Local Tech Startup Dual Dash Brings Humanity to AI-Driven Management

A local tech startup is gaining national attention for putting people first in an industry known for long hours and high pressure. Dual Dash, founded by East Side Saint Paul native Stephen Moore, was recently accepted into the Google for Startups Cloud Program, a competitive initiative that supports high-potential early-stage companies with technical resources, infrastructure and more. For Stephen, the recognition is both validating and deeply personal.

“I spent my developmental years in foster care,” he said. “My brother and I moved from house to house until we were adopted by a pastor and an accountant in Minneapolis. That changed our entire trajectory. I wake up every day grateful. That’s just who I am.”

That sense of gratitude and resilience carried Stephen into a 17-year career in retail automotive, an industry he describes as challenging but formative. Working in commission-based roles and eventually as a consultant for large automotive groups across the country, Stephen helped underperforming dealerships improve results through better processes and leadership practices.

Those experiences ultimately inspired Dual Dash.

“As a consultant, I had already ironed out these management processes using spreadsheets and Word documents,” he said. “They were dealership-tested and proven. The natural next step was to build technology that could scale what already worked.”

Restoring Humanity to Management

Dual Dash is an AI-enabled coaching and performance platform designed to help managers support employees before problems turn into burnout or turnover. At its core, Stephen says the technology is about restoring humanity to management.

“I am not naive—mercenary dealerships will be mercenary,” said Stephen. 
“But I want to help those that are mission minded to give them the tools to reach new heights. They know that people are their greatest asset, and so our tools will help power them so that everyone within a store can win.”

The platform combines performance metrics with employee engagement tools in a single dashboard. Managers conduct structured one-on-one meetings that include sentiment and stress check-ins, allowing the system to detect trends over time. If an employee’s engagement drops, the software can prompt a support conversation — intervening before an employee quietly disengages or leaves.

“It’s about helping people succeed before it’s too late,” Stephen said.

Dual Dash also tracks key performance indicators tied to measurable aspects of an employee’s role. By pairing performance trends with emotional and behavioral signals, managers gain a more complete picture of how team members are doing, not just what numbers they’re hitting.

Supporting Small Business Dreams

While the platform is industry-agnostic, Stephen is initially targeting automotive dealerships due to limited marketing resources and his deep industry experience. The company has begun pilots with its first dealership partner, a Mercedes store in Birmingham, Alabama. After just a few months using Dual Dash, the dealership just had it's been month is sales — ever.

Acceptance into the Google for Startups Cloud Program marks a major step forward for the bootstrapped company. Beyond the technical benefits, Stephen says the association with Google brings credibility as Dual Dash enters the market.

“They don’t just accept anyone. They look for high-potential startups,” he said. “That backing gives us legitimacy.”

Stephen, a non-technical founder, hopes his journey encourages others to pursue ideas that may seem out of reach. “There’s nothing in my background that would suggest I should be running a tech startup,” he said. “But belief, community support, and persistence can take you further than people think.”

Ultimately, Stephen views Dual Dash as his way of giving back to an industry that shaped his career. “Retail automotive is hard work: weekends, nights, long hours,” he said. “My goal is to give managers and employees tools that make work feel like a ‘get to,’ not a ‘got to.’”