What if you could build applications using a single programming language that runs seamlessly across all devices, from smartphones and desktops to cars and wearables? This is the vision that Dillon Nys, founder of Celest, is pursuing with Dart and Flutter. In this episode of The Lobster Talks Podcast by Lobster Capital, we sit down with Dillon Nys, the founder of Celest, a startup that aims to make Dart the go-to language for full-stack development. Dillon shares his journey from studying environmental engineering to becoming a Flutter expert at AWS, where he played a key role in developing the Amplify Flutter framework. Driven by his passion for Dart and Flutter, Dillon left AWS to create Celest, a platform that empowers developers to build applications using Dart across multiple platforms, including the cloud. Throughout the conversation, Dillon provides insights into the future of cross-platform development, the challenges of being a solo founder, and the invaluable lessons he learned during his time at Y Combinator. EPISODE IN A GLANCE -Introduction & Dillon's Background: From environmental engineering to discovering Flutter and Dart, Dillon's unconventional path into software development. -The Birth of Celest: The inspiration and vision behind Celest: empowering Flutter developers to build for any screen. -The Multi-Screen Future: Discussing the rise of multi-device experiences and how Flutter and Celest are positioned to play a key role in this evolving landscape. -Y Combinator Experience: Dillon shares his experience as a solo founder in the YC program, highlighting the challenges and rewards. -Solo Founder Dynamics: Challenges and Strategies -Staying Motivated & Building a Strong Foundation: The importance of perseverance, finding your purpose, and building a support network for long-term success. -Personal Inspiration & Book Recommendation: Dillon shares the book that has significantly impacted his life and approach to work: "Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn ABOUT DILLON NYS Dillon previously worked at AWS where he led development of the Amplify Flutter framework, bridging the gap for Flutter developers to build for the cloud. He saw how Flutter developers wanted to use Dart for their entire application stack, including their backend and infrastructure. So he left AWS and created Celest to fill the gap in this growing community and solve a personal pain point he'd had for many years. CONNECT WITH DILLON NYS Website → https://celest.dev/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/dillon-nys LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/company/celest-dev/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/dillonnys YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfz6AkB46TqsInqA8PcJvTA Twitter → https://twitter.com/celest_dev Twitter → https://twitter.com/dillonthedev GRAB THE BOOK DILLON NYS RECOMMENDS → https://a.co/d/a6CNDp9 ABOUT GABRIEL JARROSSON Gabriel Jarrosson is a seasoned investor and entrepreneur with over a decade of experience in the startup space and the General Partner of Lobster Capital. He has invested over $25M in Y Combinator startups. Having sold three of his own startups, he shares his expertise in his books "My Investor Secrets" and "Investing in Startups: x100 or Nothing." CONNECT WITH GABRIEL JARROSSON YouTube → https://www.youtube.com/@lobstercapital Website → https://www.lobstercap.com/ LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrieljarrosson/ Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/lobstercapital/ Stay ahead of the game with the latest startup insights. Subscribe to our newsletter for startup updates and actionable insights → https://lobstercap.ck.page/c34c61a155
