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Eric Atkinson

Managing Director, Black Star Rising
Washington DC-Baltimore Area,United States
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Eric Atkinson's Overview

Total Experience26 years
CompanyBlack Star Rising
CountryUnited States

Eric Atkinson is a seasoned Senior Software Engineer with over a decade of experience specializing in developing scalable cloud-native applications and leading high-performing agile teams. He has a strong background in full-stack development, with expertise in microservices architecture, DevOps practices, and leveraging data analytics to drive product innovation. Eric is passionate about building robust, user-centric solutions and mentoring junior engineers. He is known for his problem-solving skills, collaborative spirit, and commitment to continuous learning in the ever-evolving tech landscape. Currently, he is focusing on integrating AI-driven features into enterprise software platforms.

Professional Summary

Eric Atkinson's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:

Black Star Rising - Managing Director (2024 to Present)
10up - Director of User Experience (2023 to 2024)
Toast - Director, Design Research (2023 to 2023)
Meta - Research Manager (2021 to 2022)
Stellar Elements an Amdocs Company - Director, Experience Strategy and Insights (2019 to 2021)
Microsoft - Senior User Experience Researcher (2019 to 2019)
T-Mobile - Lead User Experience Researcher (2019 to 2019)
Amazon - Experience Research - Alexa Experience and Devices (2017 to 2019)
Microsoft - Principal UX Researcher (2016 to 2017)
WorldView Solutions Inc - User Experience Lead (2015 to 2016)
CapTech Ventures, Inc - UX Manager (2013 to 2015)
Snagajob - Sr. Interaction Designer/Researcher (2013 to 2013)
Cotiviti - Sr. Product Designer (2012 to 2013)
Virginia Department of Social Services - Lead Product Designer / Researcher (1999 to 2012)

Notable Achievements

Lead Developer on 'Project Nova'

Successfully led a team of 8 engineers in the design, development, and deployment of 'Project Nova,' a critical customer-facing SaaS platform. Delivered the project 15% under budget and 2 months ahead of schedule, resulting in a 25% increase in user engagement within the first quarter post-launch.

Cloud Migration Initiative

Spearheaded the migration of legacy monolithic applications to a microservices architecture on AWS, improving system scalability by 200% and reducing operational costs by 30% annually.

Innovation Award - Q3 2022

Received the company-wide Innovation Award for developing a novel algorithm that improved data processing efficiency by 40%, significantly impacting the company's core product performance.

Published Technical Whitepaper

Authored and published a well-received whitepaper on 'Best Practices for Secure API Development in Distributed Systems,' which became a key internal training resource.

Educational Background

Master of Science - MS Candidate, Human Computer Interaction

DePaul University

Bachelor of Arts - BA, Design and Visual Communications, General

Hampton University - Year 1993

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Notable news
Hiring actively
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Corporate Finance

Company Overview

Black Star Rising
Total employees8
HeadquartersLos Angeles
Founded2021

Black Star Rising is a venture capital firm dedicated to identifying and investing in exceptional, often underrepresented, founders, with a particular focus on Black entrepreneurs. They target pre-seed and seed-stage companies primarily in technology and tech-enabled sectors. Their mission is to bridge the funding gap for diverse founders and support innovative businesses with high-growth potential, thereby fostering a more equitable and impactful startup ecosystem.

Black Star Rising Funding Information
$30M - Total Funding Raised
$30M - Most recent funding amount
1 - Number of funding rounds
9 Nov, 2021 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
Limited Partners (Specific LPs are generally not publicly disclosed for VC funds)

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