Our Story
The journey of IRIS from graduate school origins to leading-edge technology company
The Beginning
Starting as a few side jobs during graduate school, Zach found himself needing to bring more and more of his friends in to keep up with the demand. Several friends and collaborators from Duke and Stanford have helped out over the years in building the team into what they are today. We are very thankful for the mentorship of our graduate advisors for helping us keep a balance between completing our studies and growing our consulting business.
Sunny Palo Alto
In Silicon Valley is where things started to get serious, with the company getting enough steady work to grow the team and for us to really start considering leaving academia to pursue this full time and better support our expanding client base. Sadly the cost of living was just too high, and most folks had family back on the east coast. We love the relationships we formed in the peninsula and are fortunate to be able to come back frequently to service clients and see old friends.
The Move To Atlanta
Our move to the east coast brought us closer to home and resulted in less total flights for our members. We got our first dedicated space, still working out of Zach's basement, but it was a pretty cool space to work! Our dev team had grown to a larger base of full time members and we had a lot of great times at the basement office. Many cups of coffee were enjoyed.
Settling In Boone
During the pandemic, it became clear that we could operate almost entirely remotely, apart from a small applications lab. We also determined that we needed access to a steady supply of new skilled recruits. As a graduate of the applied physics program at AppState, Zach knew the quality of students and the quality of life that the area brought to the table. We are happy to say that we have put down roots in Boone that have already grown into strong ties with the community and the university.
Growing Into IRIS
After years of diverse projects and working with clients across various industries, we have developed foundational technologies that we're excited to bring to market. Our experience has taught us that the most powerful solutions emerge when cutting-edge research meets real-world applications. We're now ready to share these innovations with a broader audience, building on the strong foundation of relationships and expertise we've cultivated over the years.
