{"id":324775,"date":"2025-05-11T23:39:28","date_gmt":"2025-05-11T23:39:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/techsylvania.com\/?page_id=324775"},"modified":"2025-05-26T13:03:50","modified_gmt":"2025-05-26T13:03:50","slug":"eric-friedman","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/techsylvania.com\/speakers\/eric-friedman\/","title":{"rendered":"Eric Friedman"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\"><p>[vc_row row_height_percent=&#8221;0&#8243; override_padding=&#8221;yes&#8221; h_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; top_padding=&#8221;2&#8243; bottom_padding=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;4&#8243; column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; content_parallax=&#8221;0&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;100955&#8243;][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;4&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; el_class=&#8221;inverted-device-order&#8221;][vc_single_image media=&#8221;324944&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; media_ratio=&#8221;three-four&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;860448&#8243;][\/vc_column][vc_column column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; position_horizontal=&#8221;left&#8221; position_vertical=&#8221;middle&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;2&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;4&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/2&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;111884&#8243;][vc_custom_heading text_color=&#8221;accent&#8221; heading_semantic=&#8221;h6&#8243; text_size=&#8221;fontsize-160000&#8243; text_transform=&#8221;uppercase&#8221; text_space=&#8221;fontspace-135905&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;146945&#8243; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221;]2025 speaker[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_custom_heading heading_semantic=&#8221;h3&#8243; text_size=&#8221;fontsize-155944&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;151802&#8243;]Eric Friedman[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_separator sep_color=&#8221;,Default&#8221;][vc_custom_heading text_color=&#8221;color-wvjs&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;180229&#8243; text_color_type=&#8221;uncode-palette&#8221;]Co-Founder[\/vc_custom_heading][vc_single_image media=&#8221;324350&#8243; media_width_percent=&#8221;40&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;185019&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;115516&#8243;]Eric Friedman is the co-founder of Fitbit, a company that revolutionized wearable technology and brought health and fitness tracking to millions worldwide. He helped lead Fitbit from a 2 person startup through IPO and eventual acquisition by Google. As Chief Technology Officer, Eric led the development of Fitbit\u2019s innovative hardware and software, making it a global leader in health-focused wearables. His work not only redefined how people monitor their activity, sleep, and wellness but also inspired a movement toward accessible and engaging digital health tools.<\/p>\n<p>A serial entrepreneur, Eric previously founded the photo-sharing site HeyPix, which was acquired by CNET Networks. He also gained experience at Microsoft and Epesi Technologies, where he honed his expertise in software engineering and product development. A graduate of Yale University with a degree in Computer Science, Eric combines an interest in technology with a passion for building consumer products with the goal of solving complex problems to create transformative products.<\/p>\n<p>In 2024 Eric said goodbye to Fitbit after 17 years and he is excited to be getting back to basics again, building yet another startup with his longtime business partner James Park and a number of other former colleagues. The new startup has a growing Romania presence led by Daniel Rizea who has worked with Eric since 2017 when Fitbit acquired Romanian startup Vector Watch.[\/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space empty_h=&#8221;2&#8243;][vc_column_text uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;766445&#8243;]<\/p>\n<h4>Beyond the Stage &#8211; Social Profiles<\/h4>\n<p>[\/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; align_horizontal=&#8221;align_center&#8221; gutter_size=&#8221;3&#8243; overlay_alpha=&#8221;50&#8243; shift_x=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y=&#8221;0&#8243; shift_y_down=&#8221;0&#8243; z_index=&#8221;0&#8243; medium_width=&#8221;0&#8243; mobile_width=&#8221;0&#8243; width=&#8221;1\/4&#8243; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;703219&#8243;][vc_icon icon=&#8221;fa fa-linkedin-square&#8221; size=&#8221;fa-3x&#8221; uncode_shortcode_id=&#8221;219478&#8243; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Feric-friedman-b50772%2F|target:_blank&#8221;][\/vc_icon][\/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner column_width_percent=&#8221;100&#8243; 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