Leaving Big Tech to Scale a STEM Startup

Phillips, 42, founded Stemnetics in 2014 while living in Michigan, running the company alongside his work at the Michigan Science Center to maintain financial stability for his family. When his wife’s career necessitated a move to Los Angeles in 2022, Phillips secured a role within Amazon’s $1 billion Industrial Innovation Fund. The position required him to scout startups capable of enhancing fulfillment and supply chain logistics, an environment where he absorbed core leadership principles like customer obsession and working backward from a stated goal.

Despite the professional growth, the pull of his own venture remained strong. While watching a game at a bar, a conversation with a school principal regarding a new STEM lab sparked a realization that Stemnetics was ready for expansion. He resigned shortly after, trading the corporate security of Big Tech for the uncertainty of scaling his own curriculum. Today, the company operates across California and Michigan with over 35 employees and 30 active programs. Phillips now manages the logistics of his startup from a dedicated office, having successfully surpassed his former Amazon earnings while focusing on his primary mission: fostering critical thinking and resilience in students.