Before I worked with founders, I was a teacher.

Thirteen years designing systems that help people build real capability, in classrooms, in code, and now inside the companies changing how people learn and work.

Elijah J. Adé

How I got here

Educator first.

For thirteen years I've designed systems that help people build real capability, teaching people to become software engineers, helping solopreneurs build lean one-person businesses, and partnering with edtech companies building products for underserved youth. Early in my career I worked inside large organizations and learned where innovation stalls; since then I've worked almost exclusively with startups and scale-ups, where founders still have the room to build it right.

Why this work

Technology should expand what people are capable of.

The most meaningful technology doesn't just automate work: it helps people become more capable, more self-directed, and better equipped to navigate a complex world. That's why I focus on education, workforce, and the other systems where technology and human potential intersect, and why my work with founders is less about shipping features and more about building the coherent systems that let good decisions compound.

Off the clock

Brooklyn-born, well-traveled.

I grew up in Brooklyn, have lived across six continents, and now split my time between Costa Rica and Asheville, North Carolina. I'm also a father, which has only sharpened my interest in building things worth handing to the next generation.

Work together

Let's collab

I take on a small number of new clients each year. If what you're building fits, I'd love to hear about it.

Let's collab