Every company starts with a spark. Sometimes it’s a big idea, a moment of frustration, or a quiet belief that things could be better. For coLAB, that spark was all three, and what’s kept it burning is a shared commitment to doing the work differently.
We’re not just building a platform. We’re building a mission-driven company that brings together sustainability, strategic consulting, purpose-built software, and values-centered facilitation. Our work is rooted in partnership, designed to help mission-driven organizations lead with clarity, confidence, and connection.
Through this four-part series, we’re excited to introduce the founding team behind coLAB 2.0, not just to reflect on where we’ve been, but to share what we’re building together.
These aren’t just bios or product updates. These are stories about trust, resilience, and the long game we’re playing together. Because at coLAB, this isn’t just what we do, it’s how we do it. With intention. With each other. And with the future in mind.
Meet the Team: Jakub Pilecki, Chief Technology Officer
Building Technology That Serves Real People
When people hear the title “Chief Technology Officer,” they often picture someone deeply immersed in code, system architecture, or artificial intelligence. Jakub Pilecki does all of that, but what sets him apart is his unwavering belief that technology should serve people, not the other way around.
Jakub brings more than 25 years of experience designing complex systems and leading software teams around the globe. At coLAB, he is not only building the infrastructure behind the VERVE platform. He is shaping the technology to reflect the organization’s values: clarity, usefulness, and trust.
“I came to coLAB because I trusted the people,” Jakub says. “We had worked together before on high-impact projects. When the opportunity came to build something better, something more aligned, it made sense to keep going.”
That sense of commitment carried over from their previous organization, where the coLAB founders first collaborated. Jakub stayed through uncertainty and transition, not because it was easy, but because he had made a promise.
“I said I would stay through the hard parts, and I meant it. That matters to me.”
From Vision to Code
At coLAB, Jakub is responsible for designing the architecture of the VERVE platform and ensuring it meets the needs of the people using it. This means striking a balance between long-term innovation and immediate functionality.
“My goal is to build software that actually helps people,” he explains. “Sometimes that means taking the elegant technical route, but often it means choosing what will work best for the customer right now.”
Jakub is not motivated by buzzwords or flashy features. His focus is on stability, scalability, and real-world utility. Whether he is leading the team through a complex release cycle or prototyping a new feature that simplifies strategic planning, he is always asking the same question: Will this make someone’s job easier?
“Technology should never get in the way,” he says. “It should support the work, not complicate it.”
Leadership Through Engineering
As a technical founder, Jakub sees his role not only as a builder, but as a connector between vision and implementation. He helps translate organizational goals into product priorities and ensures the platform evolves with intention, not noise.
“I care about making things better—for our users and for our team,” he says. “I also want to keep growing as a developer and as a leader. I want to explore new tools, modern AI, and keep learning how to run a company.”
His perspective is shaped by decades of work across sectors and continents, where he led teams, built startups, and designed systems that are still in use today. What excites him most about coLAB is not just the technology, but the opportunity to build something useful, and to do it with people he respects.
Looking Ahead
Jakub’s vision for the future of coLAB is clear and grounded.
“I want to build a platform that people actually enjoy using,” he says. “Something that feels intuitive, stable, and genuinely helpful. Not just another empty tech product that overpromises and underdelivers.”
His goal is to lead with integrity and to build something that lasts.
“Of course, I want to succeed. I want to help coLAB grow and build something global. But I also want to be proud of what we’ve created, and know that it made a difference.”
Jakub is doing exactly that, quietly, precisely, and with the kind of purpose that shows up in every line of code.
