Today we’d like to introduce you to Brad Hunstable.
Hi Brad, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story has always centered on building, first through service, then through entrepreneurship, and ultimately through purpose shaped by loss.
I graduated from West Point, where I learned early the values of discipline, leadership, and responsibility to something larger than myself. That foundation carried me into entrepreneurship, including co-founding Ustream, one of the earliest live-streaming platforms. We grew the company from an idea into a global business and ultimately sold it to IBM, which reinforced my belief that patient, mission-driven teams can build technologies that truly change how people connect and communicate.
That same builder’s mindset eventually led to Linear Labs. At Linear Labs, we’re rethinking electric motor design from the ground up focused on higher torque, greater efficiency, and improved reliability for critical energy infrastructure. It’s long-cycle, hard engineering work, but it’s meaningful, especially as the world demands more resilient and sustainable energy systems.
In 2020, during the COVID lockdowns, my personal life took a devastating turn when my son Hayden died by self harm, 4 days before his 13th birthday. That loss fundamentally reshaped how I view leadership, time, and impact. Like many families, we watched isolation take a toll during that period, and it became clear to us that Hayden’s story could not end in silence.
Out of that came several efforts focused on hope, connection, and prevention. We founded Hayden’s Corner.org, a foundation dedicated to youth mental health awareness and resilience-building. We supported the creation of the documentary “Almost Thirteen” (available on Youtube), which explores the pressures facing kids today and the often unseen consequences of isolation. It won the 2021 Global Documentary of the Year. We helped launch GoodGamer.org, using gaming communities as a way to reach kids where they already are and create safe spaces for connection, conversation and safe gaming. And in our hometown of Aledo, we established Branch to Hope, a nonprofit 23 acre healing ranch focused on restoring hope to individuals and families through direct support, advocacy, and community engagement.
Today, my professional work and personal mission are inseparable. Whether I’m building advanced energy technology at Linear Labs or working to ensure Hayden’s life continues to have meaning and impact, the goal is the same: to build things that matter, lead with intention, and leave people.. and systems stronger than we found them.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
No meaningful road ever is. Building companies, especially ones focused on deep technology, comes with constant uncertainty. At Linear Labs, we’ve faced the long timelines, technical setbacks, and capital challenges that come with trying to fundamentally rethink how something as established as an electric motor is built. Progress rarely happens in a straight line, and resilience becomes just as important as innovation.
Earlier in my career, building and scaling Ustream taught me similar lessons. Growth brings complexity, pressure, and moments where you’re forced to make hard decisions with imperfect information. Those experiences reinforced that leadership isn’t about avoiding difficulty, it’s about staying clear-headed and values-driven when things get hard.
But the greatest struggle of my life came in 2020 with the loss of my son Hayden during the COVID lockdowns. That kind of loss puts everything else in perspective. Grief doesn’t go away, but it does change you. It stripped life down to what truly matters and forced me to confront pain I never imagined.
What carried me through wasn’t avoidance, but purpose, choosing to turn that pain into action. Building organizations like Hayden’s Corner and Branch to Hope, supporting projects like Almost Thirteen and GoodGamer.org, and continuing to lead at Linear Labs all required showing up even on days when it felt impossible.
The road hasn’t been smooth, but it’s been meaningful. And I’ve learned that growth, whether personal or professional, almost always comes on the other side of discomfort.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Linear Labs is an advanced energy technology company focused on reimagining electric motor design to make energy systems more efficient, reliable, and cost-effective. The company has developed a breakthrough motor architecture that delivers higher torque with fewer components, resulting in lighter, more durable systems that are easier to maintain.
Today, Linear Labs is primarily focused on wind energy, where its motors are used in critical turbine systems to reduce downtime, improve performance, and extend the life of existing infrastructure. By simplifying complex mechanical systems and improving reliability, Linear Labs helps customers lower operating costs while supporting a more resilient and sustainable energy grid.
At its core, Linear Labs exists to solve hard engineering problems that matter, bringing practical innovation to industries where performance, uptime, and efficiency are essential.
Hayden’s Corner is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting youth mental health by fostering connection, resilience, and open conversation. Founded in honor of Hayden Hunstable, the organization was created in response to the growing mental health challenges facing kids, particularly those amplified by isolation during the COVID lockdowns.
Hayden’s Corner focuses on early intervention and prevention, working with schools, families, and communities to equip young people with tools to navigate stress, anxiety, and emotional isolation. Through education, advocacy, and community-based programs, the organization aims to reduce stigma around mental health and ensure kids know they are seen, valued, and not alone.
At its core, Hayden’s Corner exists to create safe spaces where conversations matter and hope can take root.
#ConversationsMatter
What’s next?
Looking ahead, my focus is on building with intention, both professionally and personally.
At Linear Labs, we’re entering an important growth phase. We’re scaling deployments in wind energy, expanding partnerships, and continuing to refine our technology to support larger systems and new applications. The opportunity to improve reliability and efficiency across critical energy infrastructure is significant, and we’re committed to doing that thoughtfully and responsibly as we grow.
Beyond the company, I’m focused on deepening the impact of the work we’re doing in Hayden’s honor. That means expanding the reach of Hayden’s Corner and Branch to Hope, continuing to support projects like Almost Thirteen and GoodGamer, and finding new ways to engage communities around connection, resilience, and mental health—especially for kids and families.
On a personal level, the future is about balance. I’m more intentional about how I spend my time, the people I invest in, and the work I say yes to. Loss has a way of clarifying priorities. I’m not chasing change for the sake of change, I’m focused on building things that last and making sure the work ahead truly matters.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.haydenscorner.org
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JeoHM2_ntfw&t=428s
- Other: https://www.linearlabsinc.com
