Our Origin Story
What most people don’t know is that Lightning Autofill started life with a very different purpose than the automation tool they’re familiar with today. This is our origin story.
⛰️ The Challenge
In 2008, Tom found himself in a classroom in rural Vietnam facing a problem that would reshape his perspective on technology forever. As a computer teacher at Maison Chance, a Swiss NGO dedicated to helping orphans and people with disabilities, Tom watched his 23 students struggle with tasks most of us take for granted—typing on a keyboard, operating a mouse, or simply filling out basic forms online.
His mission was clear but daunting: teach these students enough digital skills to land jobs and achieve financial independence. But traditional methods weren’t enough.
⚡ The Breakthrough
That’s when Lightning Autofill was born. Tom built the first version specifically to tackle the repetitive data entry that consumed hours of his students’ time. The approach was a game changer: instead of fighting against their limitations, they would identify patterns and create autofill rules that did the heavy lifting automatically.
The results were extraordinary:
- 200-500% productivity increase for every student
- One-time setup investment that paid dividends indefinitely
- Newfound confidence in digital skills
🌟 The Impact
Before Tom’s two-year contract ended, something remarkable happened: every single student got hired. Depending on their abilities, they found work as forum moderators, data entry specialists, and web content managers—exactly the fields where Lightning Autofill excelled.
What started as classroom necessity became life-changing opportunity.
🌱 The Evolution
Initially, Tom manually installed Lightning Autofill on each classroom computer. However, as features grew, updates became a nightmare to administer. His solution? Upload it to this new thing called the Chrome Web Store.
Suddenly, updates rolled out automatically to all the computers at once, freeing Tom to focus on what mattered most—creating engaging activities for his students. It was a win-win that would soon become much bigger.
🌍 The Community
Years after Tom left Maison Chance, Lightning Autofill took on a life of its own. Word spread. Installs grew. A genuine community emerged around the extension, with users discovering creative applications that continue to blow our minds. 🤯
Today, Lightning Autofill serves over half a million users worldwide—from accessibility advocates to productivity enthusiasts to data professionals. But we never forget where we started: with 23 determined students and a teacher who believed technology should work for everyone.
This is where it all began…