James Homer

Strategy, Full-Stack & Systems Development · Cloud, Edge & Database Architecture · Creative Direction & UX

Open to CTO (or Fractional) & Founding Engineer roles · Clients include Prada, Nike, Vogue, Venice Biennale

james@homertech.ltd homertech.ltd Lisbon, Portugal LinkedIn

Summary

I approach building systems the way I used to construct photographs: with an eye for detail, a craft with composition, and a tendency toward making the complex feel inevitable.

After studying photography I started as a retoucher, then spent over a decade in boutique design and development agencies — shaping websites and interactive experiences for Nike, Prada, Vogue, Mini and independent studios, artists and agencies. The interesting problems moved from the interface to what's underneath it, and I followed them: databases, edge infrastructure, and the systems that hold a product together at scale.

Today I work as a strategy-first systems architect and full-stack consultant, based in Lisbon and working with teams across the US and Europe. Recent focus: local-first / multi-tenant SaaS, edge computing (Cloudflare Workers), SvelteKit and React Native product builds, database design (Turso, Drizzle, SQLite), payments (Stripe) and analytics (PostHog) — mostly for early-stage startups finding their first real scale.

Casually exploring CTO, founding engineer, or fractional / technical co-founder roles — ideally with a team that wants rigorous systems thinking and someone who still speaks the language of brand, product and story.

Experience

  • Owner — Homer Technologies Ltd.
    Jan 2019 – Present

    Independent studio and consultancy delivering full-stack development, systems architecture, and strategic / creative direction.

    • Digital experiences for Nike, Prada, Vogue, Mini and Venice Biennale — creative direction through to production engineering.
    • Full-stack product and infrastructure: SvelteKit & React Native, Cloudflare Workers, and database architecture (Turso, Drizzle, SQLite) for early-stage startups.
    • Led MVP development for Trestle Ledger — offline-capable, multi-tenant field app with realtime sync and flexible org configuration for NYC community services.
    • Built and maintain Fokus CMS, an open-source headless CMS with a custom content API and asset management service, in continuous use since 2014.
  • Digital Director — Studio Thomas
    Sep 2014 – Jan 2019

    London

    Co-founded and led digital development for a design studio, translating ambitious creative concepts into shipped web experiences.

    • Custom tooling for SMEs and creative practices — WebVR portfolios, Spotify-API generative visuals, bespoke video players.
    • Technical strategist between designers and engineering on client-facing creative projects.
  • Developer — yes studio
    Apr 2010 – Sep 2014

    London yes.studio

    Website and CMS development for photographic agencies and artists, including East Photographic, Dan Holdsworth and Dan Tobin Smith.

  • Retoucher — Touch Digital Ltd.
    Oct 2009 – Mar 2010

    London

    Image retouching for fashion and advertising clients.

Selected projects

  • MOODS
    Aug 2025 – Jun 2026

    Creative self-inquiry app with archetype-driven conversational AI. Early technical planning and scoping, UX/visual consulting, full-stack cross-platform development, MVP launch strategy — supporting growth to $30k MRR in the first 3 months.

  • Trestle: Ledger
    2026

    Offline-capable iPad / PWA for NYC frontline community services — realtime sync across devices, legacy-system integrations via browser automation, and a flexible multi-tenant configuration system. Role grew from frontend to leading MVP development between design and the CTO.

  • Venice Biennale: Spatial Intelligens
    Mar 2025 – May 2025

    Lead developer on the mobile companion app for the 19th International Architecture Exhibition (Carlo Ratti / sub). Computer vision for indoor positioning, conversational AI over exhibition content, and a live spatially-aware visit model. Specced FE/BE, auth, CI/CD, and behaviour-informed LLM context.

Education

  • Nottingham Trent University — Bachelor of Arts, Photography (First-Class Honours)
    2005 – 2008

Skills

System Architecture · Full-Stack Development · Edge Computing (Cloudflare Workers) · Database Design (Turso, Drizzle, SQLite) · SvelteKit · React Native · TypeScript · API Development · Stripe · Product Analytics (PostHog) · Creative Direction · UX · Strategy