About
hi, i'm zander, a dev and researcher based in 🇨🇦 toronto
i'm building instila right now; next-generation coo software with an ai agent in the loop
i also built clear25, an ai system that sees wildfire smoke coming; gold medal at the toronto science fair 2026, a finalist at the international ai innovation olympiad, and over $5k raised in investment
on top of that, i manage a $20k investment portfolio
and i'm headed to hack the north 2026 at 14; one of only ~10-15 hackers that age to get in
i write software all the way through rust, c++, python and the modern web
i like shipping things fast, and making them actually good
when i'm not writing code i write fiction; 10 published short stories with polar expressions, 2nd & 3rd in canada
What I Do
01
Engineering
Software across the whole stack; systems programming in Rust and C++, up through TypeScript, React and the modern web. Built properly, and shipped fast.
02
Research
AI and data-driven research with real outcomes; a gold medal at the Toronto Science Fair 2026 and a wildfire-smoke forecasting system that has raised over $5K in investment, headed to an AI olympiad at MIT.
03
Ventures
Products built with a purpose. Instila; next-generation COO software with an AI agent in the loop. I also manage a $20K investment portfolio.
Experience
Participant · Hack The North
Canada's largest hackathon · one of ~10-15 accepted at age 14
Gold medal · environmental research
Toronto Science Fair · The C.L.E.A.R. System
Designer & developer
Used Textbook Exchange · T3 stack, PostgreSQL
Teaching assistant
Brain Power · Interview prep for 24 students
Payload & avionics
Rocketry Club · 1-metre rocket build
Programming enrichment
RP4K · Johns Hopkins CTY · Circuit Steam
Cybersecurity Club
Foundational security, hands-on
Published science-fiction author
Polar Expressions · 10 short stories, 2nd & 3rd in Canada