For David Menasche and Hamiltonian Group, the average workday isn’t so average, by most measures. It’s spent on the cutting edge of R&D and technology.
We spoke with David to learn more about what Hamiltonian Group does, the most rewarding aspects of his work, and the advice he’d give to aspiring startup founders looking to build a successful business.
Can you tell us a bit about Hamiltonian Group?
Hamiltonian Group is a research and development consulting firm. Our objective is to develop new ideas and technology for clients who can use it to improve their businesses.
I’m a PhD physicist by trade and I originally started the company in 2016 as a vehicle for me to do some subcontracting for research groups within the US Air Force Research Laboratory.
This led to what Hamiltonian Group does today. For our materials research clients, we create 4D data sets which combine X-ray diffraction, micro computed-tomography, and other techniques to monitor and study materials under stress, high temperatures, and other conditions. We then publish these data so that other academics can use them to understand fundamental material properties and hopefully create better materials. The idea is that if you understand how damage accumulates in a material, you can manipulate its structure to mitigate it.
Take additively manufactured (3D-printed) materials, for example. As this fabrication process becomes more widely adopted, it’s important to ensure that the build piece will perform properly, not just look right. Just because it looks the way you want it to look doesn’t mean it’s going to have desirable properties.
You can think of the work we do as 21st century blacksmithing—just from a fundamental science perspective.
What are the most rewarding aspects of your work? The most challenging?
In my mind, the most rewarding and challenging elements are one in the same: taking technology and techniques developed at the cutting edge of the research sphere and then applying them in the ‘real world’ for commercial clients.
For instance, we’ve been able to perform some artificial intelligence research during our tenure with the Air Force Research Lab. One of our current challenges is applying AI-assisted computer vision to meet the needs of a client who will autonomously detect and flag tripping hazards—on sidewalk surfaces, for instance.
Taking our research work and applying it in a commercial setting is both challenging and extremely rewarding.
What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned since you founded Hamiltonian Group?
On the business operations side, we’re still a startup. And I’ve learned that a big part of being successful in that is to be scrappy and adaptable.
So, we’re always looking for ways to adapt to the current environment. In fact, in that spirit, we’ve developed and launched a new consulting program called the Data Attaché Program, where we’re offering data science services to small businesses that are currently in a growth phase or about to enter one.
Through this program, we’ll be able to offer analytics services to businesses that are rapidly changing so that they can access the same kind of business intelligence that is available to major tech startups.
What advice or learnings would you share with others looking to build a tech startup?
Well, speaking of adaptability, that’s one big piece of advice I’d offer: be adaptable. Listen to what your peers and the business world want as far as services and do your best to adapt to meet those needs.
Beyond that, I was fortunate enough to teach a few physics courses at a university here, and one thing that stood out to me while I was creating course content is that there are so many amazing videos, resources, and tutorials out there to help you learn almost anything these days.
A big part of operating in the academic sphere is using existing resources to learn what you need to learn. So, I’d also advise people to use all the resources that are available to them. I believe that any person with a good work ethic and some commitment could learn a lot about technology independently.
As many new technologies as there are out there today, there are an equal number of resources available to help you learn them.
What has your experience been with working at Launch Workplaces?
My experience at Launch has been so positive, and that’s not always the case in flexible offices. I was looking at ways to upgrade my office, found Launch, and knew right away it was a fit based on the energy in the building and the staff and people who were already there.
So far, I’ve been able to connect with other Launch members who are at another level in their willingness to share their experience and expertise. I’ve made a lot of connections, but I’ve also made real friends.
And the staff here are also in a different league in terms of how helpful and friendly and supportive they are. It’s an awesome atmosphere.
Could your small business benefit from data science?
If so, get in touch with David at Hamiltonian Group today. He and his team are on a mission to bring the power of data science to small businesses.
And if you’d like to learn about our flexible office services or to book a tour of one of our Launch Workplaces locations, contact us today. Our team is here to help and answer any questions you might have.
