Franklin Baitman
Mr. Baitman joined Nobska Group as a Partner in January 2002 and has joined the General Partner as a Venture Partner. Mr. Baitman has extensive experience in developing business strategies for both small and large companies, with a particular emphasis on employing technologies to create new business designs, to enable operational efficiencies, and to deliver breakthrough value to customers. Mr. Baitman has consulted with numerous Global 2000 enterprises, leading venture capital firms, and high-technology start-ups, to build value-adding strategic relationships around emerging technologies.
He frequently speaks on emerging technology topics, and has led 'brainstorming' sessions for British Petroleum, P&G, Hewlett Packard, and other companies on the potential opportunities and risks of emerging technologies in their businesses. Mr. Baitman served as a Director with the Institute for the Future in 2005; IFTF is a non-profit think tank based in Palo Alto, California. Mr. Baitman continues as an affiliate to IFTF, where he advises Fortune 100 clients on developing a recurring process for innovation, and on creating a pipeline to generate new growth.
Previously, Mr. Baitman was Director of Corporate Strategy for IBM in Armonk, NY. Mr. Baitman was responsible for identifying new growth opportunities for IBM globally. For instance, Mr. Baitman helped to launch IBM's Life Sciences solutions unit that provides core technology, solutions, and services to the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Mr. Baitman also led a global team from IBM in identifying and assessing technological trends that could enable new business opportunities for the company; one result of this effort was the refocusing of IBM's 'pervasive computing' strategy on mobile and productivity solutions. Earlier, Mr. Baitman created and led a marketing team in IBM's TJ Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY; this group commercialized "disruptive" technologies and evaluated emerging market requirements for select industry sectors. His team made use of qualitative research techniques to assess the opportunity for emerging technologies, including short-range wireless, pen and speech-based computing, and telemetry and embedded systems.
As Director, Technology Policy for government consulting firm, DynCorp, Mr. Baitman developed innovative public-private partnerships between small and medium-sized U.S. companies, and Sandia, Los Alamos, and Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories; Mr. Baitman also assisted in drafting the Federal Technology Transfer Act to provide for Cooperative Research and Development Agreements.
Mr. Baitman began his career in public policy; he has consulted for US Government clients on policy matters including national security, nuclear nonproliferation and international affairs. He holds a Masters of Public Management, in International Affairs and National Security Policy, from the University of Maryland at College Park and a Bachelor of Arts cum laude from the State University of NY at Albany. He was awarded a Fulbright scholarship for economic research in Sri Lanka. Other educational activities have included Advanced Licensing and Intellectual Property Institute, Franklin Pierce Law Center, and IBM's Global Executive Program. Mr. Baitman is a Member, IEEE and he serves as an Advisory Board Member of The Economist's Economic Intelligence Unit. Mr. Baitman has also been a faculty member for the Columbia University Business School's "Senior Executive Program;” his lectures have focused on integrating forecasting methodologies into corporate strategy, and exploring the practical implications of technology on business and society.