Our Story

Hi, I’m Karthik, Founder and CEO at Porter Labs. My life changed when I brought home my new puppy Porter. He was a 7-week-old, 12 lb yellow Lab eager to destroy my hands, clothes, and anything else he could fit into his mouth.

When Porter was finally tired, he’d lay in my lap and lick my face. He had so much energy (and still does), but he was also such a smart, gentle, and affectionate dog that I felt extra determined to make sure his needs were met.

I quickly learned that Porter needs A LOT of engagement for his active mind and body. I tried so many toys, gadgets, and training classes with him, but nothing quite satisfied his need for high-quality engagement when I was busy.

Being an engineer, I soon found myself designing what I knew would produce the best results. I wanted an autonomous training device that could teach Porter new skills and reward him through positive reinforcement. Soon, PupStation emerged and I founded Porter Labs in his name. Our prototype product includes a smart collar, satellites, and a feeder that work together to provide hours of interactive training and entertainment.

Porter stopped nibbling on my hands a long time ago, but he still loves to lick my face and lay in my lap, even though he barely fits now! We’ve shared so many outdoor adventures and I’ve learned a ton from him along the way. Porter inspired me to create something that I know will benefit millions of dogs and their people, and we can’t wait to share it with the world.

Our Leadership

FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
CO-FOUNDER AND CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Head of Growth & Marketing
You're one step away
from enhancing your dog's life.

Karthik Arumugham

Founder, Chief Executive Officer

 

As a pet parent, Karthik understood the need for dog owners to empower their pets to make better choices. As an accomplished tech expert, he realized he could apply his extensive knowledge in software and network engineering to build a system to do just that. PupStation, the next-generation dog training and entertainment product he developed, uses artificial intelligence to adjust to the needs of every dog.

Karthik’s background is critical to designing the hardware and software that powers PupStation.

  • Expertise in software, network engineering, cybersecurity, and business development
  • Skilled in managing business and technical partnerships
  • Stanford Graduate School of Business Ignite Entrepreneurship Program – 2018
  • Developed one of the industry’s first SDN products at Akamai, built Dialpad’s network
Connect with Karthik on LinkedIn

Scarlett Trillia

Chief Operating Officer

 

Over the course of her career, Scarlett Trillia has worked with start-ups and on new ventures (adventures!) across industries ranging from media production, to biotech, to logistics technology and high end, technology-supported furniture fabrication. She brings a wealth of administrative and operational skills as well as a passion for teamwork, a knack for strategy, and a long view into the future.

Scarlett’s interdisciplinary background began with an Honors degree in Human Services Administration at Northeastern University, extensive international travel for academic research, and an early career in non-profit development. Moving between industrial sectors later in her career broadened Scarlett’s view of business and finance, business ethics, and the interplay between humans, our natural environment, our communities, and the way that we work and develop new technologies in the 21st century.

Outside the office, Scarlett is a long-time yoga practitioner and teacher who has dedicated thousands of hours to the study of Vedic wisdom teachings. She brings a foundation of ancient Eastern philosophy and science to the modern Western working environment, a kind of peaceful super power when it comes to weathering the uncertainty of startup life.

Scarlett is based in Oakland and Mendocino, California where she has raised a very, very good dog named Luz. Together they enjoy digging in the garden, long walks on the beach, and swimming in the river whenever they get a chance!

Connect with Scarlett on LinkedIn

 

Carol Tran

Head of Growth & Marketing

 

Carol Tran is a product-led growth executive and 3x entrepreneur with years of growth hacking, marketing, product innovation, and data expertise. She is industry agnostic and has helped grow companies of nearly every size, vertical, and business model. She partners with company leadership, acting as a guide to reveal inefficiencies and grow the business using limited resources. She has a legal and neuroscience background that provides her a competitive edge in developing targeted, cost-effective programs that generate data-driven results. She is highly versed in digital marketing, SEO, strategic planning, new business and product development, and implementing go-to-market strategies for existing and new products.

Her passion for entrepreneurship translates across verticals: with broad professional experience from e-commerce (Bare Escentuals, Zenni Optical) to law and finance (Morgan Stanley) to high-tech/SaaS (Oracle) and retail (Nordstrom). Carol’s diverse industry background helps her diagnose problems quickly, illuminate blind spots, and promote growth. She believes strongly in philanthropy and giving back to her community, working closely with non-profit organizations to help them to think like startups, unlocking the dynamic nature of money and cycling funds back into their respective causes.

Carol was a dog mom until her little one passed away recently in 2023 after living a full life of 17 years. She misses her everyday and has a huge amount of love and compassion for animals.

Connect with Carol on LinkedIn

 

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