# Pinecone Pioneers > Pinecone Pioneers are developers, educators, and collaborators working to make AI more knowledgeable—using real-world vector search, RAG, and retrieval. Applications for the 2025 cohort are now open. Learn how Pioneers build, share, and support the Pinecone community—and how you can get involved. People Building Together Pinecone Pioneers are builders, educators, and collaborators who show what it takes to build knowledgeable AI with Pinecone. They share what they’ve learned through blog posts, demos, or talks. They lead conversations, spark new ideas, and help shape what Pinecone becomes through thoughtful feedback and real-world use. Whether they’re writing code, creating content, or offering fresh perspective, Pioneers play a visible role in the community, and Pinecone helps amplify their voices. If that sounds like you—or like the kind of impact you want to make—we’d love to hear from you. [Apply to Program](https://www.pinecone.io/community/pioneers-form/) [Suggest a Pioneer](https://www.pinecone.io/community/pioneers-nomination/) ![Pinecone Pioneers](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vr8gru94/production/9748a2b70d86e8dcb121cc1d897fb98b42999a33-2406x2402.png) ## What Pioneers Do ### Build Create tools, demos, examples ### Share Write or speak to help others understand ### Support Offer guidance, feedback, or encouragement ## What’s Included - Early access to select features - Custom swag (sent annually) - Plaque for standout contributors - Private channel access - Optional profile on site - Thought leadership support, including up to $500 travel to events ![Pinecone Pioneers](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/vr8gru94/production/d99fef32ba0095dbeb5492714d67790528091975-2400x2400.png) ## 2025 Cohort ### Daniel Morris I'm a Natural Language Processing Engineer and Solutions Architect experienced in building and deploying large-scale ML models through industry work (startups to Fortune 100) and academic partnerships. I specialize currently in RAG systems and ML frameworks, with deep expertise in orchestrating complex data pipelines and system engineering for enterprise-scale datasets. My work spans the complete lifecycle - from research and training through to production deployment and business outcomes., Joined 2025 [linkedin](https://linkedin.com/in/daniel-blake-morris) ### Tomo Kanazawa I’m a data scientist with a background in Physics and Computer Science, and the creator of OneNode — an open-source, multi-modal semantic search framework., Joined 2025 [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tomokanazawa/) ### Joseph Petty Nuclear plant operator, turned freelancer, turned developer advocate. Founder/lead developer @ Greenflux, LLC. Head of developer relations @Appsmith, Joined 2025 [twitter](https://x.com/greenflux_dev) [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/greenflux/) ### Kaya Jones I'm a recent computer science graduate from Illinois Tech and run Forever22, a software agency that builds AI solutions for company workflows. I love solving high-quality problems, building community, and cheering for the WNBA—I used to play college basketball. Go Chicago Sky!, Joined 2025 [twitter](https://x.com/kayacancode) [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kayarjones/) ### Mark Evans I'm the founder of Proving Ground, a pre-accelerator sprint program helping enterprise engineers and startup founders build AI-native startups. I’ve run some of the earliest agentic hackathons, with projects now backed by 500 Global and other investors. Passionate about turning real technical talent into real companies., Joined 2025 ### Kalan Peace Kalan Peace is an undergraduate at the University of Michigan, researching AI in fashion and building caeliai.com, Joined 2025 [twitter](https://x.com/kalanpeace) [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalanpeace) ### Shubham Pawar I’m a machine learning researcher with a focus on real-world applications of large language models, recommendation systems, and cultural AI. I currently lead LLM research at Qloo, where I work on making personalization more human and context-aware., Joined 2025 [twitter](https://x.com/shubh_pawar) [github](https://github.com/shubhpawar) ### Mark Kashef Mark Kashef is the CEO of Prompt Advisers and a leading educator on applying business-ready AI. He specializes in automation, vector search, RAG, and building real-world AI agents—helping organizations and individuals unlock the value of cutting-edge technology. Mark's YouTube channel features hands-on tutorials, practical frameworks, and AI innovation insights., Joined 2025 ### Apurva Misra Apurva Misra is an AI Consultant at Sentick, focusing on assisting startups with their AI strategy and building solutions. Apurva helps startups and mid-size companies start integrating AI and develop tailored solutions that align with their business goals. She is also a speaker, regularly presenting at conferences and online events about AI applications, strategy, and innovation. Passionate about democratizing education, Apurva shares her knowledge widely to make AI more accessible to everyone. Outside of work, she is learning Spanish and loves discovering hidden gem eateries!, Joined 2025 [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/misraapurva/) [github](https://github.com/ApurvaMisra) ### Maddy Osman Maddy Osman is the bestselling author of "Writing for Humans and Robots: The New Rules of Content Style" and a content marketing instructor for LinkedIn Learning. A digital native who taught herself to code at age 11, she’s now “vibe coding” at the intersection of marketing, AI, and automation. Maddy's work has earned her a place on Semrush’s and BuzzSumo’s Top 100 Content Marketers lists., Joined 2025 [twitter](https://www.twitter.com/maddyosman) [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/madelineosman) ### Kazuki Nakayashiki I’m Kazuki Nakayashiki, cofounder & CEO of Glasp, an AI-powered knowledge sharing platform that helps people highlight, organize, and learn from the web, books, and videos. I’ve built products like YouTube Summary with ChatGPT & Claude (~2M users) and emoCAPTCHA, a finalist at Devin’s Applied AI Hackathon. I’m passionate about AI, education, and building tools that empower lifelong learners., Joined 2025 [twitter](https://x.com/kazuki_sf_) [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kazukinakayashiki/) ### Hai Nghiem Builder at heart. Loves teaching developers. Invest in early stage startups and AI communities. Open-sources a lot., Joined 2025 [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/haiphunghiem/) ### Nolan Makatche Founder - Software Engineer - Cloud Architect - AI Agents - Come build with us at Code and Coffee PHL!, Joined 2025 [twitter](https://x.com/NolanMakatche) [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-mak) [github](https://github.com/nolanmak) ### Ivan Rodriguez I'm an Applied AI Engineer who enjoys working on LLM workflows, agentic systems, and creative AI projects. I like turning ideas into real solutions, experimenting with new tech, sharing ideas, and collaborating on projects that push AI forward., Joined 2025 [linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/irodcar/) ## Join the Program Join the waitlist, or tell us about someone you think we should know. [Apply for Early Access](https://www.pinecone.io/community/pioneers-form/) [Tell Us About Someone](https://www.pinecone.io/community/pioneers-nomination/) ## FAQs ### Do I need a big audience? Not necessarily. We care about quality as well as presence. ### How can I get the $500 travel reimbursement as a speaker? Present a Pinecone-related talk at an approved event and we’ll cover up to $500 in travel or lodging costs. Please contact us beforehand to confirm eligibility. ### Is there a time commitment? There’s no timecards involved, but we look for meaningful contributions. If you’re not able to share something at least quarterly, this probably isn’t the right fit. ### What if I haven’t posted anything yet? Totally fine. You can apply once you’ve got something to share, and don’t hesitate to connect with us in the meantime. [View this page on Pinecone](https://www.pinecone.io/community/pinecone-pioneers/)