From Startup to Service: Donna Auguste’s Spirit-Guided Journey

Dr. Donna Auguste, a pioneering Christian entrepreneur and technologist, has built a career that successfully bridges faith, innovation, and service. As the Founder and CEO of the Auguste Research Group, she has worked extensively with sensors and sensor data fusion, contributing to the cutting edge of modern technology. In 1990, Auguste served as the senior software engineering manager for the Newton personal digital assistant, a predecessor to today's smartphones and tablets.

In 1996, she founded Freshwater Software, a groundbreaking firm that helped businesses manage and monitor their online operations. Under her leadership, the company flourished and was eventually sold in 2000 for over $100 million—a milestone that would signify not just financial success, but the beginning of a new mission.

Guided by her deep belief in God, Auguste used the proceeds from that sale to establish a philanthropic foundation dedicated to providing housing, electricity, and vaccinations to underserved communities around the world. Her decision reflected a core belief that true success is measured not by profit, but by purpose.

From an early age, Auguste’s inquisitive nature was evident—she often disassembled household appliances simply to understand how they worked. But her greatest source of insight came not from machines, but from her relationship with God. When faced with obstacles in business or life, she turned to prayer for guidance, coupling spiritual trust with practical action.

“The challenge for me,” Auguste once said, “is to have sufficient faith to trust that if I stand ready to do everything I can do…part of being ready to be an instrument of the Lord is to be resourceful, to be listening, and learning.” 

Through her faith, intellect, and generosity, Donna Auguste continues to embody what it means to lead with both vision and virtue, showing that when faith meets innovation, the result can change the world.