Hi, I'm Elena Lape.
Founder, Engineer, and Open Source advocate bringing ideas to life through technology.
Since my early teens, I've built a variety of things — from platforms and open source tools to personal websites and productivity apps. Recognizing the value of shared knowledge, I mentor others by organizing hackathons and workshops.
Currently, I'm the Founder and Engineering Lead at Holopin, where we're building a platform for digital badges based on Verifiable Credential Standards for micro-recognition and gamification. Inspired by the stickers developers put on their laptops, we're enhancing developer experience and community engagement. Check out my badge board!
Holopin has grown to over 130,000 users, partnering with companies like DigitalOcean & Hacktoberfest and Cloudflare, and has become a go-to for developers to showcase their skills and achievements.
As of July 2024, I serve on the Advisory Board of W3C, the World Wide Web Consortium. As an elected member, I represent the interests of developers, small businesses, and open source to make the Web work for everyone.
Background
Previously, I ran Theta Labs, a consultancy specializing in cloud native, open source products focusing on infrastructure tooling, monitoring, API design, and developer experience. I believe in staying close to the people you're building for, so I still spend at least 50% of my time coding.
Before that, I worked in various software engineering and developer focused roles, including at GitHub as the Product Partnerships Lead for Education. There, I scaled the GitHub Student Developer Pack to over 2 million users and more than 100 partners like AWS, Unity, and Typeform.
I also worked as an engineer at startups including Inclusive Energy, HTTPie, and interned at Nasdaq during my time studying Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science at the University of Edinburgh.
Community Involvement
As a builder at heart, I've traveled around the world participating in and organizing several dozen hackathons, including directing Hack the Burgh, Scotland's largest student hackathon.
These experiences have connected me with passionate developers and impactful projects. See some of the things I've built here.
Outside of Tech
Collecting various skills and engaging in various hobbies is a big part of my life.
While technology is both my profession and passion, I also enjoy composing electronic music and challenging myself through CrossFit and long-distance running.
I have a deep love for human languages too. I'm fluent in English, Spanish, German, and Lithuanian, and can comfortably watch series in Russian and Persian/Farsi (sometimes with subtitles for the latter).
Get in Touch
When time allows, I continue to consult and speak at conferences. If you're working on something interesting and want to connect, please reach out via email or my social media channels.