We couldn’t have a successful NEDME without the talents and efforts of Blaine Watson, director at full-service engineering and product development firm designPORT. Not only is Blaine a key part of the all-volunteer NEDME board, he will also be sharing his expertise and experience with us as a speaker at NEDME 2025, presenting on “How Human Cognition Shapes Markets and Sparks Innovation.” Read on to learn more about Blaine (and see some photos of his incredible artwork)!
Can you give our readers a quick picture of who you are and what you bring to the NEDME community?
In a nutshell, I help people solve challenging problems and make important decisions about their businesses and products. I have the great fortune of working with incredibly talented individuals and teams in engineering, research, manufacturing, and business leadership for the past 17 years. I work with companies at various growth stages: from emerging startups to Fortune 100 companies, and my contributions range from running quantitative analyses and engineering infrastructure, to building teams and executing go-to-market strategies. My experience spans a diverse range of industries from consumer goods and medical devices to wildlife conservation and robotic automation. At designPORT, we are a full service product development firm and me and my team propel commercially successful products to market. What I bring to the NEDME community is a cross-disciplinary perspective, practical insight, and a genuine passion for finding collaborative, creative solutions.
What message do you want attendees to take away from your presentation at the show?
That designing something new always comes with risks and responsibilities, and that working with my team at designPORT offers innovators and entrepreneurs peace-of-mind and a competitive edge for commercial success.
What do YOU hope to get from your involvement with NEDME?
I hope to see familiar faces and to meet new people who are working on exciting projects.
Tell us something fun or surprising about yourself!
I worked for a matchmaking/dating service for executives and met lots of fascinating people. Portlanders may have seen some of my hand-painted murals or oil-on-canvas art around town. I play several musical instruments and have gigged all around the West Coast. I’ve climbed Mt Adams twice, swam with pigs in the Bahamas, and once got to steer a helicopter through downtown Portland.
