One might think that working and living together would have its disadvantages. Not for the Downs’, who actually seem to use it to their advantage. Of course they are always discussing work outside of work, but they state that some of the best ideas come from that “free time” together, at least whenever they aren’t preoccupied with their four-year-old son, Aiden.

And good ideas have been plentiful since the inception of Archinoetics, which is a Hawaii-based high-tech company focused on advancing technologies that fuse humans with computing, neuroscience, engineering, and physics.

Prior to beginning their own company, both Downs’ worked for another Hawaii tech company, but when that company refocused their main area of business, it occurred to them that they should start their own company and focus on what they love best: human systems. From that, Archinoetics was born; a name which loosely means “original thought” in Greek.

Neither would have dreamed they would one day own their own company; Now, they’re in the business of dreams. At least studying them, anyway.

As Chief Operating Officer, Traci essentially makes sure everything runs smoothly in the company, while Hunter’s job as Chief Science Officer requires him to oversee the scientific direction of the company. However, because it is their own company, they cross into each other’s areas all the time, often wearing the hats of each of the company’s employees.

The Downs’ believe that the key to their company’s success is their people. Albeit admitting that it’s a bit of a cliché, for Archinoetics, it really is the people within the company who will go to the ends of the earth to meet a deadline and also those people outside of the company who selflessly promote and support them by driving new opportunities in their direction. And that is why they try to stay true to one of the founding principals of their company as much as possible and that is that employees should be able to thrive in a fun, creative, intellectual environment that enables scientists and engineers to freely share ideas and exchange new knowledge.

It is Archinoetics’ belief that building such relationships provides employees with a rewarding work experience that ultimately maximizes their contributions and enables the company to deliver the best end product possible.

And one of their favorite ways to encourage employee collaboration?

Lunch – which both Traci and Hunter list as the favorite part of their job. When the entire company gets together for lunch, which is almost every day, someone at the table will describe something new or interesting that they read or thought about. New ideas for research directions are always coming out of these lunches. Of course, a lot of bizarre and crazy ideas are also brought up. So much so that they even have a “lunch ender” tally sheet for people whose comments or ideas made everyone get up and leave lunch. Basically, just a lot of fun.

Nonetheless, founding a high-tech start-up company isn’t all fun and games and definitely has its share of challenges.