Most people finish a long day at work and look forward to a quiet evening. Not Alexandru Godoroja. When his laptop closed after a long day in data engineering, it opened again for something completely different, making music. Late at night, while many of his colleagues were asleep, he produced songs for Global Records, Romania’s biggest music label. One of those tracks went on to surpass 150,000 views on YouTube. “It was a crazy time,” he says, laughing. “I’d get home from work, grab some dinner, and then start mixing or writing music until two or three in the morning. I don’t think I had a full night’s sleep for a year.” A Foot in Two Worlds Godoroja grew up in Romania and studied computer science at King’s College London, graduating in 2024. While still in university, he joined Vortexa Ltd, a British company that provides business intelligence for maritime energy transportation using a very intricate proprietary pipeline. “At Vortexa,we were developing state-of-the art pipelines to track hundreds of millions of maritime assets in real time,” he explains. “That’s when I first got interested in how machines can read images the way people do.” But even as he built complex data systems by day, his nights belonged to rhythm and melody. “Music gave me a creative outlet,” he says. “Engineering can be very structured. Music reminded me that patterns can be emotional, not just logical.” Finding Balance in the Chaos Friends say Alex has always been good at balancing opposites. During his final year at King’s, he was both a full-time employee and a full-time student, a schedule that would exhaust most people. “It was intense,” he admits. “There were weeks when I’d write code all day, attend evening lectures, and then produce a track before bed. But when you enjoy what you’re doing, you find energy you didn’t know you had.” His story has inspired many young Romanians who want to work in technology but also keep creative passions alive. “You don’t have to choose,” he says. “The skills actually help each other. Music teaches patience and attention to detail, the same qualities you need in engineering.” From Satellite Images to Smarter Cameras After finishing university, Godoroja joined forces with his long-time friend Teodor Calin, whom he met in secondary school. Together, they co-founded Vulture Labs, a company that teaches ordinary cameras to understand what’s happening around them. Vulture Labs Instead of just recording footage, their technology can recognize situations, like when a worker might need help, when a customer has been waiting too long, or when something doesn’t look right. “It’s about helping people be more aware of their environment,” Alex says. “You can think of it like giving cameras a bit of common sense.” The company works with small and medium-sized businesses that already have cameras installed. “We don’t ask them to buy new systems,” he explains. “We make the ones they have more useful.” Community and Collaboration Alex says he draws ideas from both music and teamwork. “In the studio, you’re always collaborating, with singers, producers, and sound engineers. At work, it’s the same with designers and developers. The key is listening.” He believes this approach is what makes their technology stand out. “AI can feel cold sometimes,” he says. “We want it to be helpful, something that supports people rather than replaces them.” Back home in Romania, friends and family follow his journey with pride. His old teachers from secondary school still message him about new projects, and local students sometimes reach out for advice. “I tell them it’s okay to explore different paths,” he says. “You don’t have to fit into one box.” Shaping the Future of Smarter Technology These days, Godoroja’s schedule is a little more manageable, but the mix of creativity and technology is still there. At Vulture Labs, he focuses on making artificial intelligence tools that are easier for people to use. “We’re trying to make technology that feels natural,” he says. “If someone can get the information they need without effort, that’s a success.” When asked whether he’ll ever choose between music and engineering, he smiles. “I don’t think I can,” he says. “Both make me who I am.” For now, Alex’s love of music is confined to Vulture Labs. He created all the soundtrack for the cinematic product trailers and promo videos. Whether it’s through a melody or a new machine-learning model, Alexandru Godoroja continues to prove that innovation doesn’t have to mean giving up what you love. Sometimes, it just means finding the right rhythm.
