Committed to building a business and a community for software as a craft, Paul Pagel founded 8th Light in 2006. Under his direction, the company has grown 10X, and now employs more than 150 software crafters across two continents.

Paul received his Bachelor of Science in computer science from DePaul University in 2005, and earned his Executive Masters of Business from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management in the Spring of 2016. Paul has also overseen the evolution of 8th Light’s innovative apprenticeship program, which has trained more than 200 successful software professionals.

In addition to his work with 8th Light, Paul is a frequent public speaker and business advisor. He sits on the Board of Directors of Hearken, a web platform that connects newsrooms with the communities they cover, and was also an early investor in AXUS Travel App—a web and mobile collaboration and itinerary management platform for travel advisors and travelers—and helped guide the business from the initial development and growth of its platform through to its successful exit to Northstar Partners.