Erik Pearson

Professional Overview

Erik Pearson is the Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Occupier, a New York City-based PropTech startup specializing in lease management software designed specifically for commercial tenants. He has held this role since the company's founding in 2018. His technical leadership focuses on developing innovative workflows that simplify and modernize lease management and tenant-driven real estate decision-making.

Erik Pearson co-founded Occupier alongside Matt Giffune and Andrew Flint, both former colleagues from JLL and VTS, identifying a significant technology gap for commercial real estate teams on the tenant side. Occupier aims to replace outdated, siloed systems with a unified platform that aligns finance, operations, and development teams for enhanced collaboration and lease lifecycle transparency.

Key Contributions and Technical Leadership

• As CTO, Pearson leads engineering and product development efforts, driving the architecture and technical innovation behind Occupier’s platform.

• He is recognized for his ability to advance from technical roles into leadership, previously serving as Head of Engineering at Avenir Interactive and holding senior software engineering positions prior to founding Occupier.

• Under his technical stewardship, Occupier has developed software that integrates lease accounting compliance (ASC 842) workflows with tenant-centric real estate operations—a unique positioning in commercial real estate technology.

• His technical background includes a degree from the University of Washington and extensive experience building scalable SaaS products in the commercial real estate domain.

Company Performance and Market Position

• Founded in 2018, Occupier has successfully secured multiple funding rounds, totaling approximately $32.9 million in equity financing. Recent strategic growth capital of $16 million raised in June 2025, led by Unbundled Capital, highlights investor confidence in the company’s product and market potential. This funding aims to accelerate product innovation and expand Occupier’s market reach.

• Previous funding rounds include seed financing of $1.4 million in May 2019.

• Investors such as OMERS and Stage 2 Capital underscore Occupier's strong backing from established venture funds focusing on vertical SaaS and PropTech companies.

• Occupier’s customer base features notable enterprises, including high-profile clients like DraftKings, demonstrating the platform’s scalability and relevance to fast-growing businesses with complex lease portfolios.

• The company promotes itself as an end-to-end solution for tenants managing commercial real estate, placing it strategically as a disrupter within legacy lease management systems.

Location and Lifestyle

• While Occupier’s headquarters are in New York City, Erik Pearson has recently relocated to Bend, Oregon, reflecting a preference for balancing startup growth with quality of life priorities.

• In public discussions and interviews, Pearson emphasizes a company culture that values sustainable growth, balanced work-life integration, and fostering innovation with a stable team environment.

Public Presence and Thought Leadership

• Erik has been featured on industry podcasts such as Small Market Startup (October 2022), where he discussed Occupier’s company culture, growth trajectory, and his personal approach to scaling a technology company outside traditional major tech hubs.

• He actively maintains a professional LinkedIn profile, connecting with nearly 500 peers in the commercial real estate and technology sectors.

• Pearson and his co-founders articulate a clear mission to revolutionize commercial real estate for tenants through technology, focusing on simplifying lease management and supporting data-driven real estate decisions.

Actionable Insights for Engagement

• Erik Pearson possesses deep technical expertise combined with entrepreneurial leadership, which positions him as a key decision-maker for technology partnerships or integrations related to lease management and tenant solutions.

• Occupier’s recent $16 million funding infusion indicates a phase of accelerated product development, suggesting openness to collaboration that supports scalable innovation in PropTech workflows.

• His relocation to Bend, OR, could imply a less traditional startup engagement style, favoring authentic, culture-aligned conversations with a focus on sustainable and well-integrated tech solutions.

• Understanding Occupier’s unique positioning serving commercial tenants exclusively can facilitate tailoring offering proposals that complement their vision of an integrated tenant-centric lease management system.

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Summary:
Erik Pearson, as Co-Founder and CTO of Occupier, commands responsibility for the company’s technology vision and execution. His extensive experience in software engineering and leadership has been instrumental in securing significant funding rounds totaling nearly $33 million, underpinning Occupier’s ambition to modernize commercial tenant lease management. Occupier’s mission focuses on simplifying complex lease workflows via SaaS solutions designed specifically for tenants, providing a single source of truth that consolidates finance, operations, and real estate perspectives. Pearson’s professional journey reveals a balance between technical excellence and strategic growth within the PropTech sector, supported by industry-leading investors and a notable client roster. His recent move to Bend, Oregon highlights a lifestyle approach that embraces innovation without sacrificing quality of life.