The Echo Nest - powering intelligent digital music applications

Jim Lucchese (CEO)

Jim has worked in digital music strategy and corporate development for about 10 years.

Before The Echo Nest, Jim was a music lawyer at Greenberg Traurig, specializing in music and digital media deals. Clients included multi-platinum and independent artists, music publishers, digital entertainment companies and branded entertainment. Prior to GT, Jim held sales and corporate development positions at Hughes, where he managed market development and sales with annual revenues exceeding $20 Million. Jim was also Chief Strategy Officer of Webnoize/DMN, a digital entertainment research and advisory company serving over 500 clients.

Jim holds a B.A. from Boston College and a J.D., Magna Cum Laude, from the Georgetown University Law Center.

When he’s not at the Nest, Jim plays drums and still represents a few indie artists pro bono for fun. (jim[AT]echonest[DOT]com)

Brian Whitman, Ph.D. (Co-Founder & CTO)

Brian is recognized as a leading scientist in the area of music and text retrieval and natural language processing.

He received his doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2005 in Machine Listening and a masters degree in Computer Science from Columbia University's Natural Language Processing Group. His research links community knowledge of music to its acoustic properties to "learn the meaning of music."

Brian is an electronic musician that teaches computers how to do it for themselves. (brian[AT]echonest[DOT]com)

Tristan Jehan, Ph.D. (Co-Founder & CTO)

Tristan earned a doctorate in Media Arts and Sciences from MIT in 2005. His academic work combined machine listening and machine learning technologies in teaching computers how to hear and make music.

He first earned an MS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from the University of Rennes in France, later working on music signal parameter extraction at the Center for New Music and Audio Technologies at U.C. Berkeley. He has worked with leading research and development labs in the U.S. and France as a software and hardware engineer in areas of machine listening and audio analysis.

Tristan plays keyboards for Boston-based Brazilian combo Brazilnut and builds software and interactive projects for musicians. (tristan[AT]echonest[DOT]com)

Antonio Rodriguez (Matrix Partners General Partner)

Antonio is a General Partner at Martrix Partners. Antonio loves disruptive products almost as much as the entrepreneurs behind them, and happened to get lucky enough to enter the technology industry as the commercial Internet began to redefine entire industries.

With 15 years of operating experience as an engineer, manager, CEO, and founder, he is eager to partner with entrepreneurs looking to make a dent in the universe. Most recently, Antonio was CTO of HP’s consumer Imaging and Printing division where he led a wide array of projects in the areas of mass customization, e-reading, mobile platforms, and next generation web platforms for content consumption.

He came to HP through the acquisition of Tabblo, where he was founder and CEO. Tabblo, a Matrix-backed company, was a high-end photo site focused on bringing together the viral nature of online content publishing with the high margins of digital printing.

Prior to that, Antonio held a variety of engineering, product, and business development roles at MyPublisher (currently the leading photo book manufacturer in the US), abuzz Technologies (acquired by the New York Times), and the Boston Consulting Group.

Antonio has graduated from Harvard University, with an AB in Social Studies and from Stanford University MBA and graduate studies in Computer Science.

Elliot Katzman (Commonwealth Capital Ventures General Partner)

Elliot Katzman is a general partner of Commonwealth Capital Ventures. Elliot has more than 25 years of high-technology experience and has been instrumental as a venture backer, founder, and hired executive in building some of New England’s most successful software companies. He focuses his investment activity in software, internet-related and new media companies. Prior to joining Commonwealth, Elliot was a general partner at Kodiak Venture Partners where he served on the boards of companies like Watchfire, Newforma and Spaceclaim.

Before becoming a venture capitalist, Elliot spent more than 20 years as a senior operating executive building four highly successful software companies. He founded and led Myteam.com, a direct marketing/new media company now part of the Active Network, where until recently, he served on the board of directors. Prior to Myteam.com, he was Senior VP and CFO at SolidWorks, where he led the merger with Dassault Systemes. As CFO of Atria Software, he led an IPO and a $1 billion merger with Pure Software, the largest software merger of its time. Earlier, Elliot served as CFO of Epoch Systems, where he had senior operational responsibilities and managed the company's merger with EMC. He was also an executive with Prime Computer during its significant growth phase in the mid-1980s.

Elliot really enjoys partnering with strong management teams, helping to provide leverage in areas like strategy, business model optimization, and strategic business development. In addition, Elliot has extensive experience working with first time CEOs. Elliot has been a senior executive or board member of over 20 early stage companies – 18 of which included first time CEOs.

Elliot holds a BSBA summa cum laude from Salem State College. He is also involved in a variety of community activities including the Board of Trustees of St. John’s Prep High School and the Board of Fellows for Trinity College.

Michael Brown (Line 6)

Michael Brown is Chairman of the Board of Line 6, the world’s leader in digital modeling used in guitars, electric guitar amplifiers, wireless microphones and other audio gear. Line 6 is among the top 20 music and audio companies by revenues. Michael joined the Board of Line 6 in 2004 and was elected Chairman in 2005.

Prior to Line 6, Michael was the Chairman and CEO of Quantum Corporation, a leader in the computer storage industry specializing in data protection, storage appliances and big data file management. During his tenure as CEO of Quantum (1995-2002), the company achieved record revenues of $6 billion as the world’s leader in disk drives for personal computers (1992-2001) and became the world’s largest tape drive business (1998-2002). Michael also led the company’s diversification into storage systems businesses, growing revenues in this area ten-fold. He joined Quantum in 1984 and continues to serve on Quantum’s Board.

Michael also serves as a director of Symantec Corporation, the world’s 5th largest software firm focused on security and storage software, and Mozes, a mobile marketing company that specializes in engaging fans at live events using mobile phones. Mozes customers include Live Nation Entertainment, all 3 major record labels and major touring acts such as Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts and others.

From 2003 to 2008, he served as chairman of venture-backed EqualLogic, a storage array company. Dell acquired EqualLogic in 2008 for $1.4 billion in the largest all-cash transaction ever for a venture-backed company up to that time.

Since 2007, Michael has served as a member of the President’s Advisory Council for the Berklee College of Music in Boston. In his spare time, Michael plays keyboards and manages the Wildcats, a classic rock dance band that has raised over $150,000 for Bay Area public schools.

Michael received his BA degree in economics from Harvard University in 1980 and his MBA degree from Stanford University in 1984. Michael is married, has two children and lives in Palo Alto, California.