The fur-family shift: Innovating for the modern pet parent

As the VP of Hardware & Operations at Fi, Bob Blake leads the hardware development and supply chain teams driving the company’s mission to nurture the bond between pets and their families. A key architect behind Fi’s hardware evolution, Bob has been central to the development of the company’s most innovative products—from the Series 3+ with its advanced GPS and AI-powered behavior tracking, to the Fi Mini, which brings those same powerful capabilities to the market's most compact tracker, and Fi Ultra, the world’s first consumer wearable powered by T-Satellite with Starlink bringing satellite-grade connectivity to dog tracking for the first time.

With over seven years at Fi, including a tenure as Director of Electrical Engineering, Bob brings a deep technical perspective on integrating human-centric, high-performance technology into the daily lives of pets and the people who love them. He holds an MBA from Columbia Business School and a B.A. and B.E. from Dartmouth College and the Thayer School of Engineering.

Julianna Miller is an ID Director who has a passion for working in the gray area between ID, UX and strategy to bring new products to market. She brings expertise in user centered product innovation and with over 13 years of experience has worked across Healthcare, Fitness, Beauty and Consumer Packaged Goods. Their notable clients include Hydrow and Guide Beauty both of which received IF Design Awards and recognition for Fast Company.