Alex Huckstepp is co-founder and chief commercial officer of Uptool, an AI software company that helps small and midsize manufacturers quote jobs faster. Before Uptool, he led commercial strategy at manufacturing technology startups including Machina Labs, ARRIS, Digital Alloys, and Carbon, partnering with OEMs in aerospace, defense, automotive, energy, and industrial to scale new manufacturing technologies. He holds a BS in mechanical engineering and an MS in product development engineering from the University of Southern California. Uptool launched from stealth in February 2026 with $6 million in seed funding.