LA

Laurie Ainley

Laurie Ainley


Co-founder & CEO



Professional Overview
Laurie Ainley is a seasoned technology entrepreneur and executive with a proven track record of driving innovation and business growth. As the Co-founder and CEO of Poplar Studio, she is at the forefront of powering virtual commerce, leveraging her extensive expertise in product development, technology evangelism, and strategic leadership.

Experience Summary

Current Role
As the Co-founder and CEO of Poplar Studio, Laurie is responsible for setting the strategic vision, leading the company's product development efforts, and driving the adoption of its cutting-edge virtual commerce solutions. Under her guidance, Poplar Studio has emerged as a market leader, empowering businesses to seamlessly integrate virtual experiences into their e-commerce platforms.

Concurrently, Laurie serves as the Founder and CEO of Scaper, a groundbreaking venture focused on revolutionizing the virtual landscape. In this role, she leverages her deep expertise in technology, entrepreneurship, and industry trends to develop innovative solutions that redefine the boundaries of virtual engagement.

Laurie also holds the prestigious position of Visiting Fellow at ZINC, where she lends her expertise to fostering the growth and development of the next generation of tech innovators.

Career Progression
Prior to her current endeavors, Laurie co-founded Poplar Studio, where she served as the Chief Technology Officer, driving the company's technological advancements and leading the engineering team. She has also held notable roles, including Product Director at Level Up Media Ltd and Founder of Donative, a pioneering startup in the digital philanthropy space.

Laurie's early career was marked by her contributions as a Technical Evangelist and Lead Web Developer at Rightster, where she honed her skills in cutting-edge web technologies and industry thought leadership. She also gained valuable experience as a Web Developer at t5m and as a freelance web developer.

Academic Background
Laurie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from a renowned university, where she consistently demonstrated academic excellence and a passion for technology.

Areas of Expertise
  • Virtual commerce and e-commerce infrastructure

  • Product development and innovation

  • Technology evangelism and industry thought leadership

  • Entrepreneurship and strategic business growth

  • Engineering and software development

  • Digital philanthropy and virtual engagement


Professional Impact
Under Laurie's leadership, Poplar Studio has experienced exponential growth, becoming a trusted partner for businesses seeking to integrate virtual experiences seamlessly into their e-commerce platforms. The company's innovative solutions have been recognized by industry leaders and have received numerous accolades.

Laurie's contributions as a Visiting Fellow at ZINC have been instrumental in nurturing the next generation of tech innovators, sharing her insights and mentoring promising entrepreneurs.

Conclusion
Laurie Ainley's diverse expertise, entrepreneurial spirit, and visionary leadership have positioned her as a prominent figure in the technology and virtual commerce sectors. With a relentless drive to push the boundaries of innovation, she continues to shape the future of virtual experiences and empower businesses to thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.