Job Title: Co-Founder and CEO
Company: Softr
Education: Bachelor Degree and Master Degree, Faculty of Mathematics, Yerevan State University
Year of Softr Foundation: 2019
Trailblazers like Mariam Hakobyan are shaping the future with their innovative approaches in the ever-evolving software development industry. As the co-founder and CEO of Softr, Mariam's journey is a testament to the power of no-code platforms in revolutionizing how we create digital solutions.
Career Journey
Mariam Hakobyan's career journey is a testament to her unwavering dedication to technology, innovation, and creating meaningful solutions. Armed with a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Mathematics from Yerevan State University, Mariam embarked on a path that would see her evolve from an engineer to a visionary entrepreneur. Balancing her roles as a mother of two and a tech enthusiast, Mariam's journey has been characterized by a deep passion for all things technology, product, and design.
Her career began in her early twenties, as she ventured into the world of engineering. As the years progressed, she showcased her exceptional leadership skills by heading product and engineering teams in her late twenties. In 2012, Mariam embarked on her entrepreneurial journey by creating Daily-Challenge.co, a groundbreaking platform to assist candidates preparing for interviews with prominent tech groups. This platform offered a daily challenge featuring typical interview questions, fostering preparation and confidence among job seekers.
While Daily-Challenge.co marked her first venture, emphasizing mutual aid and inclusivity, Mariam's journey took a new direction after two years. She transitioned to roles as a salaried engineer, progressively ascending into management positions within technical teams predominantly comprised of male colleagues. In an interview with Inside.com, Mariam candidly acknowledged the presence of gender bias in many organizations, a challenge she navigated with resilience and determination.
Mariam Hakobyan's career journey serves as an inspiring narrative of perseverance, adaptability, and innovation. From her foundational educational background to her entrepreneurial pursuits and leadership roles, she has consistently broken barriers and demonstrated that diversity and inclusion are essential pillars for advancing technology and empowering women in the industry.
Founding Softr
In 2019, Mariam Hakobyan and Artur Mkrtchyan joined forces to give birth to Softr, an innovative startup that would redefine web development and revolutionize how people create online platforms. Coinciding with this venture, Mariam embarked on a 12-month mentoring program designed to foster diversity and inclusion within the startup ecosystem, a testament to her commitment to creating a more equitable tech industry.
The initial iteration of Softr was unveiled in August 2020, introducing a novel approach to website creation. Emulating the mechanics of a construction game, the platform empowered users to design websites by assembling customizable blocks, tailored to their specific needs. Building on this success, a subsequent version emerged a few months later, enabling the creation of powerful web applications that leveraged the capabilities of Airtable.
Softr's conception was deeply rooted in the experiences of its co-founders. Mariam Hakobyan and Artur Mkrtchyan recognized the repetitive nature of developing similar tools for different companies, all necessitating comparable functionalities such as internal tools, messaging systems, and customer portals. With this insight, Softr was envisioned as a solution for engineers to automate routine tasks, freeing up their time to focus on more intricate challenges requiring higher technical expertise.
Mariam Hakobyan's vision, combined with Artur Mkrtchyan's technical prowess, culminated in the inception of Softr. The platform's evolution marked a pivotal moment in the no-code movement, democratizing web development and empowering individuals to create powerful websites and applications without the need for extensive coding knowledge. This journey exemplifies Mariam's commitment to innovation, problem-solving, and driving meaningful change within the tech industry.
Leadership Style and Values
Mariam Hakobyan's leadership style is characterized by a unique blend of empathy, innovation, and a steadfast commitment to fostering inclusivity and diversity in the tech world. Her values are deeply rooted in creating solutions that positively impact people's lives, evident in her journey from engineering to entrepreneurship. With a passion for technology, product development, and design, Mariam brings a holistic approach to leadership, ensuring that every decision aligns with the mission of Softr and the broader goal of democratizing web development.
Her emphasis on diversity and inclusion is reflected in her dedication to mentoring young entrepreneurs and in the way Softr's platform empowers individuals from various backgrounds to build and launch digital solutions. Mariam's leadership cultivates an environment where everyone's ideas and contributions are valued, fostering an atmosphere of collaboration and creativity. Her commitment to staying attuned to users' needs and adapting the platform accordingly showcases her customer-centric approach, placing user experience at the heart of the company's growth.
Guided by a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities within the tech industry, Mariam's leadership encourages innovation, agility, and continuous improvement. Her open communication style and willingness to listen to feedback create a supportive environment where team members feel empowered to contribute their best work. Through her leadership, Mariam Hakobyan embodies the values of inclusivity, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of creating tools that empower individuals to bring their digital visions to life.
The Impact on the Tech World
Mariam Hakobyan's impact on the tech world and platforms like AppMaster is akin to a trailblazer in the realm of democratizing web development through no-code solutions. Just as AppMaster empowers individuals to create powerful applications without complex coding, Mariam's efforts with Softr have transformed the website and web application creation industry. Her leadership has paved the way for non-developers to bring their digital visions to life, bridging the gap between technical expertise and creative ideas.
Like AppMaster's emphasis on providing a powerful yet user-friendly interface for creating a wide range of applications, Mariam's approach with Softr has resulted in a platform that enables users to design websites and web applications with intuitive blocks and components. By empowering users to customize their applications visually, Mariam's impact echoes the principle of enabling everyone to participate in the digital transformation journey, regardless of their technical background.
Just as AppMaster accelerates the process of application development through its automated generation of source code, Mariam's Softr platform offers a seamless experience for creating sophisticated applications without the need for extensive coding. Her focus on user experience and streamlining the development process resonates with the values upheld by AppMaster, where efficiency, scalability, and agility are central themes.
In a tech world where accessibility and simplicity are becoming increasingly important, Mariam Hakobyan's influence shines through her dedication to creating platforms like Softr that empower users to become creators and innovators in their own right. Just as AppMaster drives innovation in the no-code industry, Mariam's vision and leadership have contributed significantly to transforming the way individuals approach web development, making it more inclusive, efficient, and impactful.