Chip Herndon
I turn ideas into products that work. I’ve built startups, lead interdisciplinary teams, and launched impactful products that achieved measurable success.
Now, I lead product at BuildSuite, building AI-driven solutions that actually move the needle for manufacturers.
Craft
Building great products is an obsession. I'm guided by the belief that the smallest detail can create the most profound results.
Thoughts
A collection that might make you think, or at least make you nod politely :)
Experience
Product Manager
BuildSuite
2024 - Present
Led the development of EntryIQ, guiding it through initiation, execution, and iteration using Agile methodologies. This advanced system automates the extraction of complex, nested data formats from unstructured sources such as text, emails, and files, transforming operations for manufacturers. Key achievements include:
MVP Development: Designed and built the minimum viable product (MVP) through iterative sprints, translating concepts into a scalable solution.
AI Protocol Innovation: Created Purkinje, a proprietary AI protocol inspired by the Purkinje neuron, achieving up to 90% automation in processing unstructured data.
Brand and Platform Creation: Developed BuildSuite’s brand identity and website, establishing a cohesive and professional market presence.
Customer Impact: Delivered a tailored solution for a $100M customer, addressing inefficiencies and generating a projected $100K in annual cost savings.
This project reflects the culmination of my neuroscience studies and entrepreneurial endeavors, blending academic rigor, Agile practices, and practical innovation to deliver measurable value for customers.
Product Manager
BuildSuite
2024 - Present
Led the development of EntryIQ, guiding it through initiation, execution, and iteration using Agile methodologies. This advanced system automates the extraction of complex, nested data formats from unstructured sources such as text, emails, and files, transforming operations for manufacturers. Key achievements include:
MVP Development: Designed and built the minimum viable product (MVP) through iterative sprints, translating concepts into a scalable solution.
AI Protocol Innovation: Created Purkinje, a proprietary AI protocol inspired by the Purkinje neuron, achieving up to 90% automation in processing unstructured data.
Brand and Platform Creation: Developed BuildSuite’s brand identity and website, establishing a cohesive and professional market presence.
Customer Impact: Delivered a tailored solution for a $100M customer, addressing inefficiencies and generating a projected $100K in annual cost savings.
This project reflects the culmination of my neuroscience studies and entrepreneurial endeavors, blending academic rigor, Agile practices, and practical innovation to deliver measurable value for customers.
Product Manager
BuildSuite
2024 - Present
Led the development of EntryIQ, guiding it through initiation, execution, and iteration using Agile methodologies. This advanced system automates the extraction of complex, nested data formats from unstructured sources such as text, emails, and files, transforming operations for manufacturers. Key achievements include:
MVP Development: Designed and built the minimum viable product (MVP) through iterative sprints, translating concepts into a scalable solution.
AI Protocol Innovation: Created Purkinje, a proprietary AI protocol inspired by the Purkinje neuron, achieving up to 90% automation in processing unstructured data.
Brand and Platform Creation: Developed BuildSuite’s brand identity and website, establishing a cohesive and professional market presence.
Customer Impact: Delivered a tailored solution for a $100M customer, addressing inefficiencies and generating a projected $100K in annual cost savings.
This project reflects the culmination of my neuroscience studies and entrepreneurial endeavors, blending academic rigor, Agile practices, and practical innovation to deliver measurable value for customers.
Program Director
Bruin Entrepreneurs Summer Venture Initiation Program
2022 - 2023
As one of four directors of the Bruin Entrepreneurs club, a 1,000+ member student organization, I led our flagship 8-week summer venture program, bringing together 60+ selected students from UCLA, UC Berkeley, and MIT to launch 12 startups. My responsibilities included:
Team Leadership: Managed a team of six board members to plan and execute the program from start to finish.
Mentorship: Provided bi-weekly guidance to teams, refining their business strategies, pitches, and execution.
High-Impact Recruitment: Secured three top Silicon Valley venture capitalists to serve as judges for demo day.
Brand and Platform Development: Designed the program’s website and established branding for cohesive communication.
The program culminated in a demo day attended by investors and startup leaders. It produced one startup developing security software for UCLA and another that raised $2.5k in pre-seed funding only 12 weeks after the program began. This experience honed my ability to lead projects, manage cross-functional teams, and foster innovation under tight deadlines.
Program Director
Bruin Entrepreneurs Summer Venture Initiation Program
2022 - 2023
As one of four directors of the Bruin Entrepreneurs club, a 1,000+ member student organization, I led our flagship 8-week summer venture program, bringing together 60+ selected students from UCLA, UC Berkeley, and MIT to launch 12 startups. My responsibilities included:
Team Leadership: Managed a team of six board members to plan and execute the program from start to finish.
Mentorship: Provided bi-weekly guidance to teams, refining their business strategies, pitches, and execution.
High-Impact Recruitment: Secured three top Silicon Valley venture capitalists to serve as judges for demo day.
Brand and Platform Development: Designed the program’s website and established branding for cohesive communication.
The program culminated in a demo day attended by investors and startup leaders. It produced one startup developing security software for UCLA and another that raised $2.5k in pre-seed funding only 12 weeks after the program began. This experience honed my ability to lead projects, manage cross-functional teams, and foster innovation under tight deadlines.
Program Director
Bruin Entrepreneurs Summer Venture Initiation Program
2022 - 2023
As one of four directors of the Bruin Entrepreneurs club, a 1,000+ member student organization, I led our flagship 8-week summer venture program, bringing together 60+ selected students from UCLA, UC Berkeley, and MIT to launch 12 startups. My responsibilities included:
Team Leadership: Managed a team of six board members to plan and execute the program from start to finish.
