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Alex Gao
Engineer
“Absolutely unmixed attention is prayer.”
Simone Weil
Alex is an engineer at Pear, where he focuses on building systems that help support the Pear portfolio.
Originally from Southern California, Alex headed to UC Berkeley for college, drawn by a fascination with 60s and 70s counterculture. There, he studied computer science, economics, and public policy — developing a deep interest in how these disciplines intersect to shape the world. He continued this exploration in graduate school before deciding he wanted to apply his skills in a more hands-on way.
Alex began his career as a software engineer at OnePay, a fintech company focused on helping people make financial progress. After nearly three years building as an engineer, he sought a new challenge that combined his technical background with his curiosity about innovation and startups. This curiosity brought him to Pear.
Alex is based in San Francisco.
Outside of work you’ll find me…
Making music! I love taiko drumming and perform regularly with an ensemble in SF. I also play acoustic drums with some people on the side. I love cooking – it’s fun to make all sorts of dishes from around the world and to come up with new and tasty ideas.
What is your most used emoji?
💯💯💯
What’s your favorite book?
The Amber Spyglass is a book I adored as a child; I’ll always have a soft spot for it.
What career path did you want to pursue when you were a kid?
I remember wanting desperately to drive a massive vehicle – a fire truck, garbage truck, monster truck, etc. As a teenager, I shifted from land to sea and had a pipe dream of captaining a fishing boat somewhere nice and sunny.
What are your favorite sports teams?
I primarily follow basketball, but I’m not particularly loyal to any team – I have enjoyed the Celtics, Thunder, Spurs, and have recently been enjoying the Nuggets and the Timberwolves. I just like some good basketball! Also GO BEARS!!
Previously
Tech Lead at OnePay
Interested in
I’m an explorer at heart, but more like a deep sea diver than a sailor – rather than ranging far and wide, I believe strongly in digging deep and finding new frontiers in fields that may already seem familiar (whether that’s in my professional or creative lives).