App maker spotlight: Caio Fonseca, iOS tech lead

[Editor’s note: This is part of a series of articles about app makers, highlighting talented team members who embody the builder mindset at ArcTouch, and how they find creative new ways to apply the latest technology to our projects.]

When Caio Fonseca first walked into ArcTouch back in 2010, the company had about 10 people in its Brazil office — and barely enough room for a proper desk. His first thought: “What have I done with my life?”

It didn’t take long for that feeling to disappear. The small room turned out to be full of possibilities — talented teammates, a strong culture, and global clients that eventually led Caio to live and work in the U.S. for several years.

Like many ambitious people in tech, he eventually chose to pursue new opportunities and challenges. But after years abroad, the birth of his son in San Diego, and a decision to move back to Brazil to be near family and lifelong friends, Caio had another important choice to make: where to build his next chapter. He boomeranged back to ArcTouch in early 2025.

Today, he’s an iOS tech lead, splitting his time across projects and working closely with product, design, and QA. He doesn’t see himself as a typical “techie” or gadget addict. His path started in graphic design and art, not hardware and specs. For him, software engineering is a craft — “pure art,” as he puts it — and the real magic is in the experience you create for people.

We sat down with Caio to talk about his boomerang journey, how living abroad changed him, and why the right culture can pull you back even after you’ve worked at some of the biggest brands in the world.

Itatiaia. It’s a Brazilian radio station mainly about sports, especially soccer, and I’m crazy about soccer. They cover my team, Atlético Mineiro (Galo!!!), before, during, and after every match. I’m always listening, reading, watching… everything they put out.

Honestly, the app could use some help from ArcTouch. The design isn’t beautiful, and it’s not super easy to use. But the content… wow. That’s what makes it great for me, despite the user experience shortcomings.

It was more about art than technology. I’ve always been into visual art, tattoos, music — so design felt natural for me. It was a way to be part of that creative scene.

I don’t like tech just for the sake of it. I’m not the kind of person who is excited about every new laptop or headset or making my whole house smart.

What I love about software engineering is the craft of building something. For me, it’s pure art. Even if we didn’t use computers to build software, and instead we did it with a pencil and a notebook, I would still feel the same passion for it. Being part of the journey of creating an app that will actually help a customer is the magic for me. The process itself is rewarding.

Honestly, work‑wise, it didn’t change huge things for me because I always tried to keep a balanced life. But personally, it changes everything. You start to see time differently. The small moments with my son now have way more value than any big achievement at work.

Beach and guitar. I’m a contemplative kind of person. Give me a good view and good music, and I can stay there the whole day just enjoying it. Add a cold beer and a sunset, and it's perfect.

You have a thousand problems until you have a health problem. Then you have only one. Take care of yourself and don’t stress about things you can’t control.

For me, it’s about quality and joy.

One lovable thing in my life is living close to my son’s daycare. Every day I walk with him to school and back. We see trees and flowers. He plays, and he gets more confident walking. It’s a small routine but feels like a privilege. That same feeling — simple, high‑quality moments that bring joy — is what I think of when we talk about lovable experiences.

When I joined ArcTouch in Brazil back in 2010, I honestly thought, “What have I done with my life?” It was a small room with no space for a desk. But quickly, I saw how amazing the team was: talented people, fun environment, strong culture. ArcTouch even made my dream of living abroad come true.

In 2016, I moved to the U.S. to work onsite with our clients. One of them was Walmart, which later offered me a job. In 2022, I went to Tinder. Both were great companies, different from each other but very focused on the customer experience.

Leaving ArcTouch wasn’t about escaping something bad — it was about curiosity and growth. I wanted to see how huge companies operated from the inside, and I didn’t want to go back to Brazil without trying something new.

In 2024, my wife and I decided to move back to Brazil. We wanted our son to grow up close to family and lifelong friends.

I always knew I’d return to ArcTouch, at least from my side. Luckily, they also wanted me back. ArcTouch is where I grew the most professionally, made real friends, and had incredible opportunities. It feels amazing to start a new chapter back here.

For me, it’s about the people and the culture. ArcTouch always felt like more than just a job. I made real friends here, not just coworkers. I had big opportunities to grow as a professional, to work on international projects, and even to live abroad, which was a childhood dream.

The company always respected and trusted me, and I knew that if one day I had the chance, I’d come back. It’s simply the place where I grew the most in my career and felt the happiest working.

Being an expat changes your whole perspective. You get exposed to different cultures every day, not just American. You become more open, more empathetic, more curious.

As an engineer, it’s the same. Working with so many different backgrounds makes you better. And living in the Bay Area is like living inside innovation. You don’t notice it at first, but later you realize how unique it was.

I learned that the place you work matters more than salary and a title. Culture, people, and opportunities to grow are what stick. And sometimes you have to leave to realize what you value most.

I help turn app ideas into something real that works well, looks good, and is lovable.

I work with product managers to understand what we need to build, with design to make it beautiful and usable, and with QA to make sure it all works without issues. My job is to keep the big picture in mind while still caring about details.

AI will make many tasks faster and easier, but the human factor is still key. Engineers should guide the AI, not the opposite. Creativity, empathy, and understanding the user will still make the difference. Knowing how to ask the right questions, make the right trade‑offs, and design the right experience will matter more than ever.

Download our new book Human + AI: The new way to build apps that are lovable

I’m most proud of working on the Spark Driver app we built for Walmart. We built it completely from scratch, starting at the discovery phase. We were deeply involved in customer research, understanding real driver needs, shaping the product vision, and taking it all the way through launch.

Even after launch, the work didn’t stop. We kept talking to drivers, learning from their feedback, and continuously improving the app. We rolled out new features, expanded to different states, and iterated based on real-world usage, which made the product feel truly alive.

This project became even more meaningful when the pandemic started. It wasn’t just another app. It was something that genuinely helped people support themselves during a very difficult time.

Diverse backgrounds make the industry stronger. Different perspectives help us find better solutions to any problem. You don’t need to love every gadget or know every framework to be valuable. If you care about people, design, and solving real problems, there’s a place for you.

Take care of your culture and your people. Skills can be learned, but passion comes from feeling part of something. If you make your company a place people want to come back to, even years later, you’re doing something right. The ArcTouch leadership team has proved that.