Biography
Born in Ethiopia and raised in Canada from the age of five, Mikias Abera has always had a passion for technology and its immense potential to address challenges, empower communities, and drive economic growth. With over seven years of experience in software engineering, Mikias has honed his expertise in building web applications and backend systems demonstrating remarkable adaptability in various roles across startups and large enterprises. As a software engineer he reflects a deep commitment to leveraging technology to solve real-world problems, uplift communities, and foster economic empowerment.
Mikias’s journey in technology began as a Full Stack Software Engineer, where he demonstrated his skill in integrating and deploying complex systems using a range of technologies like JavaScript, React, Angular and Ruby on Rails. His tenure at Ava Labs as a Senior UI Engineer Consultant further solidified his proficiency in developing scalable, production-grade applications. As a co-founder of Grocer Box Inc, Mikias combined his technical skill and entrepreneurial spirit with a desire to help those in need, creating e-commerce solutions that allowed many independent grocery stores to stay open and sell online during the Covid lockdowns.
Beyond his technical interests, Mikias is a mentor and contributes to his community. He has mentored aspiring developers at Lighthouse Labs, supporting their learning with an empathetic and patient approach. He is also committed to use technology and entrepreneurship to drive progress in the global black community, and does this by contributing freely to local black community associations and creating job opportunities for black youth in Canada and Ethiopia.
Mikias’s values are integrity, adaptability, resilience, and empathy, and he strives to stay congruent with them in everything he does. His diverse experience and commitment to societal betterment position him uniquely to contribute to any project with insight, creativity, and a deep understanding of technology’s power to effect positive change.