With over 18 years of experience across high-growth startups and industry giants like Cisco and Google, Nicole Hu brings deep expertise in engineering leadership, team building, and career development. Her insights—shaped by navigating the evolving tech landscape from hands-on engineering to technical leadership—form the foundation of her book, First Job to First Promotion: An Engineer’s Guide to Navigating Your Career in the Age of AI.

Driven by a passion for mentoring the next generation of engineers, Nicole distills her strategic guidance into a practical, inspiring roadmap to early-career success. As founder of Foundry One Lab, she leads innovation at the intersection of AI and entrepreneurship, experimenting with cutting-edge technologies and investing in Lean AI startups.

Nicole also partners with companies to build high-performing, resilient engineering teams and cultivate positive workplace cultures. By bridging personal growth with organizational excellence, she empowers engineers and leaders alike to unlock sustainable innovation and lasting impact.