Wilson, Mel

For over 20 years he has had a knack for using marketing and technology in concert and has been doing so in the marketing, communications, finance, and technology industries. In his current role, as Founder of Solve Innovation Group, he continues to do so having developed key guidance on tech equity and bias, powering virtual events, and championing diversity, investment, and innovation in the martech, biotech, and adtech sectors.

Prior to this, he ran strategy and research for IPG’s global media think-tank, IPG Media Lab and helped prove that consumer behavior, location, and value are just as important as algorithms and data to the development of media and technology products.

In his career he has held a variety of media and strategy leadership roles across agencies, clients, and investment firms building solutions by betting on and building on things that don't seem to go together for success.

He has worked on hundreds of brands like: Bank of America, Mastercard, Lockheed Martin, HSBC, US Army, Google, Unilever, Carol’s Daughter, and Ford Motor Company; and brought successful tech brands/products to market.  He also is responsible for bringing several tech brands and new products to the US over the last few years with several others focused on measuring attention/emotion, connected car, m-commerce, and the internet of things.

As a speaker, advisor, and investor he looks forward to creating more diverse funding sources for startups and maker communities, developing diverse and bias free digital/martech ecosystems, connecting local governments and corporations to them.

He is passionate about developing solutions that help creative positive business and social outcomes and has raised millions of dollars over the last few years to further these efforts.