups: Dantz Development (now EMC Insignia) and MessageOne (now Dell EMS). Larry is a fitness enthusiast, drinks cheap table wine, and pays a lot of college tuition.

Dan Damian – Co-Founder & CTO
Dan co-founded MindQuilt in 2010 while heading up software usability and interface design at Vodafone Prototypes and Concepts group. Having cut his engineering teeth at Level 7 Software, Dan now leads MindQuilt’s product development efforts and is responsible for system architecture, UI/UX design, and engineering management. Dan is an avid cyclist and the proud new father of a future Tour de France winner.

Frank Tate – VP of Business Development
Frank leads MindQuilt’s mid and long-term business strategy. A former music industry executive and owner/ founder in multiple businesses, including Super Franks Fun Adventure (launched on a dare from his beautiful wife). Frank drives business model innovation for MindQuilt. He loves his family, mountain biking, going to Maui, and watching the amazing Oakland A’s.

Jason Fink – Director of Product Marketing
Jason leads MindQuilt’s “go to market” programs and is responsible for website/collateral development, product documentation, and social media. Prior to MindQuilt, Jason founded and successfully exited a previous start-up, Chemtos. Despite his financial background, Jason actually has fun with CrossFit training and long fall afternoons watching Wisconsin Badgers and Green Bay Packers games.

Ken Danforth – Director of Strategic Accounts
Ken is responsible for developing new Fortune 500 account business. Ken has over 20 years of client-facing experience with such notables as KPMG, IBM, AT&T, Cigna, and HBO. Prior to launching his IT career, Ken spent a couple of years cracking heads as a NFL Free Agent Defensive Back (Jets & Raiders). In his spare time, Ken enjoys international travel, golf and swimming.