Roddy Lindsay
I'm an entrepreneur, startup executive, software engineer, data scientist, and film producer.
Themes of my work have included:
AI, AR/VR, cognitive psychology, copyright, cybersecurity, dance music, digital identity, disinformation, messaging, natural language, organizing, politics, spatial audio, structured data collection, tech policy, and video.
I’ve co-founded two nonprofits and one startup, which was acquired.
I have written about tech policy for The New York Times and The Information.
I'm an entrepreneur, startup executive, software engineer, data scientist, and film producer.
Themes of my work have included:
AI, AR/VR, cognitive psychology, copyright, cybersecurity, dance music, digital identity, disinformation, messaging, natural language, organizing, politics, spatial audio, structured data collection, tech policy, and video.
I’ve co-founded two nonprofits and one startup, which was acquired.
I have written about tech policy for The New York Times and The Information.
Work
Hustle
In 2014, I co-founded my startup Hustle. Hustle empowers organizations to humanize communication through text and video messaging.
Hustle has delivered more than 1 billion messages for our clients, many of which are progressive advocacy organizations. We went from zero to $10m in annual revenue in 4 years.
I served as CEO from 2014 to 2019, and currently serve as Chief Evangelist.
Acquired by Social Capital in 2020.
#ai #messaging #natural language #organizing #politics #structured data collection #tech policy #video
In 2014, I co-founded my startup Hustle. Hustle empowers organizations to humanize communication through text and video messaging.
Hustle has delivered more than 1 billion messages for our clients, many of which are progressive advocacy organizations. We went from zero to $10m in annual revenue in 4 years.
I served as CEO from 2014 to 2019, and currently serve as Chief Evangelist.
Acquired by Social Capital in 2020.
#ai #messaging #natural language #organizing #politics #structured data collection #tech policy #video
Taking Back The Groove
I produced a documentary short about Richie Weeks, a disco producer on the legendary Salsoul Records in the 1980's. The film explores the intersection of dance music, copyright law, and social justice as it relates to Richie's fight against a major record label to reclaim his music catalog assets under the Copyright Act of 1976.
The film premiered in August, 2023, at the Oscar-qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival, where it won first prize in the documentary short category.
Featured in Variety.
#copyright #dance music #video
I produced a documentary short about Richie Weeks, a disco producer on the legendary Salsoul Records in the 1980's. The film explores the intersection of dance music, copyright law, and social justice as it relates to Richie's fight against a major record label to reclaim his music catalog assets under the Copyright Act of 1976.
The film premiered in August, 2023, at the Oscar-qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival, where it won first prize in the documentary short category.
Featured in Variety.
#copyright #dance music #video
Envelop
In 2014, I co-founded and currently serve as board chair for Envelop, a nonprofit whose mission is to unite humanity through profound communal listening experiences.
We achieve our mission through community-supported immersive audio venues, inspiring events, educational programs, and free open-source spatial audio software tools.
We have put on more than 700 immersive listening events at our physical and online venues.
Featured in Wired.
#dance music #spatial audio
In 2014, I co-founded and currently serve as board chair for Envelop, a nonprofit whose mission is to unite humanity through profound communal listening experiences.
We achieve our mission through community-supported immersive audio venues, inspiring events, educational programs, and free open-source spatial audio software tools.
We have put on more than 700 immersive listening events at our physical and online venues.
Featured in Wired.
#dance music #spatial audio
Envelop Stream
In 2022, I co-developed and launched Envelop Stream, a mixed reality music venue combining virtual environments with multiple channels of streaming immersive audio.
Envelop Stream works with any Chromium-based browser.
#ar/vr #dance music #spatial audio #video
In 2022, I co-developed and launched Envelop Stream, a mixed reality music venue combining virtual environments with multiple channels of streaming immersive audio.
Envelop Stream works with any Chromium-based browser.
