Hey, I'm Maximus Putnam

Founder of Penguin, building Link (an AI workspace for projects, chat, and automation) and penguin (a software-engineering agent).

I'm focused on agentic reasoning, orchestration, memory, tool use, and cost-efficient inference (vLLM/SGLang). I think in systems, enjoy clean execution, and bias toward shipping.

• Previously: self-taught SWE; built web stacks → Python for agent cognitive architectures.
• Interests: AI agents & cognition, neuroscience, semiconductors & US manufacturing, robotics/automation, energy (esp. nuclear & geothermal), civic infrastructure, theology & church history, and the occasional game design experiment.

Note: this site is intentionally minimum-viable retro: no frameworks, just HTML/CSS/JS.

What I'm doing now

• Shipping core Link features (OAuth, multi-panel workspace, real-time chat & project graph).
• Hardening Penguin as a coding agent (execution env, memory, multi-agent handoffs, checkpoints/branching).
• Spooling GPU capacity across clouds/neo-clouds; exploring on-prem for cost/perf.
• Talking to early users, angels, and grant programs; recruiting founding engineers soon.

Selected Work

Link — the AI workspace for teams: chat, projects, automations, agent orchestration, and context visualization.

Penguin — an AI software-engineering agent with its own execution environment, long-term memory, and multi-agent coordination.

Krill (Terminal) — a cozy, modern terminal/task-graph interface (side project; integrates with Link).

Penguin Saloon — a tabletop-style strategy card game; future digital version planned.

Big Ideas — Link Wallet & data marketplace; US manufacturing & semiconductor capacity; smart-city logistics; geothermal & nuclear-forward energy.

If you're building in any of the above and want to jam, reach out.

Notes & Essays

Browse all essays →

Topics I write about:

• Agentic systems: memory, control flows, and reasoning engines.
• Cost-effective inference at scale: caching, batching, and infra trade-offs.
• Semiconductor & energy realism for startups.
• Theology side-quests: prayer, tradition, and modern life.