Bio

I'm Louis Hart-Davis, an engineer and entrepreneur based in Paris, currently building Stratolia, a company focused on Earth Observation using high-altitude balloons. I love working at the intersection of technology and problem-solving, whether it’s writing code, designing hardware, or figuring out how to make ambitious ideas work in the real world. I studied Mechanics, Applied Mathematics, and Computer Science at Ecole polytechnique (top French STEM university), which gave me a strong technical foundation, but I’ve always learned best by doing—whether that’s launching a startup or tackling creative side projects. My goal is to work on technologies that will still be in use when I will be gone and by doing so, contribute to human technological progress.

Before Stratolia, I had the chance to work on some interesting things, from developing NLP tools at Pluton AI to helping with cybercrime investigations in the French Gendarmerie. I also worked on IonSat, a 6U CubeSat with one of the first iodine propulsion systems, where I was in charge of telecommunications. On the side, I’ve always enjoyed coding challenges, like participating in Ludum Dare game jams and pushing myself to create something from scratch in just 48 hours. I love the thrill of building quickly, learning fast, and improving along the way.

Outside of work, I enjoy writing, triathlon, philosophy, brainstorming new ideas, and occasionally reflecting on my journey so far. I was once pre-selected for the French team at the International Physics Olympiad, but I’ve come to appreciate that real-world challenges often require a different kind of thinking—one that blends persistence, creativity, and a bit of trial and error on top of studying and understanding human needs. I’m always looking to connect with smart, ambitious people, exchange ideas, and work on things that push the boundaries of what’s possible. 🚀

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News

• Feb 2025: I am currently in San Francisco. If you know any startup founders here or people working in VC, please send me a message !