About Scholarship Projects Writing Get in touch

micah berman

I build products and grow teams that apply frontier technology to solve real-world problems.

Today, I'm building the modern benefit for frontline workers at Ezra. Previously, I looked after platform-wide safety product for Android, so your phone is there when you need it most. I've run product and technical teams at Google.org, and started my career working on Google Search ranking. I also teach graduate product management seminars at Columbia University's Graduate School of Engineering.

I believe technology can make life better - but not by default. Success, in tech and in life, means sweating the big picture and the details in equal measure. It's as much about what we do as how we do it.

When I'm not building something, I can't resist an adventure - riding a motorcycle through a Kathmandu monsoon, pedaling a half-planned route through the Chinese jungle, cross-country skiing between huts in Iceland, or a long run along the Bay. I love nurturing a family of friends, flying airplanes, and hot springs. My aim is to leave this place a bit better than I found it.

What about you?

Micah Berman

Teaching

Columbia University Graduate School of Engineering ↗ Product Management Career Lab & Hands-on PM · 2025 – present I offer two classes on product management to masters students and faculty across the graduate school of engineering. In the PM Career Lab, students learn about what the job is and how to get it, with hands-on interview practice. In Hands On PM, sutdents get to try developing a product from idea to landing, with activities on validation, MVP scoping, and measurement.

Publications

Global earthquake detection and warning using Android phones ↗ Science Magazine, cover of vol. 389, issue 6757 · 2025
Advancing Risk Communication with Decision-Makers in the Context of Evolving Earth System Models ↗ National Academies for Science, Engineering and Medicine, invited workshop · 2024
Investing in AI for Good ↗ Stanford Social Innovation Review · 2021
Using technology to save lives during India's monsoon season ↗ Yale Economic Growth Center News, Pande et al · 2020

Patents

Selected projects

2026
wrld.li ↗

Built travel tools I'd always wanted.

2025–6
Factory Tours

One factory tour each month, for a year.

2025
Siestafest

A 14-person houseboat cruise on Lake Don Pedro, complete with boat flag, boarding passes, interactive website, and lots of swag.

2023–now
Startup

At first an unpaid side hustle, most of my project energy was focused here.

2023
Backyard Oasis

Installed a hot tub and landscape lighting (digging trenches, mostly).

2022
Weddingstravaganza

Went to 14 in one summer, so counting it as a project.

2021–now
The Frompound

Bought two old houses on one lot, set them up to live with ~6 friends supernuclearly, with numerous subprojects from wall modifications to painting.

2020
Hospital Tablets ↗

Hand-collected 200+ donated tablets, supplied with accessories and stands, delivered to physicians to power patient+family connections.

2020
Postcards

Organized friends to hand-write 2,000 GOTV postcards in parks over 3 weekends.

2020
Moss Window ↗

An antique New Hampshire farmhouse window and many pounds of preserved moss to open a windowless bathroom.

2020
Wood Slab Desk ↗

Adjustable sit/stand desk finished from a remaindered walnut slab, with large walnut bowtie inlay.

2019
Twofly

Finding the cheapest meeting place for people from multiple origins and turning meetings into adventures. A new version is available via wrld.li above.

2019
Wooden lamps

Collected redwood scraps, reworked into moss-laden table lamps, gifted to friends and family.

2019
Wayfarer

Closed community travel recommendation site where password access rewards good deeds. A new version is available via wrld.li above.

2014–19
Big Adventures

Self-guided group excursions including houseboating, river tubing, scavenger hunts, and desert hot spring trips.

2018
Mini Pottery

Spent a year making small containers. Still have some left to give away, just ask.

2017
Decision Framework ↗

Created a framework for hard decisions.

2010
Rental Property CMS

Custom rental property CMS and application processing portal.

2008–9
Habitat for Humanity

Gap year working at a Habitat for Humanity affiliate in northwest Mississippi.

2007–8
Course Scheduler

Complete course scheduling system used by a 300+ person school.

1996
Elementary School Website

First paid job - building a simple website for my elementary school.

  • ✈️FAA Private Pilot2024
  • 🪂PPG1 Power Paragliding2021
  • 🤿SCUBA Open Water Diver2015
  • 🏕️Wilderness First Responder2013–now

Writing

Coming soon.

Topics in the queue:

building community financial independence the role of technology in our world systems thinking for everyday work creating software people love

Get in touch

Drop me a line.

oakland, ca — and an airplane headed anywhere