Milwaukee’s progress as a growing technology hub has gained the support – and a relocated business – of a former software engineer at Apple Inc. who worked closely with Steve Jobs.
Glenn Reid, who developed the digital video editing application iMovie at Apple in the late 1990s, earlier this year relocated to Milwaukee from Silicon Valley. His wife is from Wisconsin and Reid is a University of Wisconsin-Madison graduate.
In addition to his family, Reid moved his business, Marathon Laundry Machines, into a warehouse in Menomonee Valley along St. Paul Avenue. He also recently launched Valley Institute, a class series that’s designed to create a bridge between Silicon Valley and the Milwaukee region.
Reid recently talked about his career and his new venture at his warehouse for an event associated with Startup Milwaukee Week.
Reid worked for Apple Inc. co-founder Steve Jobs in the late 1980s at NeXT Inc., the computer company Jobs founded after his forced resignation from Apple. Reid left NeXT to form another venture: RightBrain Software in 1991, which built software applications for NeXT systems. He moved on to Adobe Systems, where he became one of the first 25 employees. Jobs recruited Reid back to Apple after it acquired NeXT and needed employees familiar with the NeXT technology. While at Apple, he also developed iPhoto, a discontinued digital photo application.
His new venture, Marathon Laundry Machines, is an internet-connected, touch screen appliance that combines a washer and a dryer into one to require less supervision. The machine is accompanied by a smartphone app for remote operation and monitoring. The machines cost $2,499. Reid said it has the potential to disrupt a $14 billion industry. Read the full story here.
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