pierce crist

Pierce Crist

Currently building GumGauge, a dental device company. Generalist STEM student at the University of Austin, class of 2029, with work in CS, electrical engineering, and mechanical engineering.

Work

  • GumGaugeTechnical Co-founder · 2026–present

    Full-arch intraoral scanner for periodontal measurement, designed to read every tooth and pocket in about a minute while the patient bites gently on a soft mouthpiece. Investigational device, pursuing FDA 510(k) clearance. gumgaugedental.com

  • UrbanPulseTechnical Co-founder · 2026

    Crowdsourcing platform and technology for urban infrastructure mapping, with AI analytics for climate-ready cities. Built and shipped the web platform; venture wound down mid-2026. urbanpulsemapping.com

  • Optioning2026

    Stock-option financing for the 99%: free calculators, education, and transparent financing for startup employees. On hold since mid-2026. optioning.ai

  • GoodWorksFounder · 2022–2024

    Private retail distribution venture built around an opportunity identified during an internship. Formed a joint venture with suppliers, landlords, and site organizers to share profits.

Experience

  • The Boring CompanyEngineering Intern · Winter 2025 · Bastrop, TX

    Researched and designed solutions for underground obstacle-avoidance systems. boringcompany.com

  • Tendo TechnologiesEngineering Intern · Summer 2024 · Princeton, NJ

    Princeton-founded hard-tech startup building a universal IoT solution for gases, liquids, and cylinders. Designed and fabricated fixtures to improve manufacturing efficiency and ran functionality and durability testing in the Princeton Incubator and University Clean Room.

  • ARA Capital PartnersIntern · Summer 2024 · Houston, TX

    A $5B private equity firm scaling industrial technologies essential to the net-zero transition. Conducted market research and competitive analysis, analyzed financials, proposed investment terms, and presented to the deal team. arapartners.com

  • GoodFairIntern · 2021–2023 · Houston, TX

    A leading consolidator of recycled clothing. Automated online product placement with AI-generated descriptions, inventory management, and SKU workflows; researched and secured brand partnerships to expand distribution. goodfair.com

  • Arbe RoboticsIndependent Research · 2021–2023 · Houston & Tel Aviv

    Self-directed research on semiconductor imaging and perception-radar technologies for automotive safety and autonomous driving. arberobotics.com

Projects

  • Jarvis

    Voice-first personal AI operating layer, a persistent assistant wired into my own tools and workflows. In development.

  • Polity GameJuly 2026

    Turn-based economic-policy sandbox: an LLM economic judge constrained by a deterministic validator. Built in 48 hours with a team of four at the Foundation for Economic Education hackathon in Las Vegas; 3rd place. playpolity.com

  • Solar-Powered Airplane

    Capstone project designed in OpenVSP, simulated with Ansys CFD, and flight-tested. 3rd place in Aerospace Engineering at the Science and Engineering Fair of Houston.

  • Carbon-Fiber EDF Jet

    Capstone project designed in Onshape and simulated with Ansys CFD. 2nd place in Aerospace Engineering at the Science and Engineering Fair of Houston.

  • Early engineering projects

    Infrared line-follower robot, theremin, PID balance beam, and sensor systems for autonomous applications.

Education

  • University of Austin (UATX)Class of 2029

    CS, electrical and mechanical engineering. Founding student, Lonsdale-Magaro Build Scholarship. VP of the UATX AI Coding Club; Nexus Society; Gentlemen's Society.

  • St. John's High School, HoustonClass of 2025

    Led the Venture Capital Club and Science Olympiad; Young Entrepreneurs Organization. Tennis, swimming, and volleyball.

More

  • Eagle Scout. Led a project converting recycled clothing into pet beds for Citizens for Animal Protection.
  • Competitive tennis (6 UTR) and pickleball (4+ DUPR).