Dave Cross is the founder and owner of 60 Works. His interest in music technology began in 1999 as a Cornell University student, via the discovery of electronic music and DJing.

Dave found himself fixating on the gear and its technical configurations as much as (if not more than) the music itself. This passion led him to write a senior honors thesis on the history of the DJ mixer (70 pgs).

Dave used the thesis to help land a freelance gig at DJ Times magazine, where he wrote numerous articles and features over three years.

The DJ Times gig led to a career with Ableton. Dave managed their US and UK press operations from the New York office. The position entailed a significant amount of marketing, teaching and traveling. In his time with Ableton, Dave learned much about the music software/hardware market and its inner workings. He left after two years and maintains friendships with his former colleagues.

It was during the DJ Times gig that Dave began thinking about what he could do for music technology, instead of writing about it and simply hoping for change. This desire led him to build the Briefcase.

The Ableton position left Dave with little time for controller building, but offered an invaluable look behind the scenes of the industry. These insights gave him the confidence that he could establish his own place within the market.

Years later, he has found that place, at a cozy workshop in Minneapolis, Minnesota.