Our Team

Akoha is a startup project formed by a small team of web developers who are passionate about the power of play. We believe that we can use online communities to make the world a better place.

We really enjoy getting involved in grassroots activities. We participate in the local technology scene by helping with BarCamp, Montreal Python, and StartupCamp.

Because we think that sharing is so important, we use and contribute to lots of free and open source software. We intend to release many of our technologies back to the community.

We’re proud of our team who include entrepreneurs, troublemakers, developers and artists. Akoha was founded in 2006 and has come to include these crazy characters:

Alex Eberts

Chaos Wrangler (VP Products and Co-Founder)

Alex has been starting companies before they started letting him vote. Equal parts lover and fighter, Alex can debate the finer points of social entrepreneurship while he puts you in an hiji-jime elbow lock. When he’s not knee deep in feature specifications and paper prototypes, Alex can be found watching documentaries and reading books about evolution and complex systems (though not usually at the same time). When nervous, Alex can be calmed with 80% dark Ecuadorian chocolate.

To stalk Alex you can friend him on Facebook or follow him on Twitter.
Anthony Lalande

Unix Pipefitter

Tech guru, movie buff, traveller, and part-time DJ – is there anything Anthony can’t do?

Yes! Write bio!

Although his English good (gooder than his French or German), Anthony find hard to find words to write about Anthony. Anthony share similar affliction as Tarzan of not fully grasping prepositions and pronouns. Soooo hard!!

So, Anthony find necessary to pretend to know words good. Most of time, Anthony write texts (like bios) by hammering on keyboard and hoping auto-correct make him look goat. Cut and paste goat also!
Austin Hill

Executive Instigator (CEO and Co-Founder)

Austin is a long time entrepreneur, avid reader, and likes to think of himself as an OK kind of guy. He’s an active speaker (he speaks in a loud voice every day). In between angel investing, trying to make the world a better place, and leading the Akoha team, he tries to find time to read voraciously and tame his inbox. He’s active in the Canadian technology community as an angel investor and venture advisor wearing many other hats (when not in his trademark Kangol).

Austin reads most everything with an interest in Business Books, Legal/Military/Crime Fiction, Anthropology, Sci-Fi, Biographies, Economics and books about Changing the World. He is also known to travel and watch movies.

You learn more about his adventurous life and his exploits and affiliations here.
He blogs at Billions with Zero Knowledge.
Follow him on Twitter. Friend him on Facebook.
Benoit Domingue

Frontend Ninja

In between two espressos, Benoit is working hard to build a dynamic experience for Akoha users! When he’s not trying to get that perfect crema, he’s using his kung-fu to change the way we think of a web page. Offline, he can be found riding on some steep slope or hiking some faraway peak.
Eric St-Jean

Chief Geek and Lead Bug Assigner

Éric hates the third person or using an uppercase “i” to refer to himself. Having spent most of my time dabbing in aerospace electronics, systems and software, my love for Python, for startups and for dark office spaces brought me to Akoha. The awesome team, our engaging project, easy access to Coco-Rico chicken and our red Swingline stapler keep me there. Offline, i like biking in to work in a blizzard cursing all the drivers who cut me off, playing with PICs, reading geeky magazines and hacking my HVAC system. i do blog, but only sporadically, and you can also find me on facebook, twitter, linkedin.
Erik Wright

Geek Ringleader

Erik joined his first Internet startup at the tender age of 15 and hasn’t looked back. Over the years, he has developed a passion for good software development matched only by his desperate need for an after-lunch espresso. Along the way, for reasons that remain obscure, he has earned the nickname “Doctor”. In his next life, Erik would like to wear the polka dot jersey.

Find Erik on LinkedIn, via Twitter, or in the mountains.
Georges Duverger

Simplicity Engineer

Georges moved from the old continent to express his love of simplicity, freshness and usable user interfaces. Hopefully, you will find that love throughout Akoha! If he’s not meditating at his desk, your best chance to find him is the nearest cinema, whether in the audience or behind the projector.

Follow me on Twitter
Harlene Weijs

Taskrobat

Formally trained as a trapeze artist in the Art World circus, Harlene is fresh on the 9–5 adventure circuit. Famous for her ambitious and enthusiastic scheduling acrobatics, she exhibits remarkable skill as she dares to juggle a multitude of fiery appointments and razor-sharp meetings. Her performances are sure to amaze as she performs incredible feats of calender contortion. Her stunts include: cannonballing herself head first into projects, walking the timeline tightrope, and making office supplies and croissants aux amandes appear from thin air. She can be found clowning around under the Akoha big top, taming the lions of the executive world, and miming her way through the day.
Juan Pablo Di Lelle

Software Janitor

Juan has been writing software since The Monolith first appeared on Earth. When he’s not banging on source code with a stick, Juan rescues guinea pigs from testing labs and uncaring pet owners. Heeding his sifu’s advice, Juan often stays in the shadows. Yet, you can sometimes catch him demonstrating Chi Qong in Old Montreal, or at a local café enjoying organic Darjeeling green tea with some carrot cake.
Mark Macleod

Chief Money Guy (CFO)

Hailing from the Isles of Scotland, Mark’s frugal nature makes him genetically programmed to be a CFO. Since 1998, Mark has been leading finance for venture-backed technology startups. His previous adventures include Silanis Technology (AIM: SNS), Hexago, Terrascale Technologies (bought by Rackable Systems - NASDAQ: RACK) and Mobivox. Currently, he is CFO for Tungle and Akoha. He also advises several other web startups.

When not chasing term sheets, closing deals or digging into operating stats, Mark likes to pop on his headphones and rock out. A former nightclub DJ (aren’t all CFOs?) Mark’s modeling prowess is enhanced by loud beats.

Mark combines his dual passions of writing and startups on his StartupCFO blog. He also hosts a social network for tech CFOs and entrepreneurs. You can find him on Twitter.

Mark is a Chartered Accountant and holds an MBA from McGill. He has also perfected the art of staring coldly over his glasses when people ask to spend money.
Martin Paquette

Python Charmer

Martin finished his Bachelor of Computer Science in 2006 at Sherbrooke University. When he’s not trying to wrestle vicious constrictors on the backend or reading some Django stuff, he likes to play hockey, snowboarding, skiing and wakeboarding. He also likes to go fishing to relax under the sun while listening to the waves (which is a good excuse to drink beer with friends!)

He can be found on Facebook.
Mélanie Girouard

Professional Vandal

Mélanie is Akoha’s in-house microbe specialist and lovely versatile vandal. All that, in one tiny package. When not hunting for the next bug, she can be seen enjoying a great Japanese tea, knitting up a storm or geeking out with friends. You may encounter her hunched in several awkward and surprising positions, taking a massive number of cliché photos around the world, but especially in the UK, engaging in numerous very silly acts and making plenty of animal friends on her way.
Find her on Facebook or on flickr!
Simon Law

Drunken Master

At Akoha, Simon Law does anything and everything that needs to get done. Simon Law has empirical proof that the Ballmer peak exists. Simon Law has too many clocks and not enough time. Simon Law hacks on free software when he can get away with it. Simon Law is unafraid of Google and is on too many social networks. Simon Law can’t stop writing in the third-person.