Today we’d like to introduce you to Kurt VanDusen.
Hi Kurt, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I loved computer as a kid since my mom got us a Commadore PET 2001 and I learned to program in BASIC. I took computer classes in my Middle School and during the summers I went to computer camp in Newberry, MI for a combination of outdoor activities and computer science classes.
In the 1990’s I became interested in the work of Geoffrey Hinton, the Nobel Prize winning scientist who was foundational to the development of AI. I was attempted to program my own version of tensors on our Commadore Amiga at that time, but of course, it was seriously underpowered. It did give me a chance to work out from the ground up some training algorithms using the sigmoid function and backpropagation.
I have alway had an interest in entrepreneurship. My parents were the owners of a small trophy and sign shop in Gaylord, MI, and I grew up working there. After college, I played in a touring band and was interested in contract and management side of the entertainment business. Later, I owned and and ran my family’s trophy store until selling it to go into business as a coffee shop and mobile coffee and smoothie vending. In 2005, the restaurant side of the coffee shop went out of business, and I decided to move on.
In the 2000’s I became developing e-commerce websites and customizing them. Then I fell in love, got married to my wife Patti, and moved to Grand Rapids. This was like starting over for me, so for a while I worked as an assistant manager at Goodwill while I founded my own software business, Equational Applications LLC.
I switched jobs from Goodwill to Spectrum Net Designs in Grand Rapids, MI, a auctioneering software development company. There I was in charge of the development of the native apps in React Native, as well as doing full-stack develpment in NodeJS. I worked there for two and a half years until this spring. I am now returning full time to Equational Applications LLC.
At Equational Applications LLC, I am currently working on an AI Agent app named Clanker which will allow the user with no technical skill to setup an autonomous agent that they can control from anywhere using their phone. The agent can work while the user sleeps. Of course, this is a burgeoning new field that is exploding right now. The companies that can evaluate the agent performance and build in the best safeguards will be in a great position.
The Clanker app is open source, meaning you can look at the code and even copy it for your own use. This is nice, because many AI apps are not open source, and you have no idea what they are doing with your data behind the scenes. You can check out the Clanker code on Github here: https://github.com/equationalapplications/clanker
Clanker is in development and changing everyday. You can try it here: https://clanker-ai.com/ or on Google Play. It is coming soon the the Apple app store, as well.
In addition to developing Clanker, I am working on developing tooling that agents can use, as well test to evaluate their performance. I Equational Application LLC is also available for B2B consulting and development.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No it has never been a smooth road. I have learned from my failures, especially going out of business as a restaurant owner. When it comes to software, it is an environment of constant change. Security never stops evolving, neither does the software required to deal with it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I love the creative side of programing. It appeals to my love of problem solving and designing complex systems, almost like a game. I love music as well, and play bass guitar, and record and produce music for our record label Equational Sound (I like the word “Equational” lol).
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I am fortunate to have so many! I am sure I could come up with some favorite memories revolving around computer camp, but the most formative one is from when I was three. I was by myself in the sun in on the lawn in the backyard, and I realized that adults don’t have all the answers and that I could think for my self.
Pricing:
- Clanker $20 per month for unlimited
- Clanker free to try – 50 free credits
- Clanker $10 for 100 credits
Contact Info:
- Website: https://equationalapplications.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kurtvandusen/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@equationalapplications
- Other: https://clanker-ai.com
