Scott Lipsky
   

 

 

 

 

Scott Lipsky Scott Lipsky Scott Lipsky Scott Lipsky

Biography

Scott Lipsky is a Seattle-based serial entrepreneur and investor, responsible for launching, financing, growing and leading many startups and successful companies. His experience includes key roles at Amazon, aQuantive, Barnes & Noble and Gamestop.

Beginning at the age of 16, Scott was early in the tech space where he began developing apps before apps were on the world’s radar. He designed and wrote custom software in the emerging PC market, while continuing his self-education and work in tech and business.

In 1987, he joined Babbage's - now GameStop (GME), the 7200+ location international retail chain - to launch and lead their IT department as CTO when the company was only 16 stores big, and beginning to grow exponentially. While there, he architected and built the world's first entirely "PC-based" distributed-computing platform to be used by any major retail chain to run its whole operation.

With the successful innovations at GameStop, and with interest from other major retailers for his distributed computing platform, Scott launched Omni Information Group in 1991. Omni quickly became a leader in the retail technology solutions sector, winning major clients including Barnes & Noble.

In 1994, Scott joined NY-based Barnes & Noble (BKS) as CTO of its retail and college bookstore divisions. He was responsible for technology strategy, development and operations for the chain during their period of explosive growth - when the "big box" retail took hold in America.

In 1996, Scott met Jeff Bezos. Together they quickly agreed that Scott should join the fledgling Seattle-based startup Amazon.com (AMZN) as its Vice President of Business Expansion, where Scott played a leading role in the early explosive growth of the fastest-growing business in history. He was responsible for business development, strategic planning and more for what would become the global megastore.

Scott then co-founded Avenue A | Razorfish (aQuantive) and served as its Chief Technology Officer. aQuantive rapidly became the world's leading digital marketing technology and services company, helping advertisers and ad agencies build, market and grow their businesses and brands. The company was sold to Microsoft in 2007 for $6 billion (at that time Microsoft's largest acquisition ever). Scott was responsible for the architecture, development and operation of aQuantive's extensive proprietary technology platform - as well as for aQuantive's R&D lab which focused on mobile, interactive TV and other emerging digital content & advertising platforms.

In 2003, Scott founded GalleryPlayer - a leading provider of high definition imagery and technology for the explosive flat screen TV markets. The company invented this new content category, licensing the world's best imagery from major multi-national brands and building content distribution technologies. GalleryPlayer deployed and distributed to customers by many world class partners including Google, Microsoft, Comcast, Panasonic, Mitsubishi and Samsung.

Scott then created PhotoRocket in 2009 - a revolutionary and unique photo sharing concept - when photography first moved to phones.

Scott continues to launch projects in both tech and entertainment, currently including development of a mobile contextual search platform, and a new television series.

Since arriving in the Pacific Northwest in 1996, Scott has been funding companies and mentoring entrepreneurs & emerging technology companies. He speaks at universities and conferences on launching and building successful startups, and is on the board of the Seattle International Film Festival. Additionally, Scott was co-founder of Lot 47 Films, a NY-based independent film distribution company. And in 2016, Scott was an Executive Producer on Garry Marshall's film, Mother's Day (starring Julia Robers, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson and Jason Sudeikis). For three years Scott served on the board of Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. He was also a founding owner of 509 Wines, a boutique Washington winery.

Scott's personal interests and activities include flying, hiking, world travel, photography, food and music.

(scott can be reached via email by writing to: web at lipsky dot net)