Primary Job Title Managing Partner Primary Organization 
BaseCamp Ventures
Gender Male
Baiada is managing partner at BaseCamp Ventures an early stage venture fund; president of Basecamp Business; and a partner of Grapevine Development a smart-growth NJ based real estate development firm. Operating and investing in successful product and service-based companies has given him a broad and seasoned perspective of business.
From the
start-up of Bluestone in 1989, through its IPO in 1999, and the eventual sale to Hewlett Packard in 2001 for over $350M, Mel has demonstrated an ability to recognize business opportunities, attract capital and talented employees, and profitability exit an information technology company investment.
Mel has made a number of contributions to the Greater Delaware Valley area to promote technological growth in the community. As an alumnus of Drexel University, Mel has made a generous donation to Drexel University for the establishment of The Laurence A. Baiada Institute for Entrepreneurship in Technology. He is the recipient of the Greater Philadelphia Venture Group “Year 2000 Entrepreneur of the Year” Award. In addition, Mel was recognized in 2001 by the New Jersey Technology Council with its “High Tech Hero Award” and an Ernst & Young, Entrepreneur of the Year finalist.
Mel’s road to success began when he founded Bluestone, Inc. in 1989 to provide information technology expertise to Fortune 1000 companies. Bluestone rapidly grew to a multi-million dollar company, earning Bluestone inclusion in the Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing privately held companies in the U.S. for three straight years, from 1994 to 1996. Bluestone was also a member of the Philadelphia 100 for five consecutive years earning a place in the Philadelphia 100 Hall of Fame. In 1997, Bluestone split into two separate entities, Bluestone Software, Inc. and Bluestone Consulting, Inc. Bluestone Software accomplished a successful IPO in 1999 and has achieved industry recognition in the Web application server marketplace. In 2001, Hewlett Packard acquired Bluestone Software.
In 2000, the IT and Internet services division of Bluestone Consulting, Inc. began “Doing Business As”, Sengen, that specialized in streamlining business processes through the use of technology. Sengen was sold in December of 2003.
Mel serves on the boards of Drexel University, New Jersey Technology Council (former board chair), Bayada Home Health Care and several boards of Basecamp Ventures portfolio companies. Former Boards that Mel has served on have included Moorestown Friends School, Innovation Philadelphia and South Jersey Technology Park at Rowan University.
