Bio
Chuck's mission is helping entrepreneurs. He is an 8-times entrepreneur with 6 venture-backed exits, currently raising StartFast Fund III. His expertise is in AI and computer engineering. Chuck is an avid meditator, outdoorsman, coach, and former certified professional downhill ski instructor. He enjoys pickleball and cooking for a crowd. Chuck and Gyata live on 40 acres with two waterfalls in Cazenovia, NY. They have two grown children.
Additional professional background:
Chuck’s experiences:
1. Semiconductors: Coherent Research, Inc. commercialized the first AI accelerator chip in 1989 based on Chuck’s academic research with grants from NASA, DOE and New York State. The Coherent Processor was the fastest AI computer in the world and the chip architecture was acquired by Cypress Semiconductor.
2. Electric Utilities: Coherent Networks, Inc. built the first large-scale enterprise AI software solution, SmartMaps, which transformed the way electric utilities are managed. Combining neural networks, rule-based systems, human in the loop, SmartMaps was deployed nationwide. The company was acquired by and still operates as Osmose Utility Services.
3. Telecommunications: Steleus, Inc. acquired a French startup, built an international market, and launched the world’s first SMS Welcome application. Steleus’ quality of service solution was deployed by Verizon, Telmex, France Telecom, O2, T-mobile and many others. The company was acquired by Tekelec in 2004, where Chuck went on to head strategy and M&A, building the Steleus product line to > $100MM revenues. Later Tekelec was acquired by Oracle.
4. Internet: Chuck joined a turn-around team at venture-backed PacketExchange. The company was acquired by GTT in 2011.
5. Film & Media: Chuck founded RushTera, Inc in 2011 which operated profitably providing streaming, storage and collaboratio for filmmakers until July 2025.
6. Code School: StartFast Code operated for one year in Syracuse, NY, graduating 80 students, 80% of whom went on to professional work in the field.
7. Cybersecurity - AIS in Rome NY hired Chuck to run its Cybersecurity P&L with 145 engineers supporting National Security and launching new software products.
8. Health diagnostics - Chuck bought animal health startup Acumen Detection from SRC Inc. in 2019, grew the company, sold it to Dairy Farmers of America in 2020, and DairyOne in 2023.
9. Early stage venture capital: Chuck cofounded the StartFast Venture Accelerator which ran 9 cohorts from 2012-2020. StartFast Fund II (2021) continued the work as an early stage venture fund. StartFast Fund III will have its first close soon. We have helped underrepresented entrepreneurs in 12 sates and multiple countries.
