About me

Hi, I’m Simone!
I’m a Toronto-based technologist, creative and speaker specializing in tech literacy and user-centered technology. I work with clients and tech teams in need to better understand the tech around them to make sharper product decisions. I also speak on how individuals and organizations can understand and use technology with confidence.

I have over a decade of experience in digital product and facilitation, and have worked alongside companies like PagerDuty, Berkeley Lab and Brazilian unicorn Loggi. My main goal, be it as a product strategist, a speaker or a facilitator, is to foster tech fluency and the ability to make complex concepts accessible to technical and non-technical audiences.

I also host What in the tech hell?, a podcast where I bring together friends in and outside of the tech industry for conversations about how technology gets built and how it shapes our lives.

The through line in my career

I love my non-linear career path.

From working with heads of state at United Nations conferences, to community organizing across four continents, to a decade building digital experiences, I've always worked at the intersection of people, systems, and the decisions that affect both. That background built me as a consultant and communicator: I understand how technology gets built, who it is built for, and how we can make tech products that solve real-world problems.

FAQ

Who is Simone Lima?

Simone is a Toronto-based technologist, speaker and creative specializing in tech literacy and empowerment through tech. With over a decade of experience in startups and scale-ups, Simone works with companies and tech teams who are looking to get guidance on product strategy, client research and how to create software that solves real-life problems. She also speaks at events, conferences and podcasts on technology, inclusive-design and the skills of teams that build the best products.

Simone is also the host of What in the tech hell?, a podcast where she bring together friends in and outside of the tech industry for conversations about how technology gets built and how it shapes our lives.

What can Simone help my company with?

If your company uses technology in any capacity (e.g. you create digital products, or you use digital products to deliver your goods and services), you need a tech strategy.

A product strategy consultant helps you and your company figure out what to build, why it matters, and how to execute it without wasting time or resources. This process typically includes discovery work, definition of goals, customer research, stakeholder alignment, and hands-on support through delivery. Unlike a full-time hire, a consultant brings senior tech experience on a project or fractional basis. With an extensive experience leading designers, developers, product and operations teams, Simone can’t wait to help you get your ideas from conception to actual, usable tech for your business and your customers.

If your team needs time for deep thinking and alignment, Simone also runs sessions on technology, product design and strategy for groups of 3 to 100+ people. If you are unsure where to start, a discovery conversation is the first step.

What are some topics Simone Lima can speak about?

Simone’s main passion lies in tech literacy and the ways we can use technology to solve real-life problems impacting us and our communities. Other speaking topics include inclusive-design, creativity and the skills of teams that build the best tech products.

Each one of the talks is created alongside the client, so we can cover topics that matter to you and your business, and your team can leave with actionable insights. Here are some of the topics Simone has spoken about in the past:

  • How to use tech (so that tech is not using you) (tech literacy session for women entrepreneurs, hosted by World Pulse);

  • Business Design for Software Development (talk hosted by the Rotman Business Design Initiative, on how startups and scale-ups use iterative approaches to software development and how designers can learn from these iterative tech processes);

  • Authenticity at work (talk hosted by the Berkeley Lab, on how a welcoming and diverse workplaces impact not only workers mental health, but businesses’ bottomline).

In her current podcast What in the tech hell?, Simone also talks about the current landscape of the tech and how it impacts people working in and outside of the industry.

What is Simone’s background? What are her qualifications?

Simone’s background is diverse, and that is a true asset when speaking to audiences all over the world. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations, a postgraduate degree in Business Design and Innovation and an Masters in Business Administration from the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. These experiences have led Simone to work with the United Nations, as well as the for-profit sector, both in the financial industry, and with tech companies. She has over a decade of experience building tech products and services, both from the Product and Operations perspectives.