20 Under 40: Serge Bays

Meet Serge Bays, 35, founder of Limesoft Inc. and one of our 20 Under 40 Class of 2024 recipients

THE FOUNDER OF Limesoft Inc., Serge Bays leads a software development company revolutionizing air emissions tracking and compliance for industrial giants like Shell, Exxon and Aramco. Managing a global network across 20-plus countries, he drives environmental innovation, including predictive emissions monitoring using machine learning, and provides solutions that help empower clients to meet sustainability goals and optimize operations. Passionate about environmental impact and fostering local tech startups, he is committed to inspiring collective action and advancing sustainability on a community and global level.

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What would you say is your single biggest business achievement, and why?

Scaling Limesoft from a small startup born out of a Western Engineering project into a global leader in emissions monitoring and reporting. It’s amazing to think about how far we’ve come.

What about your biggest business obstacle, and how did you face it?

Defending my ­company and all the hard work I put into it against an aggressive competitor. It was a tough experience, but it pushed me to develop a ­resilient mindset. In the end, it made both me and the company stronger.

Knowing what you know now, what advice would you give to your younger self?

Just don’t quit. The only time you have a zero per cent chance of things getting better is when you give up. Keep going, and you’ll get better with time and practice.

What’s in your earbuds: music or a podcast? And what are you ­listening to?

If I’m in the car, it’s chill house or a podcast. Doing house chores: pop. If I’m at the gym, it’s EDM, rock or ‘80s pop — I like to imagine I’m training at Gold’s Gym Venice.

What’s one unexpected thing you like to tell people about your job?

Professionally: that it’s not just about carbon emissions. Gases like methane, nitrous oxides and sulfur dioxide are also critical to manage. Personally: that I donate poop for infectious disease research. Dr. [Michael] Silverman at St. Joseph’s is leading groundbreaking research.

What’s the best movie or show you’ve watched this year, and what made you love it? ­

Oppenheimer. I loved seeing all these brilliant minds — like Richard Feynman, one of my childhood heroes — come together for one of the greatest scientific projects of all time.

And finally, what’s your guilty pleasure?

Getting invested in Love is Blind. Interview by Kieran Delamont