Co-founding CEO at Eridan Communications, a private technology company developing a next-generation RF transceiver technology that is enabling for 5G goals of bandwidth efficiency, power efficiency, and dynamic spectrum access from VHF through 6GHz and higher.

Founding General Partner of InnerProduct Partners (IPP), a San Francisco based early stage VC firm. IPP is a specialized fund manager focused on an underserved market for early-stage U.S.-based hardware technology companies in IT, Materials, Energy, and Healthcare. IPP creates value for entrepreneurs and limited partners by investing in compelling commercial opportunities that align with urgent needs of non-dilutive capital sources. In addition, the IPP team, which combines broad technical and industry experience, actively deploys with entrepreneurs to accelerate technology de-risking and the delivery of disruptive products to market. This disciplined approach benefits both founder-entrepreneurs and investors, enabling the rapid commercialization of new technologies and superior financial returns.

Co-founding CEO at BlackPak Inc., a private technology company developing innovative packaging solutions for natural gas fuel sources. BlackPak, together with its partners, ATMI, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATMI) and SRI International, sought to develop adsorbed natural gas storage systems for automotive and commercial applications with a target system-level energy density greater than 6 MJ/L at 500 psi pressure. Based on advances in engineered nano-porous materials, the technology enabled natural gas to be stored in containers with a variety of shapes, sizes and configurations.

Partner in leading cleantech firm with over $4B under management. Dr. Kirkpatrick’s investment focus areas included solar, biofuels, lighting, and energy storage. VantagePoint focused on selecting best-in-class investment opportunities and strategic partnerships with multinationals to facilitate rapid transition and market entry of emerging technologies. VPCP is a stage-agnostic investment firm with spanning seed to late-stage rounds. Dr. Kirkpatrick's primary focus was on the early to middle stage of a company's development where he could contribute his broad and deep experience with harvesting technological advances and driving to first product release.

Program Manager and Chief Scientist, Strategic Technology OfficeAdvocate, architect and director for >20 technology development and integration programs spanning a range of technical disciplines and maturation levels. Established technology objectives to drive time-to-market urgency and define the technology vision, aligned technical approaches to leverage operations, resources, and capabilities, provided financial program management and, working in tandem with end-use customers developed transition plans to define the intersection of technology and applications resulting in a more robust pipeline of DoD opportunities. Regularly provided executive level briefings to senior DoD leaders. Simultaneously managed over a dozen major program efforts with a total program portfolio in excess of $500M, annual outlays averaging $100-200M/yr, and totaling over 500 personnel spread across more than two dozen companies. In each of these program efforts he led and managed the entire product development cycle from idea, to funding, to execution, to transition to the market, and ultimately – to product.Key programs included BioFuels (including the first demonstration of drop-in JP8 equivalent fuel from coconut oil), Cellulosic and Algal Biofuels, Solid State Lighting (LED flashlights, ship-board LED lighting), Very High Efficiency Solar Cell, Cognitive Technologies Threat Warning System, Urban Photonic Sandtable Display, and Micro-Biological Synthesis Systems.

Led the R&D and product development activities of a startup lighting company attempting to transition novel rf-excited lighting technologies to the general lighting and display technology application sectors.

Started, staffed, and managed a small division of the company developing advanced materials and materials systems and their applications to defense, health science, and energy systems.