Finlay Small

Meaford, Ontario
519-731-5590
fsmall90@gmail.com
https://www.small-solutions.ca

Experience

Avenue Intelligence | Co-Founder | Jan 2023-Present

Pedestrian Traffic Sensing & Analytics

• Low-power sensing hardware for field deployments with weak connectivity.
• Data architecture utilizing object-storage, ClickHouse, and DuckDB for analytical workloads.
• Privacy-preserving firmware and communications behavior.
• Prediction systems integrating field signals with geospatial data.

Research Program Manager | Private Company | Nov 2021-Jan 2023

Genetics Facility

• Clean plant pipeline from meristem remediation to production-scale delivery.
• Analytical chemistry laboratory: method development, data systems, and genotype-decision workflows.
• Experimental programs: plant health, beneficial microbes, and production variables.
• Operations management across R&D, laboratory, and production environments.

Chief Scientific Officer | Saed Technologies | Oct 2020-Present

Plant Acclimatization Systems

• Environmental chambers with embedded control, instrumentation, and firmware.
• Coordination of domestic and offshore manufacturing.
• Acclimatization outcomes tuned to plant response.

Scientist / Research Coordinator | Private Company | Nov 2019-Nov 2021

Production Decision Support

• Data collection and dashboard systems for yield loss prevention.
• Research trials in vertical farming and photobiology.
• System evaluation and experimental design for production environments.

Scientist / Special Projects | Private Company | Apr 2019-Oct 2019

Plant Production Systems

• Tissue culture media and propagation protocols.
• Commissioning and improvement of R&D and production systems.

Technician | University of Guelph, Gosling Research Institute | Sep 2017-2019

Plant Preservation & Photobiology

• Tissue culture laboratory commissioning.
• LED lighting systems for photobiology research.
• Machine learning applied to light spectrum optimization.

Researcher | University of Guelph, Beneficial Microbes Lab | May 2014-Sep 2015

Microbial Community Research

• Identification of disease-suppressive microbial communities and inoculant formulations.
• Assay design and experimental execution.

Technical Tools

Systems & Software

• C/C++, Python, R
• Linux, NixOS, Docker, AWS
• ClickHouse, DuckDB, PostgreSQL, InfluxDB, MongoDB
• Grafana, Tableau, Power BI

Hardware & Design

• PCB design (KiCad, Eagle)
• ESP32 and low-power embedded platforms
• Fusion 360, 3D-printed component design
• Environmental control, fertigation, and automation systems