About Joseph Juhnke

20 Years Architecting Intelligent Systems

I've spent two decades solving the same fundamental problem: how to make complex, human-centered systems more intelligent, autonomous, and personalized at scale.

• Started in digital design at Arthur Andersen and USWeb (late 1990s)
• Started and ran my first consulting firm in 2000, brilliant-id, which acquired a design firm and became Tanagram Partners
• Advanced R&D at DARPA and DHS, designing autonomous systems and real-time command-and-control platforms (2004-2012)
• Innovated home security with platform, ASAPER bought by Brinks (2013)
• United retail traffic data leading to acquisition of Shoppertrak by Johnson Controls (2014 - 2016)
• Shipping platforms for FedEx, operational rules engines for JB Hunt, computer vision systems at Project44 (2016-2023)
• Co-founded HUMANCORE with Moose Mark Farnham (launched 2019, currently scaling)
• Co-founded Vedalife (launched January 2026, seeking angel funding)

Across all of this, the pattern repeats: integrate fragmented data, apply intelligence (AI, human judgment, operational logic), enable better decisions at scale.

The Throughline

• Autonomous systems at DARPA (2004-2012)

  How do you make unmanned cargo delivery work? Synthetic vision, wireless topology, real-time decision-making.

• Scaling startups successfully (2013-2016)

  How do you scale like a startup with intrapreneurship and LEAN Agile and exit via acquisition.

• Real-time visibility in freight (2016-2023)

  How do you track thousands of assets across networks? Computer vision, data integration, real-time dashboards.

• Operational rules engines

  How do you optimize across multiple business units simultaneously? Encoded logic, dynamic configuration, feedback loops.

• Behavioral AI at HUMANCORE (2019-present)

  How do you coach thousands of employees in real-time? Psychographics, personalization, evidence-based guidance.

• Wellness AI at Vedalife (2025-present)

  How do you personalize health recommendations to millions of users? Biomarker integration, AI agents, evidence-based guidance.

The core skill is always the same: design systems where data, intelligence, and human judgment meet to enable better decisions.

Why I Still Take Consulting Engagements

I consult because I like solving hard technical problems alongside great operators. I keep stakes high—I only take engagements where I believe I can meaningfully move the needle on business value. And I stay hands-on: I architect your systems, validate with your team, and see the work through to execution.

Right now I'm split between consulting (helping Fortune 500 operations leaders modernize with AI) and founding (Vedalife.ai and HUMANCORE). The consulting work funds the founding; the founding keeps me sharp on what modern AI architecture actually looks like.

Let's Work Together

If you're a COO, CTO, or SVP Digital responsible for modernizing operations technology, I'd like to talk. I work best with leaders who know transformation is urgent, understand technology matters, and want a hands-on partner who can bridge strategy and execution.