Digital Observatory

WE CAME.
WE SAW.
WE BUILT.

Love The Idea® is a digital product ecosystem. 10+ years building real digital products for businesses and startups. We take ideas from raw concept to live product, with the brands and infrastructure to help them grow.

ENQUIRE → OUR STORY
Jason Pickering, Founder of Love The Idea, 2023
Jason Pickering Founder · 2016
Our Story

STARTED WITH A
SIMPLE IDEA.

LTI started the way most things start — a simple idea. We spent over a decade building and operating technology businesses, at one point running a 130-person developer community. We learnt first hand how systems actually behave when they meet reality.

Eventually we realised we were better at spotting patterns than running after every idea. So we set our sights upstream: less doing, more watching. Less consulting, more researching. Less short-term firefighting, more long-term relationships.

Now we're a small core team backed by trusted experts across legal, finance, and tech. We stay small on purpose. It keeps us quick.

"Don't chase trends. Track them, reflect, and build with intention."
A decade in motion

HOW WE GOT
HERE.

LTI didn't start as an observatory. It started as a scrappy agency, then a studio, a brand refresh, a podcast, a full-service shop — each version teaching us something the last one couldn't. Here's the trail that led to where we stand now.

What we stand for

OUR VALUES.

01

LONG
HORIZONS

We operate on longer time horizons than most. Structural shifts that play out over years — not trends that cycle through quarters.

02

RESEARCH
FIRST

We observe long before we act. We're obsessed with how systems behave over time — not just tech, but the messy interaction between technology, regulation, and people.

03

SMALL ON
PURPOSE

We stay small deliberately. It keeps us honest, keeps us fast, and keeps our decisions ours. No external pressure. No process for the sake of it.

04

FULL
INDEPENDENCE

Entirely self-funded. Our operating businesses generate revenue, which funds more research, which leads to new businesses. The loop is the point.

05

SYSTEMS
THINKING

Infrastructure first. We think in systems and structures — not features and sprints. Long-term ownership over quick exits.

06

INTENTION
OVER SPEED

Reflection over reaction. Clarity over momentum. We only build what we'd want to exist in the world. Most ideas just get filed away for later.

Building at Love The Idea
"WE WATCH WHAT SURVIVES THE HYPE.
THAT'S NOT LUCK.
THAT'S 10 YEARS OF PAYING ATTENTION."
Jason Pickering · Founder
The people

OUR DIRECTION.

A small core team backed by trusted advisors. Each one here because they believe in the long game.

JP

Jason Pickering

Founder & CEO

Leads with a passion for innovation. Pushes the boundaries of technology, making it accessible and impactful for businesses and communities.

MC

Mae Castero

COO

Leads operational strategy, ensuring smooth coordination across all teams. Sharp focus on process optimisation and continuous improvement.

N

Nathan

Product Director

Steers product development, transforming innovative concepts into impactful solutions through close collaboration with clients and engineering.

JM

Joe Mewes

Technical Director

Leads technical strategy and execution for innovative digital products. Committed to pushing the boundaries of what technology can deliver.

EH

Emily Harris

Marketing Director

Crafts strategies that drive brand awareness and engagement. Keen eye for trends, passionate about making the LTI message resonate.

DA

Erika Mandite

Account Director

Manage client relationships and schedual our innovation and technology team. Background in CX and B2B sales.

LTI ENGAGES
SELECTIVELY.

We occasionally and selectively engage with founders, operators, and institutions. We try our best to filter and respond to professional enquiries.

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