Employee Spotlight: Ken Abe, VP of Engineering at Applecart
Ken Abe serves as VP of Engineering at Applecart. Prior to joining Applecart, Ken was a tech entrepreneur and a leader of agile development teams at multiple NYC startups. Most recently, he served as Director of Engineering at Series-C ad-tech startup <intent>. He also spent the first half of his 20-year career building software in the FinTech space. Ken is a graduate of New York University and Sophia University.
Tell us about what you did prior to joining Applecart:
Before joining Applecart, I spent a decade as a software engineer in financial services and fintech. I then took a bold step and founded my own startup, dedicating 1.5 years to this venture. Following that, I contributed to three different tech startups, where I thrived as both a developer and an engineering leader.
Why did you decide to join Applecart?
The opportunity to join Applecart came through a trusted former co-worker who recruited me. I was immediately intrigued by the company’s mission and product. My initial conversation with the founders left a lasting impression, and I realized Applecart was the perfect fit for my skills, experience, and career aspirations.
What is your favorite Applecart use-case?
As an entrepreneur, I often wished Applecart had been around. One of our biggest challenges was dealing with uninformed policymakers! Although, to be honest, I’m not sure we could have afforded the service as a bootstrapped company.
What should people outside of Applecart know about Applecart?
Applecart is made up of a brilliant team! They’re not only smart but also incredibly dedicated and kind to each other and their customers.
Give us your best fun fact:
Uh oh, my “fun facts” have sometimes been the target of derision for not being fun at all! But here’s my best shot: Before diving into the world of software, I held a variety of short-term jobs, including ice-cream vendor, French language teacher, sous-chef, and even DJ.
