Adam Hesch, on emotional resilience, the entrepreneurial journey, and the value of veterans in startups

Adam Hesch is a US Navy veteran with a passion for the intersection between veterans and technology. In March of 2015 he joined UPLIFT Aeronautics as the social media manager and head of the digital fundraising team, where he led the effort that raised over $35,000 via the IndieGoGo crowdfunding platform. UPLIFT Aeronautics is a non-profit based out of Stanford, California that is developing humanitarian aid delivery drones (featured on the BBC, NPR, Washington Post, Fast Company, and more).  Adam actively networks to build meaningful relationships with veterans across industry, with a focus on tech. To this end, he has attended the TechStars Patriot Boot Camp; Stanford Graduate School of Business Post-9/11 Veterans IGNITE program; VetTechTrek tech-immersion trip; and has been a speaker at the Defense Entrepreneurs Forum. He is also learning iOS app development via the bloc.io veteran’s scholarship, and helps with business development for stubble & stache, a veteran-owned beard care company (featured on CNN and Washington Post) where 15% of proceeds go to veterans struggling with the mental wounds of war.  In the Navy he was a surface warfare officer and graduate of the US Naval Academy, the Defense Language Institute, Navy Dive school, and Army Mountain Warfare school.