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Cogitations Media/Ad Management

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Cogitations Media/Ad Management

About

Irv Shapiro

I've spent more than forty years founding and scaling technology companies — from Metamor Technologies (500+ employees, successful exit) to DialogTech ($60M+ in VC funding) — and I'm still building. The Cogitations Media/Ad Management system is one of the tools I use to explore AI-powered content creation for modern marketing.

Creating as a way of life

I've always been drawn to the point where ideas meet execution — the moment when a sketch on a whiteboard becomes a system serving real people. Over the decades that's meant writing code, designing products, raising capital, leading teams, and making more than a few mistakes along the way.

Those experiences taught me that the craft of building technology companies is learnable. There are patterns that repeat — in hiring, in leadership, in go‑to‑market — and if you can see those patterns clearly, you can move faster with more confidence. In today's AI-centric world, those patterns are evolving faster than ever.

A timeline of companies & creation

  • Early career: data communications, networking, and custom software when "the cloud" still meant racks in a closet.
  • Metamor Technologies: founding and leading a technology services organization that grew to more than 500 employees serving enterprise customers and achieved a successful exit.
  • DialogTech and beyond: founding and scaling a marketing analytics platform that helped marketers understand which calls, campaigns, and conversations were actually driving business, culminating in a $100M exit.
  • MakeWithTech: an experiment in teaching and community that grew into a way for thousands of makers to discover 3D printing, electronics, and hands‑on projects.
  • Cogitations: ongoing exploration of AI-powered tools for founders, marketers, and teams — including this ad generator.

Coaching, boards, and due diligence

In addition to building tools, I'm available for a limited number of engagements in three areas:

  • Executive coaching for technical and product leaders
  • Independent board roles for growth‑stage technology companies
  • Venture technology due diligence for investors and acquisition teams

To explore whether I'm a fit for your company or fund, you can:

Or simply contact me at ishapiro at cogitations dot com.