Rocky Kahn

Rocky Kahn

Systems Architect & Scientist

About

Systems architect and technology executive with extensive experience leading teams in high tech startups as CTO, Product Planner, Architect, and Technical Program Manager.

Currently serving as a project lead and scientist focused on the development of carbon offset/removal protocols to promote biochar production, co-composting, and field applications. I sponsor research through All Power Labs in Berkeley, CA and Modena, Italy.

Background: Over 14 years architecting cloud enterprise IT platforms to reengineer business processes. Subject matter expertise in intellectual property law, document processing, augmented cognition, and mechatronic systems.

Civic Architecture

Beyond my commercial work, I operate as an independent Civic Strategist, applying systems-thinking to public challenges. My goal is to identify structural optimizations in both legal frameworks and physical infrastructure.

Contact for Policy Inquiries

For academic collaboration or policy matters:
[Click to reveal email]

Experience

Chief Executive Officer | Olivann

Mar 2013 – Present | Alameda, CA

I lead the strategic and technical operations of Olivann, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to environmental restoration and humanitarian support. My role is strictly focused on:

  • Technical R&D: Leading research into pyrolysis-based technologies (biochar/bio-asphalt) for carbon sequestration and soil health.
  • Restoration Ecology: Managing a California North Coast field site.
  • Human Services: Overseeing programs that provide services to individuals suffering from trauma.

Note: Olivann is a research and service organization. My work at Olivann is non-partisan and distinct from my independent civic strategy activity.

Visit Olivann.org →

Founder & CTO | Edyt

Oct 2005 – Present | San Francisco Bay Area

Executive Leadership: Led customer discovery and business development, earning a $10M product license and $4M in service contracts. Secured $1.75M in NSF grants as Principal Investigator.

Technical Architecture: Architected novel case management systems deployed into production at the European Patent Office (EPO). Proposed examination solutions for the USPTO providing rapid image display and semantic propagation between PDF and XML formats.

Director of Engineering | Vapore Inc.

Dec 2003 – Oct 2004 | Richmond, CA

Managed engineering for a high-tech ceramics startup. Architected characterization systems requiring optical sensing, high-power electronics, and precision fluid metering. Directed in-house manufacture and testing of systems for international markets (Korea, Japan).

Founder & CEO | Tactility Inc.

May 2000 – Dec 2003 | San Francisco Bay Area

Founded a mechatronics research company specializing in human-machine interface design. Marketed novel automated haptic technologies to senior management at Panasonic and Omron (Japan). Guest lectured on robotics at UC Berkeley Engineering school.

Senior Member of Technical Staff | Hewlett Packard Labs

Nov 1995 – Mar 2000 | Palo Alto, CA, Bristol, UK & Greeley, CO

Prominent contributor to the Capshare untethered, solid-state scanner. Transferred technology and implemented navigation algorithms as ASIC cores as part of a $40M development effort. Invented optical microscopy navigation systems later transferred to Microsoft & Logitech, used in billions of optical mice.

Patents & Intellectual Property

Inventor on 18 patent families across document engineering, mechatronics, and imaging.

Document Engineering & Semantics
US 9,098,479 Navigation Among Controlled Terms
US 7,983,961 Marketing Profiler Preserving User Privacy
US 2011/0258538 Capturing DOM Modifications (App)
PCT/US2019/020170 Document Viewer Aligning PDF and XML (App)
US 2011/0167381 Contextual Document Map (App)
Imaging & Optical Navigation
US 7,365,771 GB 2375913 Bispectral Camera with Target-Locating Ability
US 6,856,356 Strobe Flash Photographic Illumination
US 6,259,826 Image Processing Method (Tessellated Reconstruction)
US 6,249,360 Image Scanning Device and Method
GB 2374482 Wearable Transmitting/Receiving Device
EP 1022608 Camera with Projection Viewfinder
US 2002/0149681 Automatic Image Capture (App)
US 2001/0050875 Portable Information Capture Device (App)
Mechatronics & Biofeedback
US 7,303,534 Rotating Firmness Sensor
US 6,911,012 Friction Massage Stroke
US 6,770,043 Hydrotherapy System with Translating Jets & Water Pervious Support
US 6,752,772 Manipulation Device (Streaming Kneading & Dynamic Intensity)
US 6,669,649 Buoyancy Breath Monitor

Education & Service

Stanford University

MS, Mechanical Engineering (Mechatronics) | Smart Product Design Lab

BS, Electrical Engineering | Computer Hardware

The Dalton School | High School Diploma


Board Member | Real Industry

Apr 2013 – Dec 2019

Co-founded initiatives to incubate academic research spinouts in collaboration with the National Science Foundation. Launched the "Real Startup" university entrepreneurship program and led initiatives bringing technology industry leaders to recruit at non-elite colleges and universities.