Michael Zapata Is the executive chairman of Protochips, an analytical instrumentation company and executive chairman of ArrayXpress, a genomics services company. Michael was a faculty member and the founding Director of the Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Program at NC State University, the Associate Director of the Kenan Institute for Engineering, Technology and Science, and a consultant on commercialization programs throughout Asia and Europe. He has served as the Entrepreneur-in-Residence at NC State University and as a member of the Export Council. Michael helped found more than a dozen tech companies and has invested in dozens of startup companies throughout the world. He is a retired Lieutenant Colonel, having served as a US Army enlisted soldier then a combat Aviation Officer. He has worked for two government agencies and holds a MSM, MBA, and BSLSE from NC State University.
