Elias ️

Founder of Drift, based in Boston

Elias Torres is a prominent entrepreneur and technology executive, best known as the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Drift, a company he co-founded in 2015 with David Cancel. Drift specializes in conversational marketing and sales, providing tools that help businesses enhance customer interactions through chatbots and other digital communication methods. Under Torres's leadership, Drift has grown significantly, achieving a valuation of over $1 billion and serving more than 50,000 customers globally.1 2 3

Early Life and Education

Torres immigrated to the United States from Nicaragua at the age of 17, initially facing challenges such as language barriers. He attended Leto High School in Tampa, Florida, and later earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the University of South Florida, followed by a master's degree in computer science from Harvard University.2 3

Career Path

Before founding Drift, Torres held several key positions in technology companies. He was the VP of Engineering at HubSpot, where he played a crucial role in enhancing the company's marketing products. Prior to that, he co-founded Performable, a marketing software platform that was acquired by HubSpot in 2011. His career began at IBM as a senior software engineer, where he gained valuable experience in the tech industry.1 2 3

Contributions and Impact

Torres is recognized not only for his technical expertise but also for his commitment to fostering diversity in the tech sector, particularly supporting Latinx entrepreneurs. He currently serves on the board of the Bloom Institute of Technology and Escala, a company focused on inbound marketing in Latin America.1 2

In 2023, Torres launched a new startup called Novy, which focuses on leveraging artificial intelligence to assist organizations in various sectors. He aims to explore innovative applications of AI while maintaining a lean operational model.3 4

Elias Torres's journey from a struggling immigrant to a successful tech entrepreneur exemplifies resilience and innovation in the fast-evolving landscape of technology.