[2] As a ninth-grader, Hess' science fair project involved using a dentist's X-ray machine to test a cloud chamber he had built.

At the same time, he recognized that many students lack the resources and support they need to get the maximum educational benefit from a science fair project.

During 2010, 9.8 million unique individuals visited the Science Buddies website, a number equal to ~18% of U.S. students in grades K–12.

"[9] Starting the company with a personal investment of $20,000, Hess bootstrapped Banner Blue Software into a company with 100 employees and annual sales of $25 million (and approximately 2 million copies of Family Tree Maker sold) when Broderbund Software, Inc. acquired it in 1995.

[11] In 2024, Hess was selected in a suborbital spacefight mission to fly on a planned Blue Origin's New Shepard NS-25 in April 2024.

[12] The others members of the crew are Mason Angel, Sylvain Chiron, Carol Schaller, Gopichand Thotakura and Ed Dwight, a former US Air Force Captain.

After graduating from Howland High School in 1971, Hess attended Stanford University where he earned a BS in Engineering.