Techson Leadership
Luke Barbin
Co-Founder, CEO
Licensed attorney, IP data expert, and IP business development executive with over 14 years of IP industry experience, including over six years of legal practice. After college, Luke was an R&D engineer in a Fortune 500 medical device company. Luke has launched and pioneered several successful IP research & data services, and is a recognized thought leader in IP with a proven track record of significant revenue growth in multi-million dollar IP research and data businesses. Luke, the native Texan on the executive team - was born in Galveston, and raised in Waco. He calls Waco home (again) where he & Tara are raising their daughter and son. He’s named an IAM Top 300 Strategist 2019-2024.
Chris Mulkey
Co-Founder, COO
Chris is a licensed patent attorney with extensive patent research project delivery, training, and management experience with over a decade in Intellectual Property research, software programmer, and post-grad scientific researcher at Northwestern University. Chris has conducted, managed, and delivered over $12.0 million in IP research comprised of thousands of projects for customers that include AM Law 100 firms and Fortune 500 companies. He completed his undergraduate degree in Biomedical Engineering at Washington Univ. and his JD from University of Colorado School of Law. Chris lives in Las Vegas with his wife and three children. Named IAM Top 300 Strategist 2019-2024.
David Nickelson
Vice President of Research
David specializes in the management, execution and delivery of patent and intellectual property research projects for clients in the patent research field while managing patent research resources and training of new employees. David secured a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and his JD from University of Miami. David splits his time between his home in the Orlando, Florida-area and then summers in White Fish, Montana. He is an avid outdoorsman and competitive hand cyclist. His backyard is Glacier National Park in the summers. Ask him to share some of his breathtaking photos and stories of his back country adventures. Named IAM Top 300 Strategist 2023-2024.
Tom Hochstatter
Co-Founder, President
Tom is a 30 year technology & sales executive with the most recent 17 years focused on building technology solutions for the Legal Services & IP industry. Prior to Techson, he was the Chief Strategy Officer for a patent monetization firm where he closed millions of dollars in sales. He also sold his last tech firm, idealAsset – the “match.com for IP” to that same firm in 2016. Previously, he split his career time among the F500 – Boeing, Microsoft, IBM, Yahoo & technology start-ups. He’s an active investor & board member for numerous companies and non-profits. He is a named inventor and been named a Top 300 IP Strategist by IAM Magazine 2014-2024. He resides in Austin with his wife & has three grown sons.
Investors and Board of Directors
Dan Clarke, Distinct Capital Group
Techson Board Director
Distinct Capital Group is a specialist in hyper-growth businesses and is guiding the finances of Techson.
DCG was the lead investor in Techson’s most recent funding round. DCG’s investment principals have taken an active role in Techson’s day-to-day operations providing guidance and access to net new market opportunities.
Brian Donnellan, Fidelis Info Systems
Techson Board Director
With 18 years experience in information technology, Brian formulates Fidelis' corporate strategy, fosters relationships across the food service industry and directs the team on product development. Brian is a Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Kansas and a Longhorn Scholar at the University of Texas where he received his Masters in Business Administration.