yuri heupa.
Curitiba, Brazilheupa.com

Hi, I’m
Yuri Heupa.

Senior Software Engineer

Fullstack engineer & tech lead with 12+ years of experience. At First Foundry since 2016.

Portrait of Yuri Heupa wearing glasses and a dark polo shirt.

Throughout my career, I've worked across different areas of software engineering, from development to systems architecture and infrastructure. That experience has also led me into technical leadership, without ever stepping away from hands-on engineering. Away from the keyboard, I'm probably working on a car.

I've been with First Foundry since 2016, a software development studio and research incubator working across gaming, fintech, and logistics. At Rave, I oversee the technical side of the product, working across SDK development, backend services, and infrastructure. I also worked with Amazon Game Studios, contributing to purchasing and offer-redemption systems for New World, Lost Ark, and Prime Gaming, while leading our contractor engineering team. At Bloom POS, I built the backend foundation and developed its integration with METRC, the system Oregon uses to track cannabis production and sales.

I started programming at thirteen, when I decided to build and host my own private RuneScape server. Back then, all I wanted was to modify a game. I had no idea it would eventually turn into a career. A few years later, I was programming PLCs for industrial production lines. Watching an actual machine execute something I'd written was an experience that stuck with me. And yes, I still play RuneScape once in a while.

For over a year now, I've also been spending a lot of time exploring AI, experimenting with new models, tools, and ideas. I'm especially interested in going beyond the hype to understand what actually works, where the limitations are, and how these technologies can be put to good use.

I'm also a husband and a dad. Music has always been part of my life, and I enjoy playing a few instruments, most of which I taught myself. My singing career, however, remains strictly a shower affair, probably for everyone's sake.

I've always enjoyed learning things on my own and understanding how they work. When something catches my interest, I tend to go pretty deep. Sometimes that means spending hours exploring a new technology. Other times, it ends with something taken apart on my workbench. And sometimes a simple question gets an answer with fifteen seasons of backstory.

When he was offered the lead position on a high-caliber Amazon Games project we were working for, he once again stepped up to the task, and quickly became a favorite of the client and the team, for his availability, immense dedication, attention to detail and clear communication skills.

There are a few other things in the picture.

01 / 03

Built by me. Driven by me.

When I first got into drifting, I wanted a car I had built and prepared myself. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I had my own workshop and HeuPerformance was born. These days, it’s where I work on my projects, spend hours tinkering with engines, wiring, and tuning, and share the hobby with friends. I enjoy building the cars just as much as taking them out on the track.

Yuri beside his blue BMW E36, holding the door handle.
With the E36 that started it.
A blue Subaru WRX in the foreground, with a white Mitsubishi Lancer behind it.
The WRX and the Lancer.
More from the garage and the track
A HeuPerformance car drifting at night, surrounded by tire smoke.
A night at the track.
Yuri in his black racing suit and HeuPerformance cap.
My track-day uniform.
A little sideways.

Find your angle. Watch the front wheels.

What would you like to know?

Software, cars, career, or something else entirely.

Ask me anything

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