Meet Vakaros: The People, The Passion, and That Windy Name Twist
Let’s start with something fun: do you know what Vakaros actually means? No, it’s not some random made-up word that just sounds cool. It’s actually the Lithuanian god of Eastern winds. When the founders were thinking about a name, they wanted something connected to sailing, speed, and the wind itself—so, there you go. A god of the wind. Pretty fitting, right?
But let’s be honest, Vakaros is not just a name. It’s a team, a group of 12 people working around the clock to deliver the best possible sailing technology. Engineers, sailors, problem-solvers—we’re all a bit obsessed with making sailing smarter, fairer, and more exciting.
If you think sailing instruments magically appear out of nowhere—sorry to disappoint, but no. Everything we do comes from people who are passionate (maybe too passionate) about innovation. The team is constantly testing, improving, and thinking about the next big thing.
We have people working on hardware, others fine-tuning the software, and some making sure that when you need help, there’s actually a real person answering you (and not, you know, an AI chatbot—because nobody wants that!).
Like all good stories, this one starts with two people who had a vision: Jake Keilman and Todd Wilson, the co-founders of Vakaros. Their idea was simple but ambitious—create better sailing technology that actually solves problems for sailors, instead of giving them more things to worry about. And that’s exactly what they did.
From that idea, Vakaros grew into something much bigger. The core engineering team has been together for years, ensuring that Vakaros products stay ahead of the game. Marc Andrysco has been with the company the longest, overseeing firmware development—he’s the one responsible for crafting the software that powers the Atlas 2, including core functions and RaceSense. Then there’s Tyler Norbury, who joined in 2020, focusing on app development from the ground up, including Vakaros Connect, Race Control, and internal applications.
But tech alone isn’t enough. Tiffany Wilson has been involved since day one, contributing across different areas of operation and ensuring that Vakaros delivers the best possible experience to sailors everywhere.
On the marketing and sales side, Doug Wake joined in June 2022, taking charge of branding and marketing efforts to build Vakaros into what it is today. Around the same time, Will Huerth came aboard, focusing on sales and setting up a sales pipeline. To expand Vakaros’ presence
in Europe, Niccoló Bianchi joined in November 2022, helping to grow the brand across the continent.
In operations and support, Sara Corredor started in 2022, strengthening the customer support team, while Francesca Frazza joined the marketing team in 2023, bringing her expertise in social media. Finally, the newest addition to the Vakaros family is Drew Follett, who joined in June 2023, helping sailors make the most of Vakaros technology through customer success.
And, since we’re here to educate a bit, let’s fix something. People always talk about “Vakaros instruments,” which is nice and all, but do you know that they actually have names?
Our devices are called Atlas 2 and Atlas Edge. They’re not just screens; they are game-changers for sailors, built for precision and reliability. And then there’s RaceSense—which is not just “that Vakaros system” but actually the technology that makes race management smoother, fairer, and way more accurate.
Behind all of this, there’s a small but dedicated team working day and night (and drinking too much coffee) to make everything work perfectly. We’re engineers, sailors, and problem-solvers, and we love what we do.
So next time you see an Atlas 2 on a boat or experience a RaceSense-powered regatta, just remember—there’s a whole team behind it, making sure you get the best experience possible on the water.
And if someone asks what Vakaros means, you now have the answer: It’s the Lithuanian god of the Eastern winds, and also the reason why you’re sailing smarter than ever before.
