Mike Freeman
Newport Life
Mike Melillo fell in love with Aquidneck Island while playing for the Gulls in 2008–09. A few years later, he founded Dockwa here. Analogous to websites like HomeAway, Dockwa’s site allows people to peruse marinas across the United States and the Caribbean, and to register slips online, eliminating hassle for boaters and harbor-masters alike.
Aside from their role in the defense industry, tech startups have never gained much traction on Aquidneck Island. But Melillo has reason to believe that could change. If he’s been underwhelmed with Newport’s efforts to nourish tech startups so far, he couches that frustration in sincere praise for the city’s pandemic response.