history
Founded in 2022
29Tech was co-founded by Andy Phillips, CEO of 28 Gorilla, and Mike Mihalka to close the gap between design and production.
28 Gorilla had seen too many good ideas stalled when it came time to build. Mike brought expertise in mechanical design and rugged manufacturing. Together, they built 29Tech as the natural extension of 28 Gorilla, making sure every design is produced with the same precision it was conceived.
Based in downtown Chandler, Arizona, 28 Gorilla and 29Tech operate as integrated partners. By working side by side, they eliminate the handoff hurdles that slow most projects, keeping products on track from concept through production.
Our process keeps you moving
Some clients bring us a finished design and trust us to deliver.
Others come to us with a sketch and a deadline.
Either way, we adapt with the right mix of planning, sourcing and quality.
meet the team
Leadership
Andy Phillips
Founder/Principal Engineer
28 Gorilla Engineering
28 Gorilla Engineering
Before co-founding 28 Gorilla and 29Tech, Andy was the CEO of HDScores, a data collection and analysis provider for Yelp. He also held global leadership positions for A.O. Smith and Generac, overseeing design centers in the U.S., China and South Korea. Andy earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University and holds various patents across a variety of technologies. Once a certified Scrum Master, he continues to lead with agility. He can usually be found tinkering or taking calls in one of his many black rock ‘n’ roll T-shirts.
“Dream, design, build, qualify” is Andy’s motto, and he’s been engineering precision-crafted products for more than 20 years.
Mike Mihalka
Founder/Principal Engineer
29 Tech Manufacturing
29 Tech Manufacturing
Before co-founding 28 Gorilla and 29Tech, Andy was the CEO of HDScores, a data collection and analysis provider for Yelp. He also held global leadership positions for A.O. Smith and Generac, overseeing design centers in the U.S., China and South Korea. Andy earned a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Marquette University and holds various patents across a variety of technologies. Once a certified Scrum Master, he continues to lead with agility. He can usually be found tinkering or taking calls in one of his many black rock ‘n’ roll T-shirts.
“Relentlessly pursue excellence” would probably be Mike’s motto, but he’d rather do it than write it down.
meet the team
Leadership
Brooke Kish
Operations Manager
Brooke Kish
Operations Manager
Brooke manages operations at 29Tech with a focus on efficiency and continuous improvement. With a background in biomedical sciences and lab management, she brings a detail-driven approach to manufacturing processes, quality systems and cross-team collaboration.
Mike Mihalka
Principal and Founder
Mike Mihalka
Principal and Founder
Mike leads from the floor with a career spanning product development in defense and high-performance motorsports. Before co-founding 29Tech, he was a senior design engineer at Juggernaut Defense, where he drove customer programs and the Juggernaut Case line. Earlier, he worked trackside as a data engineer for Champ Car and IndyCar teams.
Engineering
Dylan Koluch
Mechanical Engineer
Dylan Koluch
Mechanical Engineer
Dylan designs mechanical systems for defense and aerospace platforms with a focus on thermal analysis and vehicle integration. He works across enclosure design, airflow modeling and field engineering support for complex installations.
Maya Espita
Assembly Technician
Maya Espita
Assembly Technician
Maya Espitia has a certification in IPC J-STD-001 soldering from the BlackFox Training Institute. She works hands-on with cable assemblies, soldering and integrating electronic components.
Ralph Rosales
Mechanical Engineer
Ralph Rosales
Mechanical Engineer
Ralph designs and builds the mechanical systems behind our programming fixtures, battery enclosures and circuit board housings. A former NASA intern and current STEM tutor, he brings both real-world project experience and a strong foundation in math and engineering to every build.
OUR DESIGN AND ENGINEERING PARTNER
Made to work with
28 Gorilla Engineering
28 Gorilla is a shared ownership partner and our integrated design and engineering partner. They often lead the early development stages of the products we manufacture, ensuring every design is complete, well-documented and ready for a smooth build. By working together from concept through production, we reduce delays, prevent rework and keep every project moving.
Together, we:
- Align early on connector layout, ruggedization and test plans before production
- Share feedback during pilot builds to guide design updates
- Prototype and test alongside engineering work for faster validation
- Eliminate the risk of context loss between design and manufacturing
If your product was designed elsewhere, we can still take it forward with your documentation, production-ready drawings, and testing protocols.
Ready to meet the team?
