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Tuomas Artman
Co-Founder at Linear
Tuomas Artman is a prominent figure in the tech industry, known for his role as the Co-Founder and CTO of Linear, a startup that focuses on streamlining software development and project management. Linear is recognized for its modern issue tracking tools designed to enhance productivity for software teams.
Background and Career
Artman has a rich background in software engineering, with over 20 years of experience. Before founding Linear in April 2019, he worked at major tech companies such as Uber and Groupon. At Uber, he held positions including Senior Staff Engineer and Engineering Manager, where he contributed significantly to scaling mobile engineering teams and developing new mobile architectures.135 His journey in tech began in Finland, where he initially worked on multimedia projects before moving to Silicon Valley to pursue opportunities at larger tech firms.16
Founding Linear
The inception of Linear stemmed from Artman’s desire to create a superior project management tool that addressed common challenges faced by software teams. Alongside co-founders Karri Saarinen and Jori Lallo, Artman aimed to develop a product that was not only functional but also aesthetically pleasing and efficient. This vision has led Linear to gain traction among startups, with over 1,000 companies reportedly using its services within a few years of its launch.56
Philosophy and Innovations
Artman emphasizes the importance of software quality and local-first principles in product development. He advocates for rethinking traditional approaches to Minimum Viable Products (MVPs), focusing instead on building robust solutions that can scale effectively. His work at Linear includes the development of the Linear Sync Engine, which enhances real-time collaboration and project tracking capabilities.124
In addition to his technical contributions, Artman has shared insights on the evolving landscape of software engineering, particularly regarding the integration of generative AI into products. He believes that while AI will become essential, it is crucial for startups like Linear to adopt a measured approach, allowing technology tools to mature before fully integrating them into their offerings.45
Overall, Tuomas Artman's career reflects a blend of technical expertise, innovative thinking, and a commitment to improving software development processes through thoughtful design and engineering practices.
Highlights
Cutting engineering workforce by 70% to deliver the same roadmap? How about keep everyone and delivering 3 times more? These CTO’s will be leapfrogged.


