Laurie Ainley

Co-founder & CEO, Poplar Studio – Powering virtual commerce
London, England,United Kingdom
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Who Is Laurie Ainley?

Total Experience29 years
CompanyPoplar Studio – Powering virtual commerce
CountryUnited Kingdom

Laurie Ainley is a prominent figure in the no-code community, known for his expertise in community building, product development, and empowering indie hackers. He was instrumental as the Head of Community at Makerpad, where he helped scale the community before its acquisition by Zapier. Laurie is passionate about helping people build and launch projects without code, and he continues to share valuable insights and resources through his work. He is the founder of Side Project Stack, a curated directory of tools for side projects, and often writes about no-code, community, and building in public.

Laurie Ainley LinkedIn pageCompany Website

How Did Laurie Ainley's Career Path Shape Their Journey?

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

Poplar Studio – Powering virtual commerce - Co-founder & CEO(2023 to Present)
Poplar Studio – AR Marketing and Commerce - Co-founder & CTO(2018 to 2023)
Scaper - Founder & CEO(2024 to Present)
ZINC - Visiting Fellow(2023 to Present)
Level Up Media Ltd - Product Director(2016 to 2017)
Donative - Founder(2015 to 2016)
Rightster - Platform Product Manager(2014 to 2015)
t5m - Web Developer(2008 to 2011)
Freelance - Web Developer(2001 to 2011)

What Are Laurie Ainley's Key Achievements?

Head of Community at Makerpad (Acquired by Zapier)

Successfully grew and managed the vibrant Makerpad community, a leading platform for no-code education, significantly contributing to its value and eventual acquisition by Zapier.

Founder of Side Project Stack

Created and launched Side Project Stack, a popular resource providing a curated list of tools and platforms to help individuals build and launch their side projects efficiently.

No-Code Evangelist and Educator

Recognized as a thought leader in the no-code space, actively sharing knowledge through articles, tutorials, and community engagement, empowering countless individuals to build software without writing traditional code.

Building in Public Advocate

Consistently shares his journey, learnings, and progress on various projects, inspiring others in the indie hacker and creator community to adopt transparent building practices.

What's Laurie Ainley's Educational Background?

BSc, Computer and Business Studies

University of Warwick - Year 2004

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Notable news
Hiring actively
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Company Overview

Poplar Studio – Powering virtual commerce
Total employees30
HeadquartersLondon
Founded2018

Poplar Studio is a creative platform specializing in the creation and deployment of 3D and Augmented Reality (AR) experiences for e-commerce and marketing. They empower brands to enhance their online customer journey by offering immersive product visualizations, virtual try-ons, and engaging AR advertising campaigns. Their goal is to help businesses increase conversion rates, reduce returns, and build stronger customer connections in the evolving digital commerce landscape.

Company Website
Poplar Studio – Powering virtual commerce Funding Information
Unknown - Total Funding Raised
£2.1M - Most recent funding amount
2 - Number of funding rounds
1 Sep, 2021 - Latest funding round
Lead Investors:
Fuel Ventures
Haatch Ventures
MD One Ventures
Ascension Ventures

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