SW Engineering · Product Marketing · AI Infrastructure

I build things
and tell their stories

20+ years across engineering and product strategy. I code, I architect, and I take products to market. AI tools accelerate the build — the product thinking is still hands-on.

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About

build meets ship

Rick Allen

I've spent two decades in roles that don't usually overlap — someone who can follow the engineering, understand what's actually being built, and translate that into messaging and strategy that lands. At startups that meant wearing every hat. At larger companies it meant bridging the gap between teams.

I code, I architect, and I use AI tools to move faster. The product decisions, the tradeoffs, the positioning — that's still where the work is.

Currently working on AI memory elasticity at Phison. Previously at NVIDIA, Lambda Labs, Corsair, and ASUS. Hack Reactor for the engineering foundation.

20+
Years
10+
Companies
2
Skill Sets
Projects

What I've built

The problem · the tool · the product
AIRAGMulti-Model

Marketing Intelligence Platform

Built to solve a real problem: how do you validate that AI workloads actually create memory pressure under production conditions? This isn't a mock or a simulation — it ingests real competitive data (CES 2026 corpus, 87 documents), swaps live between Llama 3.1 and LLaVA on demand, and streams telemetry as the memory pressure builds in real time. The engineering was the means, not the point. The point was proving that multi-model AI workloads genuinely stress GPU memory in ways the market hasn't fully reckoned with yet. FastAPI backend, WebSocket streaming, RAG with context pruning, crash detection tied to real swap deltas.

GitHub
PythonFastAPIReact 19TypeScriptOllamaChromaDBRAGWebSocketLlama 3.1LLaVApsutilVite
AI Resource Estimator
AIInfrastructureWIP
↗

AI Resource Estimator

A VRAM and performance calculator for LLM inference pipelines. Not a toy — it models KV cache scaling, multi-GPU topology, CPU offload penalties, quantization tradeoffs, and multi-stage pipeline orchestration (RAG, vision, agentic workflows). Built because I needed to understand memory pressure before I could demo it. Live on Vercel, roadmap in the repo.

GitHubLive
TypeScriptReactViteVRAM ModelingKV Cache
ShadowForge
AIRPGConsumer
↗

ShadowForge

Converts D&D 5e adventures into Shadowdark RPG format using OpenAI. Real users, real use case — the tabletop RPG community needed this and nobody had built it. Token-aware chunking, markdown output, client-side token tracking. The project where I closed the full loop: identified the gap, scoped the product, built it, shipped it, people use it.

GitHubLive
Next.jsTypeScriptTailwind v4OpenAILLM
Tech Stack

AI Systems

Inference runtime orchestration and RAG architectures.

Ollama
OpenAI API
Llama 3.1 / LLaVA
ChromaDB
RAG Pipelines

Frontend

Modern, component-driven interfaces alongside complex state.

React
Next.js
TypeScript
Vite
Tailwind CSS
Framer Motion

Backend

High-performance API design and real-time streaming.

Python
FastAPI
Node.js
Express
WebSocket

Data & Infrastructure

Containerized deployment, persistent state, and telemetry.

Docker
AWS
PostgreSQL
MongoDB
Prisma
System Telemetry
Experience
Dec 2025 — Present

Product Marketing Leader, AI Infrastructure

Leading messaging and go-to-market strategy for the aiDAPTIV+ AI memory elasticity platform. Driving a 2026 GTM refresh focused on clearer problem framing, use-case articulation, and competitive differentiation. Working cross-functionally with technical marketing, engineering, and partner teams to improve demo narratives, benchmark interpretation, and proof-point clarity, ensuring external messaging aligns with actual product behavior and market expectations.

Phison
Jan 2024 — Jan 2025

Product & Go-to-Market Advisor

Advised on product definition and go-to-market strategy for an early generative AI marketing MVP. Worked with founders, ML, and engineering teams to clarify target use cases, define product requirements, and shape LLM-powered workflow concepts. Contributed messaging and positioning guidance for AI-assisted campaign planning and automation ahead of a planned launch.

Solver AI
Jun 2021 — Jun 2022

Director of Marketing, Deep Learning Infrastructure

Led go-to-market and demand generation for GPU cloud services and AI infrastructure, managing a $3M annual marketing budget. Mentored and supported the PMM who owned the Tensorbook AI workstation launch, contributing GTM guidance, messaging review, and launch strategy input. Established technical influencer partnerships to build awareness and credibility with developers, researchers, and AI practitioners.

Lambda Labs
Jan 2021 — Jul 2021

Mobile Software Engineer

Worked as a mobile software engineer on a cross-platform iOS and Android application using Flutter and Firebase. Collaborated closely with product and design in an early-stage startup environment to ship production features and stabilize core application workflows.

Revery Labs
Jan 2018 — Dec 2019

Head of Product Marketing, HALO Autonomous Vehicle SDK

Led product marketing for the HALO autonomous vehicle SDK, supporting OEM pilot programs with API documentation and runtime tooling. Defined technical messaging and platform positioning for enterprise automotive customers, working closely with engineering and business development teams.

Tensyr
Dec 2015 — Jan 2018

Product & Marketing Strategy Consultant

Provided product marketing and go-to-market consulting for hardware and technology companies. Developed competitive positioning frameworks, messaging architectures, and launch strategies. Generated substantial earned media coverage through PR and influencer outreach, supporting product introductions across multiple hardware categories.

Independent
1994 — 2008

Leadership — GPU, PC Hardware & Semiconductors

NVIDIA

Product marketing for GPU platform launches. Managed OEM relationships and coordinated go-to-market across the graphics ecosystem.

ASUS

Product strategy for motherboard and graphics card lines. Supported major hardware launches and retail positioning.

CORSAIR

Product marketing for gaming peripherals. Built competitive positioning frameworks and partner programs.

TRIDENT MICROSYSTEMS

Semiconductor platform positioning during a period of significant industry consolidation.

S3 GRAPHICS

Early-career GPU product marketing. Managed multi-million dollar programs and navigated crisis situations.

Legacy
Contact

Let's talk

Happy to talk about AI infrastructure, product marketing strategy, AI/web development, or anything at the intersection of the two. Or you want to debate whether you are likely to be eaten by a grue in dark mode. Either way, I'm in.

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