Erik Bjäreholt

Erik Bjäreholt is a software developer and entrepreneur based in Stockholm, Sweden. He is best known as the founder and lead developer of ActivityWatch, an open-source automated time-tracking software.12

Professional Background

Erik specializes in electrical engineering and computer science. His expertise includes:

• Building software that builds other software
• Programming in languages like Python, Rust, JavaScript/TypeScript, and Kotlin
• Web design and development

Key Projects and Roles

ActivityWatch: Erik founded ActivityWatch in July 2016 and continues to serve as its lead developer.1 ActivityWatch is described as "the best open-source automated time-tracker for workers, productivity nerds, and researchers".1 The software focuses on privacy and extensibility, running on multiple platforms including Windows, Linux, macOS, and Android.

Other Notable Roles:

• Thesis Worker at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden (2020-2021)1
• Lead Developer at VoiceDiagnostic Sweden AB (2019-2020)1
• Co-founder & CEO of Superuser Labs (2018-2019)1
• Co-founder and board member of Code@LTH (2015-2019)1

Education and Early Career

Erik studied at Lund University, specializing in electrical engineering and computer science.1 During his studies, he took on various roles:

• Head of Entrepreneurship at Datatekniksektionen vid TLTH (2014-2016)1
• Software Developer at Cognimatics AB (Summer 2014)1
• Web Developer for Lundakarnevalen (Spring 2014)1

Interests and Contributions

Erik is passionate about open-source software, productivity tools, and technology that empowers users.3 He has contributed to various projects beyond ActivityWatch, including:

• Maintaining uniswap-python4
• Developing Thankful, an app for rewarding content creators1
• Exploring brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) and their applications5

Erik is active in the tech community, often sharing insights about time-tracking tools and productivity on platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter.56