01
The Founder
I run Arden Meridian as CEO and lead its product. That means owning the strategy, the roadmap, and the uncomfortable trade-offs — not just the vision slide.
About
About Zander Polk
I’m a founder, software developer, and researcher based in Charlotte, North Carolina. I run Arden Meridian, publish research code in the open, and have been building software since 2016.
Biography
I run a company, do research, and still write code. The three keep each other honest: research shows me what’s actually possible, engineering shows me what it costs, and running the business shows me whether anyone cares.
The through-line is calibrated judgment. I build systems that are honest about how much they know — whether that’s a conjunction model reporting its own uncertainty or a property report saying which findings are solid and which aren’t.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Three tracks
Each one checks the other two
02
The Researcher
My own research across space systems and machine learning — open-sourced, DOI-archived, and published under my ORCID. It’s where I work the hardest problems out first.
03
The Engineer
A decade of shipping — client systems in production, libraries other developers depend on, and games built from scratch. I’ve never stopped building.
Experience
The path here
A decade of building — games, client systems, and now a company.
2026 — Present
Founder, CEO & Head of Product
Arden Meridian
I founded the company in 2026 and lead it across three seats. We deliver analyst-reviewed property intelligence to commercial teams in solar, building services, energy infrastructure, and property investment.
Present
Independent Researcher
Space systems & machine learning
My own research across satellite and Earth observation systems and applied machine learning, running in parallel with graduate coursework in computer science.
Prior
Software Solutions Architect
Self-employed
I developed software solutions for clients from requirements through delivery, working primarily in Lua, Java, SQL, and HTML — and advised on the operational cybersecurity of their existing production systems.
2016 — Present
Independent Game Developer
Polytoria & Roblox projects
Lua was my first language, learned by building. I’ve shipped multiple games, published open-source assets and libraries other developers use, and led a team that released games played by hundreds of people. It’s where I learned to ship.
Toolkit
What I build with
A decade of picking the right tool for the job — and staying willing to learn a new one when the job demands it.
Languages
PythonLua / LuauJavaC#C++SQLJavaScriptHTML / CSS
Engines & Frameworks
PolytoriaRoblox StudioUnityUnreal EngineGodotPyGame
Domains
Geospatial IntelligenceMachine LearningSpace SystemsProduct StrategyRoboticsCybersecurity
Education & Credentials
The academic track
My degrees point squarely at intelligent systems — undergraduate work in AI and robotics, and graduate research continuing in the same direction.
In progress
M.S. Computer Science
UNC Charlotte
GPA4.0
FocusAI & intelligent systems
Expected2027
Completed
B.S. Computer Science
UNC Charlotte
GPA3.9
ConcentrationAI, Robotics & Gaming
MinorAerospace Studies
Licenses & Certifications
Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS)
UCAR — University Corporation for Atmospheric Research
Issued May 2025
Dante Certification, Level 1
Audinate
Issued May 2025 · Expires May 2028
Career Essentials in Cybersecurity
Microsoft & LinkedIn
Issued Apr 2024
Mental Health First Aid
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Issued Aug 2024 · Expires Aug 2027
Google Cybersecurity Specialization
Issued Mar 2024
Eight courses completed
Foundations of Cybersecurity · Play It Safe: Manage Security Risks ·
Connect and Protect: Networks and Network Security ·
Tools of the Trade: Linux and SQL · Assets, Threats, and Vulnerabilities ·
Sound the Alarm: Detection and Response ·
Automate Cybersecurity Tasks with Python ·
Put It to Work: Prepare for Cybersecurity Jobs