#ar/vr #dance music #spatial audio #video
Envelop Earshot
In 2020, I built and released the first-ever live stream transcoder to support Higher-Order Ambisonics, an open-source tool called Earshot.
Earshot enables next-generation immersive audio experiences for the web and VR/AR/XR platforms.
#ar/vr #dance music #spatial audio #video
In 2020, I built and released the first-ever live stream transcoder to support Higher-Order Ambisonics, an open-source tool called Earshot.
Earshot enables next-generation immersive audio experiences for the web and VR/AR/XR platforms.
#ar/vr #dance music #spatial audio #video
Campaign Verify
In 2020, I created and served as a founding board member for Campaign Verify, a non-partisan, nonprofit service for U.S. political campaigns, parties, and PACs to verify their identity.
Campaign Verify helps protect the integrity of elections by serving as a trusted identity broker for U.S. wireless messaging networks and digital communication services.
#cybersecurity #digital identity #disinformation #messaging #politics #tech policy
In 2020, I created and served as a founding board member for Campaign Verify, a non-partisan, nonprofit service for U.S. political campaigns, parties, and PACs to verify their identity.
Campaign Verify helps protect the integrity of elections by serving as a trusted identity broker for U.S. wireless messaging networks and digital communication services.
#cybersecurity #digital identity #disinformation #messaging #politics #tech policy
Envelop for Live
In 2009, I started developing open-source software for musicians to control multichannel audio arrays using Ableton Live.
A friend and I wrote the initial version in Pd. The latest version, for Live 10, is written in Max/MSP with Max for Live. I contributed several effects to the most recent version.
Featured in Create Digital Music.
#dance music #spatial audio
In 2009, I started developing open-source software for musicians to control multichannel audio arrays using Ableton Live.
A friend and I wrote the initial version in Pd. The latest version, for Live 10, is written in Max/MSP with Max for Live. I contributed several effects to the most recent version.
Featured in Create Digital Music.
#dance music #spatial audio
P2P Texting
Hustle is the result of my 2014 invention of P2P texting, the political and community organizing method now widely used by campaigns and nonprofits.
My invention of P2P texting was heavily influenced by the work of Saul Alinsky, Hahrie Han, and Marshall Ganz.
In one study, P2P texting increased the 2020 Democratic turnout among least likely voters by 19.4 percentage points.
#messaging #organizing #politics #tech policy
Hustle is the result of my 2014 invention of P2P texting, the political and community organizing method now widely used by campaigns and nonprofits.
My invention of P2P texting was heavily influenced by the work of Saul Alinsky, Hahrie Han, and Marshall Ganz.
In one study, P2P texting increased the 2020 Democratic turnout among least likely voters by 19.4 percentage points.
#messaging #organizing #politics #tech policy
WineGlass
In 2014, I built and launched one of the first augmented reality (AR) applications for iOS.
WineGlass allows users to take a photo of a wine list and browse ratings, reviews, and reasonable prices for each wine.
WineGlass peaked at the #4 Paid App in the App Store.
Featured on CBS This Morning.
#ai #ar/vr #natural language #structured data collection
In 2014, I built and launched one of the first augmented reality (AR) applications for iOS.
WineGlass allows users to take a photo of a wine list and browse ratings, reviews, and reasonable prices for each wine.
WineGlass peaked at the #4 Paid App in the App Store.
Featured on CBS This Morning.
#ai #ar/vr #natural language #structured data collection
Facebook Mood and Activity Sharing
From 2012-2013, I built and launched Mood and Activity Sharing on Facebook with a small team.
Mood and Activity Sharing — the smiley button in the status composer — lets Facebook users add a feeling or an activity to their posts with an emoji.
This simple feature made it easier and more acceptable for Facebook users to share a wider range of human emotions.
Featured in TechCrunch.
#digital identity #natural language #structured data collection
From 2012-2013, I built and launched Mood and Activity Sharing on Facebook with a small team.
