Conello started with a simple observation:
Work has become highly efficient, but it’s not always human.
As teams become more distributed and digitally connected, something important is lost. In these environments the moments that build real relationships, like shared laughter, small wins, and casual interactions, are harder to come by.
Our founder experienced this firsthand. Burned out and craving connection, she started looking for simple ways to bond with her team, even if it meant personally organizing online game nights just to bring people together. What began as a small passion project to foster more of those moments evolved into Conello, a platform designed to help teams feel like teams again.
It all got started in Spring 2025.
Conello took home first place at the PSU Center for Entrepreneurship Everyday Entrepreneur Pitch Competition!
What started as a promising concept and a first place win at the PSU Everyday Entrepreneur Pitch Competition, quickly became an evolving platform shaped by conversations with the people Conello is built to serve.
Let’s shape the future of how teams connect.
We can’t wait for you to be part of it!
Our mission
Combat Burnout.
Foster Connection.
Our mission is to help people feel more connected, supported, and engaged at work. We believe that building a strong company culture can’t be left up to chance, and it requires consistent, meaningful actions taken over time. By making space for connection, recognition, and growth, we aim to create workplaces where people feel like they truly belong and are appreciated at work.
The Problem
When people feel disconnected at work, everything else starts to break down.
The hidden cost of disengagement is massive
U.S. companies lose nearly $500 billion annually to workplace disengagement, driven by lower productivity, turnover, and absenteeism.
Most employees are feeling the effects of burnout
57% of workers report experiencing negative impacts of burnout at work, including emotional exhaustion, lack of motivation, lowered productivity, and/or higher irritability.
Work stress doesn’t stay at work anymore
1 in 3 employees carry work stress home, impacting their wellbeing, relationships, and long-term performance.
Burnout is pushing your best people out the door
Burned-out employees are 3x more likely to be job hunting, putting your top talent at risk.
Connection drives real engagement
Workplace connection is one of the strongest drivers of engagement. Employees with a best friend at work are up to 7x more likely to be engaged. Organizations that foster strong relationships see 2x the average engagement rates!
Thriving cultures dramatically outperform the rest
Companies with strong workplace cultures see up to 4x higher revenue growth, proving that engagement and connection directly drive business results.
The Solution
Instead of treating engagement as something to measure after the fact, we help create it in real time.
By bringing together play, recognition, learning, and insights into one experience, Conello makes it easy for teams to connect, grow, and thrive together.
Team
Leadership
CEO & Founder
Kyra Boveda
Software engineer and MBA candidate at Portland State University (’26) with 10 years of experience building enterprise web applications for big brands like Cisco and Nike, and strappy startups like Opal and Prokeep. Kyra is driven by firsthand experience with disconnection in remote workplaces.
Dogs
Board Games
Acting
Mentors
Mentor |
Strategy
Arsh Haque
Founder & CEO of Henna, backed by Techstars and spun out of Portland State University and University of Southern California. They also serve as Director of the Portland State Business Accelerator, securing $3M+ for regional founders, and previously led product at Pitch Genius (supporting $200M+ raised).
Climbing
Reading
Cooking
Mentor |
Strategy
Yalda Moshiri
Capital formation and ecosystem leader currently serving as Angel Oregon Program Director at Oregon Entrepreneurs Network, where she helps early-stage startups become investable and builds angel investor communities. She brings experience across startups and Fortune 100 companies including Amazon and Disney.
Cooking
Farmers Markets
Traveling
Mentor |
Engineering
Patti Vrobel
Forward-thinking engineering leader and CTO with deep experience building cloud-based software and data platforms across manufacturing and construction, including leadership roles at Trimble and Autodesk. Known for building high-performing teams and delivering intuitive, data-driven products, with a long-standing focus on AI, digital twins, and scalable platform strategy.
Painting & Drawing
AI & Creativity
Hiking
Mentor |
Org. Management
Jennifer Greenberg
MBA, PCC
Executive coach, consultant, and professor of organizational management at Portland State University who helps leaders and teams turn challenges into clear, actionable paths forward, driving stronger alignment and performance. Brings a systems-based approach to team development through her work with Talence Group.
Solutions Design
Canoeing
Making Sauerkraut
Team
Marketing
Heather Sorensen
Owner of Plugged In PR, Heather is a PR and brand strategist with 25 years of experience representing leading companies including Sony, Meta, Capcom, and Pandora.
Dogs
Video Games
TV
Legal
Michael Jonas
JD, MBA
Owner of Narwhal Law, Michael is a business law and strategy expert specializing in formation, compliance, governance, and sustainability.
Dogs
Gardening
Fitness
Eating
Project Mgmt
Ash Boggs
Operations professional with experience spanning retail and packaging engineering. Holder of the Google Project Management Certificate.
Video Games
Crochet
Coffee
Customer Success
Jesse Osborne
Specialist in empathetic customer success and product development with 10 years of experience in the tech industry.
Rock & Roll
Pizza
Video Games
2026 Summer Interns
Engineering
Artur Agalarian
Software Engineering Intern here at Conello and developer on the Mint Market project! (PSU '26)
Music
Biking
Video Games
Engineering
Jonathan U
Recent computer science graduate with 4 years of experience within the tech industry. (PSU '26)
Basketball
Disc Golf
Fitness
Engineering
Joshua Brown
Computer Science graduate (PSU '26) with experience spanning systems administration, AV design, and software development. Previously served as Team Lead and Software Engineer on Conello's sponsored capstone project.
Table Tennis
Surfing
Food
Engineering
Rafael Puente
Full-stack software engineer with a Computer Science degree. I enjoy building end-to-end web applications and figuring out how all the pieces fit together, from the UI down to the database. (PSU '26)
PC Gaming
AI/Coding
Kicking It With Friends & Family
