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Kirk Roy Ouimet

Kirk Roy Ouimet, known as Kirk Ouimet is an American entrepreneur and software engineer recognized for his contributions to web utilities in the late 2000s. He is a co-founder of Scan, Inc., a company that specializes in QR code technology. Additionally, Kirk was among the early developers to demonstrate an interactive chat interface utilizing OpenAI's GPT-3 language model prior to the introduction of ChatGPT.[1][2][3]

Kirk Roy Ouimmet
Born1984, June 28
Provo, Utah, United States
OccupationSoftware engineer, Investor, Technology entrepreneur
Known forCo-founding of Scan, Inc., founding Phi, Inc., early GPT-3 chat demos.
Websitehttps://www.kirkouimet.com/

Early life

Kirk was raised in Utah and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in information systems from Brigham Young University (BYU).[4] During his time at BYU, he met Garrett Gee and Ben Turley, and together they co-founded a company initially called QR Code City, which was later renamed Scan. The team achieved second place in the 2011 Student Business Plan Competition at BYU.[5][6]

Career

While studying, Kirk developed YouGetSignal, a website that provides a variety of free network diagnostic tools, including a visual traceroute mapping service.[7] By 2009, the site attracted over 450,000 visits each month and received recognition on platforms such as Digg and in Popular Science. The traceroute tool has been utilized by cybercrime investigators to assist in locating online offenders. In 2010, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children acknowledged YouGetSignal for its contribution to identifying jurisdictions, and the FBI made a donation to support the ongoing operation of the service. Additionally, in 2008, Kirk launched SocWall, a website that enabled users to upload and share high-resolution desktop wallpapers.[8]

In 2011, Kirk, along with Garrett Gee and Ben Turley, established Scan, Inc., rebranding their earlier QR code project to enhance the connection between physical and digital spaces. The primary product of Scan was a QR code and barcode scanning application, which gained significant popularity, achieving over 10 million downloads by mid-2012.[2] The company secured $8 million in venture capital from various investors, including Google Ventures and Menlo Ventures.[9] In 2013, the founders participated in the television program Shark Tank. In 2014,[10][11][12] Snapchat acquired Scan for $54 million, and the technology developed by Scan was subsequently utilized to create Snapcodes.[13][14] Kirk left Snap in mid-2020 to pursue new opportunities and personal interests. Following his departure, he founded Stack Science, Inc., which was later renamed Phi, Inc. His new focus centered on personalized health technology. One of the company's initial products, named Stack, was launched in 2023. This product offers micro-encapsulated nutritional supplements that are delivered in customized day-and-night regimens to enhance bioavailability and absorption.[15]

Kirk acts as a commentator who shares his experiences with the GPT-3 neural network.[16] He has participated in conversations with the system and offered insights based on those interactions. His role involves demonstrating the capabilities of GPT-3, particularly how it generates coherent and original content through deep learning and the analysis of extensive data sets.[17][18]

Recognition

Kirk Ouimet was recognized in The 2024 Founder 100 – Utah Edition, which highlights notable entrepreneurs and innovators in the state of Utah.[19][20][21][22][23]

Patents

Year Code Patent Name
2015 US 9,111,164B1 "Custom function patterns for optical barcodes."[24][25]
2018 US 9,911,037B1 "Facial patterns for optical barcodes."[26][27]
2025 US 12,216,338 "Eyewear tether."[28]

References

  1. ↑ "KIRK OUIMET". AI Utah. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Founder's Field Notes | Kirk Ouimet Scan & Stack Part 2". www.klugonyx.com. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  3. ↑ "Kirk Ouimet by UVU Photo". uvuphoto.exposure.co. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  4. ↑ "BYU Student Startup Secures Major Funding". BYU Marriott School of Business. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  5. ↑ Constine, Josh (2017-10-10). "Snapchat is building a secluded R&D lab in Lehi, Utah". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  6. ↑ "College Startup: Big Scan on Campus". NBC News. 2012-04-23. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  7. ↑ "About YouGetSignal". www.yougetsignal.com. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  8. ↑ "About • Connected". www.connected.app. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  9. ↑ Wallace, Terry (2013-10-11). "Scan QR Codes Shark Tank Season 5". Shark Tank Products. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  10. ↑ "BYU Student Builds App, Turns it Into Multimillion Dollar Company". www.ksl.com. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  11. ↑ "Bum Rushing QR Code Competitors: Scan" (in en). Inc.com. https://www.inc.com/coolest-college-start-ups-2012/kc-ifeanyi/scan-garrett-gee.html. Retrieved 2025-07-28. 
  12. ↑ "BYU student parlays app idea into a life-changer". Deseret News. 2015-05-25. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  13. ↑ "Why this 27-year-old tech millionaire sold almost everything". TODAY.com. 2015-12-16. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  14. ↑ "BYU student sells app to Snapchat for $54 million". BYU Daily Universe. 2015-06-22. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  15. ↑ "Bubba Page Announces Launch of Influence.VC at Kiln Lehi". TechBuzz News. 2024-01-17. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  16. ↑ Schroeder, Ray. "Higher Ed, Meet GPT-3: We Will Never Be the Same!". www.insidehighered.com. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  17. ↑ Oliveira, Arlindo (2020-07-26). "A conversation with GPT-3 on COVID-19". Digital Minds. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  18. ↑ UPCEA (2022-08-25). "Higher Ed – Meet GPT-3: We Will Never Be the Same!". UPCEA. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  19. ↑ "Venture Capital Podcast Reveals Its Founder 100 for Utah". 2024-06-13. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  20. ↑ "Founder 100 Utah 2024". Venture Capital. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  21. ↑ Podcast, Venture Capital. "Venture Capital Podcast Reveals Its Founder 100 for Utah". www.prnewswire.com. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  22. ↑ "Founder 100 Awardees Named". TechBuzz News. 2024-06-12. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  23. ↑ "Meet the Founder 100: Utah Edition honorees". Utah Business. 2024-06-29. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  24. ↑ "Benjamin Turley Inventions, Patents and Patent Applications - Justia Patents Search". patents.justia.com. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  25. ↑ Anderton, Landon; Garrett Gee & Ryan Hornberger et al., "Custom functional patterns for optical barcodes", US9111164B1, issued 2015-08-18
  26. ↑ "Patents Assigned to SNAP INC. - Justia Patents Search". patents.justia.com. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  27. ↑ Spiegel, Evan & Kirk Ouimet, "Facial patterns for optical barcodes", US9911073B1, issued 2018-03-06
  28. ↑ "Patents Assigned to SNAP INC. - Justia Patents Search". patents.justia.com. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
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