Meet our CEO

Early Passion and Education

I was born in Tres Arroyos, a town near Buenos Aires, Argentina, where I finished school and practiced every sport I could. My passion for computers started early — I learned to type at 13 because I already knew I’d be using a keyboard for life. I was fascinated by my Commodore 64 and the idea of creating my own programs.

I moved to La Plata to study Computer Science at the University (UNLP), where I became part of the LIFIA research lab. There, I worked on Object-Oriented Programming and Hypermedia projects alongside incredible minds like Pablo Zanetti, Alejandra Garrido, and Gustavo Rossi. Our thesis focused on research, which led us to present papers in Buenos Aires, Minneapolis, and Paris.

Career Foundations

I began my professional career developing financial software for JPMorgan, using Smalltalk for 5 years. That role gave me the opportunity to live and work in Mexico City during key project phases.

Later, I moved to Madrid with my wife, completed an MBA, and worked on technology projects for the European Community and a Finnish company. The MBA helped me see the business side of software, deepening my understanding of strategy and collaboration.

Returning to Argentina

After Spain, I returned to Buenos Aires and worked at Lumina Americas, leading development for British American Tobacco. It was during this time that I began taking software quality seriously — not just delivering, but delivering with purpose and care.

Eventually, I settled in Junín with my wife and two daughters, where we chose to grow our life and business in a city we love.

Founding Clarolab

Starting from Scratch (with Clarity)

Inspired by transparency, continuous learning, and purposeful creation, Francisco founded Clarolab with the vision that every line of code should meet the same standards as any product made in Silicon Valley.

The plan was to form teams with students and recent graduates from local universities such as UNNOBA. The challenge wasn’t just technical, but cultural: building professionals with a global mindset from a regional city.

First Steps into the International Market

Within just a few years, Clarolab was already collaborating with U.S. tech companies. Francisco personally led the development of relationships with companies that would later become long-term strategic partners. In 2009, when it was still rare for an Argentine startup to export software, Clarolab was already doing it.

Innovation with Real Impact

One of the most significant moments in his career was when NASA chose Clarolab to work on the security of one of its internal products. Francisco saw it not only as technical validation but also as a clear sign that the team’s guiding philosophy—quality, commitment, and closeness—was the real differentiator.

Under his leadership, Clarolab became the exclusive partner for maintaining products like JiveX, built autonomous teams for major companies, and won innovation competitions within fast-moving tech environments.

More Than Just Software: Culture, Community, and Purpose

Francisco never aimed to create just a profitable company. He promoted continuous learning, creative spaces in the office, artistic practices, and internal hackathons. He supported the development of young professionals through internships, educational agreements, and training programs.

Today, Clarolab is on its way to becoming a Certified B Corporation, a reflection of a vision that has always aimed for impact beyond code. Internal culture is just as important as technical excellence.

A Hands-On Leader

Unlike many founders who step away from operations, Francisco remains involved in the day-to-day: welcoming new hires, leading key meetings, and constantly seeking ways to improve processes. He doesn’t seek the spotlight—he empowers his team.

Francisco Vives didn’t just build a software company. He built a community of trust, talent, and purpose. And he proved that from Junín, you can change the world—one line of code at a time.