Mentorship: Provided bi-weekly guidance to teams, refining their business strategies, pitches, and execution.
High-Impact Recruitment: Secured three top Silicon Valley venture capitalists to serve as judges for demo day.
Brand and Platform Development: Designed the program’s website and established branding for cohesive communication.
The program culminated in a demo day attended by investors and startup leaders. It produced one startup developing security software for UCLA and another that raised $2.5k in pre-seed funding only 12 weeks after the program began. This experience honed my ability to lead projects, manage cross-functional teams, and foster innovation under tight deadlines.
Co-Founder
Chatterbox
2022 - 2022
Co-founded Chatterbox, a social media app designed to create location-based chat communities, enabling users to connect and engage with those around them in real time. From concept to launch, I led the initiative by designing the app’s UI/UX, creating prototypes, forming strategic partnerships, and managing the development process to deliver a seamless, intuitive user experience. Key achievements include:
Fundraising: Secured $6,000 in funding from angel investors and UCLA, maximizing impact within a lean budget.
Go-To-Market Strategy: Launched a viral campaign that generated over 4 million views across social platforms and drove 2,000 sign-ups within three days.
Strategic Partnerships: Partnered with UCLA’s student body government to showcase Chatterbox at their club fair and events, significantly boosting visibility and adoption.
Recognition: Attracted interest from a major social media platform through M&A discussions and received media coverage highlighting the app’s innovation and early traction.
Due to limited resources, I spent four months actively promoting the app on UCLA’s campus, handing out cookies and coffee to incentivize downloads and build momentum. Ultimately, I was unable to overcome the cold-start problem, but the experience taught me invaluable lessons in perseverance, resourcefulness, and the importance of understanding and navigating project constraints to deliver impactful solutions.
Co-Founder
Chatterbox
2022 - 2022
Co-founded Chatterbox, a social media app designed to create location-based chat communities, enabling users to connect and engage with those around them in real time. From concept to launch, I led the initiative by designing the app’s UI/UX, creating prototypes, forming strategic partnerships, and managing the development process to deliver a seamless, intuitive user experience. Key achievements include:
Fundraising: Secured $6,000 in funding from angel investors and UCLA, maximizing impact within a lean budget.
Go-To-Market Strategy: Launched a viral campaign that generated over 4 million views across social platforms and drove 2,000 sign-ups within three days.
Strategic Partnerships: Partnered with UCLA’s student body government to showcase Chatterbox at their club fair and events, significantly boosting visibility and adoption.
Recognition: Attracted interest from a major social media platform through M&A discussions and received media coverage highlighting the app’s innovation and early traction.
Due to limited resources, I spent four months actively promoting the app on UCLA’s campus, handing out cookies and coffee to incentivize downloads and build momentum. Ultimately, I was unable to overcome the cold-start problem, but the experience taught me invaluable lessons in perseverance, resourcefulness, and the importance of understanding and navigating project constraints to deliver impactful solutions.
Co-Founder
Chatterbox
2022 - 2022
Co-founded Chatterbox, a social media app designed to create location-based chat communities, enabling users to connect and engage with those around them in real time. From concept to launch, I led the initiative by designing the app’s UI/UX, creating prototypes, forming strategic partnerships, and managing the development process to deliver a seamless, intuitive user experience. Key achievements include:
Fundraising: Secured $6,000 in funding from angel investors and UCLA, maximizing impact within a lean budget.
Go-To-Market Strategy: Launched a viral campaign that generated over 4 million views across social platforms and drove 2,000 sign-ups within three days.
Strategic Partnerships: Partnered with UCLA’s student body government to showcase Chatterbox at their club fair and events, significantly boosting visibility and adoption.
Recognition: Attracted interest from a major social media platform through M&A discussions and received media coverage highlighting the app’s innovation and early traction.
Due to limited resources, I spent four months actively promoting the app on UCLA’s campus, handing out cookies and coffee to incentivize downloads and build momentum. Ultimately, I was unable to overcome the cold-start problem, but the experience taught me invaluable lessons in perseverance, resourcefulness, and the importance of understanding and navigating project constraints to deliver impactful solutions.
Education
Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience
University of California, Los-Angeles
2020-2024
Developed interdisciplinary expertise in neuroscience, spanning molecular interactions to systems-level analysis of cognition and neural behavior. This deep understanding of the brain informs my decisions across all areas of work and life, often guiding me when building with AI or analyzing and predicting user behavior.
Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience
University of California, Los-Angeles
2020-2024
Developed interdisciplinary expertise in neuroscience, spanning molecular interactions to systems-level analysis of cognition and neural behavior. This deep understanding of the brain informs my decisions across all areas of work and life, often guiding me when building with AI or analyzing and predicting user behavior.
Bachelor of Science in Neuroscience
University of California, Los-Angeles
2020-2024
Developed interdisciplinary expertise in neuroscience, spanning molecular interactions to systems-level analysis of cognition and neural behavior. This deep understanding of the brain informs my decisions across all areas of work and life, often guiding me when building with AI or analyzing and predicting user behavior.
Awards & Features
Rough Draft Ventures
$100k Pitch Competition Finalist
2023
Rough Draft Ventures
$100k Pitch Competition Finalist
2023
Bruin Ideas Competition
Finalist (Rewarded $1k)
2022
Bruin Ideas Competition
Finalist (Rewarded $1k)
2022
Connect
Reach me at @chipherndon or cherndon@ucla.edu