As COO and Director of Strategic Initiatives at Startup Science, Scott provides leadership and business development for a venture-capital-backed startup, leveraging AI/ML and SaaS technologies to build ecosystems that support startup founders. As CEO of Pacific Science & Engineering, Scott led the company through a critical transition, implementing a growth strategy that resulted in a 20% increase in annual revenue. Scott also serves as the Executive Director of the National Security Innovation Catalyst located at UC San Diego. Catalyst improves the linkages and information flow between San Diego’s national security community, entrepreneurial companies with dual-use technologies, academia, investors and policy decision-makers.

Tait served in the U.S. Navy for 27 years. His assignments included positions leading strategy, policy and innovation efforts, working directly for 3 and 4-star commanders in the Indo-Pacific region and Washington, D.C. He also held senior policy positions, with a focus in Indo-Asia, on the Joint Chiefs of Staff (J-5), Pacific Fleet staff and U.S. Seventh Fleet staff. At sea he served in Cruiser and Destroyer ships, commanding USS Mustin (DDG 89) and, most recently, USS Zumwalt (DDG 1000). Scott is an adaptive and innovative leader with a proven track record of building and leading diverse teams in challenging environments. His leadership spans both government and commercial sectors, where he has consistently overcome complex challenges.

.In his role as the Founding Executive Director of the National Security Innovation Catalyst, Scott established a program that significantly improved the transition of emerging technologies into national security services. Under his leadership, the Catalyst grew to include a network of over 8,000 partners and helped raise $200 million in investment for national security and dual-use companies.Scott’s international experience also includes serving as the China and Northeast Asia Director for the U.S. Joint Staff J-5, where he advised and coordinated on U.S. politico-military policy with the White House, National Security Council, Department of State, and Congress, while leading military diplomacy for U.S. defense relations across the Indo-Pacific region. He played a critical role in developing the U.S. Navy’s peer competition strategy, influencing long-term Navy planning, training, research, and procurement efforts. Scott also established the Pacific Fleet Warfare Assessment Federation, coordinating 19 institutions to assess Pacific Fleet capabilities and integrate emerging technologies into operational strategies

Tait holds masters degrees from Stanford University in international policy and the U.S. Naval War College in national security and strategic studies. At the U.S. Naval War College, he was a member of the Halsey Alfa Advanced Research and Wargaming Project.