Mood and Activity Sharing — the smiley button in the status composer — lets Facebook users add a feeling or an activity to their posts with an emoji.
This simple feature made it easier and more acceptable for Facebook users to share a wider range of human emotions.
Featured in TechCrunch.
#digital identity #natural language #structured data collection
Facebook Research Polls
From 2008 to 2011 I built Facebook’s research polling platform.
To my knowledge, it is the most powerful polling platform currently in existence.
#natural language #structured data collection
From 2008 to 2011 I built Facebook’s research polling platform.
To my knowledge, it is the most powerful polling platform currently in existence.
#natural language #structured data collection
Facebook Lexicon
In 2008 I built “Google Trends for Facebook” with a colleague using NLP, ML, and data visualization techniques.
We were able to predict Obama and McCain favorability ratings 3 days before the Rasmussen tracking polls came out.
We also were able to predict CDC’s hospital flu data better than Google Trends.
Featured in VentureBeat.
#natural language #structured data collection
In 2008 I built “Google Trends for Facebook” with a colleague using NLP, ML, and data visualization techniques.
We were able to predict Obama and McCain favorability ratings 3 days before the Rasmussen tracking polls came out.
We also were able to predict CDC’s hospital flu data better than Google Trends.
Featured in VentureBeat.
#natural language #structured data collection
HappyFactor
In 2008, two friends and I built an SMS-based happiness self-tracking system that would randomly sample a user's mood throughout the day, and provide them with personal well-being analytics.
Featured in Wired.
#cognitive psychology #natural language #structured data collection
In 2008, two friends and I built an SMS-based happiness self-tracking system that would randomly sample a user's mood throughout the day, and provide them with personal well-being analytics.
Featured in Wired.
#cognitive psychology #natural language #structured data collection
Ramscar Lab @ Stanford
From 2004-2007, I worked in Michael Ramscar's cognitive psychology lab at Stanford, investigating language acquisition and human learning.
I wrote Flash-based games, created learning models and simulations, and helped run experiments.
#cognitive psychology #natural language #structured data collection
From 2004-2007, I worked in Michael Ramscar's cognitive psychology lab at Stanford, investigating language acquisition and human learning.
I wrote Flash-based games, created learning models and simulations, and helped run experiments.
#cognitive psychology #natural language #structured data collection
Patents
I have been awarded 25 patents, and have several others pending.
I have been awarded 25 patents, and have several others pending.
Fun
DJ / Live PA
I have been DJing since 2002. I play House, Disco, Downtempo and Ambient music.
I collect vinyl records — mostly disco and post-disco from the late 70’s and early 80’s. I also enjoy making edits.
I perform a surround-sound Live PA with Ableton and Envelop for Live. I’ve played at FORM Arcosanti several times.
I have been DJing since 2002. I play House, Disco, Downtempo and Ambient music.
I collect vinyl records — mostly disco and post-disco from the late 70’s and early 80’s. I also enjoy making edits.
I perform a surround-sound Live PA with Ableton and Envelop for Live. I’ve played at FORM Arcosanti several times.
Education
Stanford University, BS, Symbolic Systems
Stanford University, incomplete MS, Statistics
Stanford University, incomplete MS, Statistics
Languages
Coding
C / C++
Java
Javascript / TypeScript
MATLAB
Max
Objective-C
PHP / Hack
Python
R
Swift
Natural
English (native)
Italian (fluent)
Spanish (intermediate)
Mandarin (intermediate)
Hungarian (beginner)
Russian (beginner)
Latin (written)
Ancient Greek (written)
C / C++
Java
Javascript / TypeScript
MATLAB
Max
Objective-C
PHP / Hack
Python
R
Swift
Natural
English (native)
Italian (fluent)
Spanish (intermediate)
Mandarin (intermediate)
Hungarian (beginner)
Russian (beginner)
Latin (written)
Ancient Greek (written)