Matthew Kitt

Principal Software Engineer | Frontend Architect | AI Engineering | Team Leader

Summary

Principal engineer with 20+ years building large-scale web and mobile applications. Specializing in AI-powered automation, modern frontend architecture, and product development. Proven track record founding ventures, scaling teams, and delivering high-impact products for startups and global brands. Deep affinity for statically-typed languages and functional patterns; shipping AI-native engineering practices that change how teams work.

Experience

Homebot

Principal Engineer (2025 – Present)
Homeowner engagement platform for real estate and finance professionals. Driving Agentic First Enablement across the engineering organization while shipping AI product surfaces.

Contract Work

Engineering Consultant (2024 – 2025)
Working across fintech, behavioral education, and resource management clients, specializing in modernization and AI-powered automation.

Architected and delivered greenfield Next.js web and React Native mobile applications
Migrated legacy Redux/React Router codebases to modern Vite + Tanstack ecosystems
Designed infrastructure enabling AI coding agents (Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot) for remote and local development workflows
Built AI-powered workflows automating test generation, documentation, and feature scaffolding
Scaled team productivity through automation, enabling focus on high-value feature development

Technologies: TypeScript, Vite, Tanstack, Next.js, React Native, Mastra, Langchain, Anthropic/OpenAI SDKs

Vangst / PIKL

Principal Engineer (2020 – 2024)
Talent platform, incubating PIKL as a multi-tenant marketplace for temporary staffing.

Drove 175% MAU increase, helping secure Series B funding
Migrated core application to progressively enhanced, SEO-friendly platform with faceted search, job boards, and learning modules
Built internal recruiter tools and delivered data-driven insights driving product roadmap decisions; mentored engineering teams

Technologies: TypeScript, React, Next.js, GraphQL, Tailwind, Cypress, Vercel

Highwing

Principal Engineer (2018 – 2020)
Commercial insuretech platform connecting brokers and carriers.

Designed marketplace features for analytics, search, and messaging; set up DevOps pipelines (GitHub Actions, Terraform, AWS)
Built prototypes for investor pitches; landed major partnerships contributing to Series A funding

Technologies: TypeScript, React, Apollo, GraphQL, Emotion, Storybook, Cypress, AWS

Ello

Co-Founder / Product Development Lead (2013 – 2018)
A global community of artists dedicated to creative excellence.

Co-founded and built open-source creative platform serving millions with viral growth and international press coverage
Architected React/Redux/Flow frontend and Ruby/PostgreSQL backend on AWS supporting real-time content interactions
Drove product vision and UX; guided funding rounds and team growth from 7 to 30+

Technologies: React, Redux, Flow, Ruby, PostgreSQL, AWS

Earlier Career (2001 – 2015)

Mode Set - Partner / Development Director (2011–2015)
Factory Labs - Developer → VP of Interactive Services (2005–2011)
The Firm Graphics - Developer / Interaction Designer (2001–2005)

Progressed from developer to VP and founding partner across consultancy and agency environments
Directed frontend architecture, hired engineering leadership, and delivered solutions for Fortune 500 clients including Google, Audi USA, The North Face, Oakley, Vans, Sony, and Paramount
Contributed to agency scaling from 20 to 150 staff and $3M to $60M in revenue, leading 20-person engineering team

Technologies: JavaScript, Ruby, iOS Development, ActionScript, Flash, PHP, MySQL, Cinema 4D

Skills

AI & Automation: AI-powered workflows, LLM integration (Anthropic, OpenAI), agentic systems, Mastra, Langchain
Frontend & Full-Stack: TypeScript, React, Next.js, Vite, Tanstack, GraphQL, Redux, modern ECMAScript, Ruby, PostgreSQL
Type Systems & Patterns: Type-driven development with TypeScript and Zod, functional and immutable patterns, schema-first APIs
Leadership: Team building, mentorship, strategic decision-making, agile process, cross-functional collaboration
DevOps: AWS, GitHub Actions, Terraform, Cypress
Craft & Tooling: Neovim, custom dev environments, automated linting/formatting toolchains

Education

Rochester Institute of Technology – Bachelor of Fine Arts, New Media Design