Bio: Kai is originally from New York City and holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Yale University. He previously worked in systems engineering and conceptual design at Lockheed Martin Skunk Works in Palmdale, CA. He is currently based in Los Angeles, CA. 

Membership Details

Forum: The Open Group SOSA® Consortium

Country: United States

Membership Level: Associate

Q. How long have you been involved with The Open Group?

Lark joined The Open Group in October 2025—so we’re brand new and excited to get involved.

Q. What do you do, and how long have you been doing it?

At Lark, we’re building software–based test tools that streamline and modernize the integration process. We incorporated earlier this year, and we’re now bringing on our first design partners to help shape our initial product offering.

Q. Why did your organization become a Member of The Open Group SOSA Consortium and what does/will your involvement look like?

We believe strongly in the vision behind open standards. Delivering capability to the warfighter faster requires reducing friction in Test and Evaluation, as we see automation and data-driven integration as being a key part of that mission. Joining the consortium allows us to contribute to that effort, particularly through active participation in the Conformance Committee.

Q. How has/will membership in The Open Group benefit you, your organization, and the industry at large?

The Open Group brings together the best in industry to tackle some of the hardest problems in defense and aerospace. Lark is a willing partner in that effort, and we see collaboration—especially around conformance, validation, and open architectures—as critical to accelerating innovation across the ecosystem.

Q. Why is it important for other organizations to join The Open Group?

We believe that open standards succeed when the community behind them is actively engaged. The more organizations that participate in shaping and implementing these standards, the faster we can collectively deliver secure, interoperable, and upgradeable capabilities. As DOW emphasized in their recent call to action, accelerating adoption of MOSA isn’t optional—it’s essential to keeping pace with the threat landscape. Collaboration through The Open Group is one of the most effective ways to advance that mission.

Q. What are your hobbies?

Skiing, climbing, cycling, and guitar.

Q. What book are you currently reading?

I just started Measure What Matters by John Doerr. I’m also re-reading Ben Rich’s memoir on The Skunk Works.

Q. What social networks do you belong to?

The El Segundo Engineering Maffia

Q. Any last thoughts?

Lark is excited to collaborate with other Member organizations that share a commitment to accelerating T&E, strengthening open architectures, and delivering capability faster. We’re looking forward to contributing to the community and learning from it.

Date Published: December 4, 2025