devops-for-devices
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Yadhu Gopalan and the Long Memory of Machines
A childhood coder kept the devices of his Microsoft years in a box. Decades later, their unfinished lesson became Esper: build the hard infrastructure once, then let everyone else get on with the invention.
Esper
Esper is a Bellevue, Washington software company that builds an enterprise-scale device management platform for dedicated edge hardware - the point-of-sale systems, kiosks, tablets, rugged handhelds, and digital signage that run modern retail, restaurants, healthcare, and logistics. Founded in 2018 by former Microsoft and Amazon engineers, Esper pitched itself early as 'DevOps for devices,' bringing pipelines, remote control, custom Android builds, and over-the-air updates to fleets that traditional mobile device management tools struggle to handle. The company has raised roughly $100M+ across Series A through C and manages devices for customers including Taco Bell, DoorDash, Intelity, and Spire Health.