Six Months at Genius Sports & Sakura Season in Japan

Typed somewhere between cherry blossoms and cat cafés in Tokyo.

I’m excited to kick off this blog with a quick personal and professional update as I wrap up an incredible trip to Japan and mark six months as CTO of Genius Sports.

First, the personal bit. I’m currently writing this from our Sakura family adventure in Tokyo, where the cherry blossoms are in full bloom along the Nakameguro. It’s been a memorable week—wandering Harajuku, sipping matcha in cat cafés, and experiencing the amazing MACHINE LOVE AI art exhibition at the Mori Art Museum. The exhibit explores how generative AI is reshaping creativity, identity, and expression. As someone deep in the world of tech and AI, it was equal parts inspiring and thought-provoking.

Before Tokyo, I was skiing with my brother in Niseko and Nagano—an overdue trip after our original 2020 plans were canceled due to COVID. Niseko didn’t disappoint: waist-deep Hokkaido powder, surreal snowfall, and the joy of riding the Shinkansen together across the countryside.

On the work front, I’m just hitting the six-month milestone at Genius Sports, and it’s been a thrilling ride. I’ve been fortunate to build a talented team, open new development hubs in NYC and LA (with Lausanne on deck), and align everyone around our 2025 roadmap. We’ve also had some great moments of fun along the way—like our Mario Kart tournament in the New York office (high stakes, low traction).

This blog is where I plan to share thoughts on leadership, technology, innovation, and a few side quests from life outside of work. Thanks for stopping by—and if you’re ever looking for skiing tips, generative AI art recs, or want to debate Mario Kart strategies, you know where to find me.

– Mark