Pierre-Michel Kronenberg, fondly known as “Mike” by many of his friends and colleagues, passed away peacefully on December 5, 2024, in Boulder, Colorado. He was 63. His life was a remarkable journey of adventure, innovation, and love.
Pierre-Michel was born in Neuchatel, Switzerland. He spent his childhood surrounded by Switzerland’s natural beauty and rich traditions. From an early age he was filled with curiosity and a love for learning. School came easily to him and his natural talents shined when it came to academics. However, he preferred to dedicate himself to his true passions – alpine skiing, car engines, and souping up his moped to go as fast as possible. He was fearless and mischievous at times, with a knack for getting himself into trouble and keeping his parents, Hilde and Sebastian, and local law enforcement on their toes.
After graduating high school, Pierre-Michel joined the Swiss Special Forces and worked his way up the ranks to officer. His time in the military gave him the excitement he was looking for and exemplified his courage, leadership skills and loyalty. His platoon remembers him for his strategic mind, sharp shot and dedication.
Pierre-Michel’s commitment to excellence extended into all areas of his life, including his academic pursuits. He was accepted into one of the most prestigious technical research universities in Europe, EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédéral de Lausanne), where he earned a Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering.
He met the love of his life, Jennifer, at a costume party near Zurich and the two of them became instant friends. Pierre-Michel was smitten by Jennifer’s beauty, kind heart, and sharp mind. The couple were married in 1989, and shortly after they embarked on a new adventure together, moving to the United States. They began their graduate studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Pierre-Michel pursued a PhD in Mechanical Engineering focusing on thermodynamics.
While studying in Wisconsin, Pierre-Michel and Jennifer welcomed their children Melanie and Eric into the world and embraced their role as parents. Around this time, Pierre-Michel created a data management computer program that quickly grew in popularity around campus. This inspired the couple to team up and launch their first business, Mijenix.
In 1997, Pierre-Michel and Jennifer decided to move their family and business to the up-and-coming tech hub of Boulder. The family felt quickly at home with the landscape, lifestyle and freedom of Colorado. Pierre-Michel was glad to be surrounded by mountains again and wasted no time teaching Melanie and Eric how to ski. He loved being a father and watching his kids grow. His children brought him much pride and joy with their laughter, athletic and creative talents, and academic pursuits.
Over the following decades, Pierre-Michel held a long and successful career as an entrepreneur and executive, building software businesses and working as CTO for several companies. Mike’s career in technology and engineering was marked by innovation and dedication. He was respected and admired by his peers for his expertise, mentorship, and desire to help others succeed.
Outside of work and family, Pierre-Michel found joy in his hobbies. He loved working on engines, cars and motorcycles, often spending hours perfecting every detail. He felt a sense of freedom behind the wheel and loved going on cross-country motorcycle trips and racing cars. He was also an avid cyclist who enjoyed long rides as a way to connect with nature.
Pierre-Michel is survived by his wife, Jennifer, his children, Melanie and Eric, son-in-law Archie, parents, many in-laws, nieces, nephews and countless friends and colleagues who will remember him for his intelligence, humor, enthusiasm and kindness. His legacy is one of love, strength, and inspiration.
A memorial service will be held January 11, 2025, at the Boulder Chautauqua Community House
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the JAG Fund (Foundation for brain cancer research) at www.jagfund.org or at Penn Medicine’s The Brain Tumor Lab Support Fund at https://giving.apps.upenn.edu/fund?program=MED&fund=841207
I remember him for his love and grace. He embraced me warmly every time we met and when it came to welcoming us as family he loved my son as his own. His life and his dying are inspirations and the memory of his love provides an anchor to hold us fast in the months and years ahead. While airways in my heart he will be forever missed and our worlds are just that much smaller.
I loved Mike for his wonderful curiosity and loving approach to life. I loved that he and I both thought Mel and Arch should marry. That shared opinion took us on a long up and down adventure. I remember how happy we both were on their wedding day.
Mike was an amazing man to know and I will always be grateful to have had him as part of our family.
We spent a wonderful evening as guests of Jennifer and Pierre Michel, knowing them through our close friends Holly and Jeff Reimel. In one short evening, it was evident that he was a very special person- intelligent, charming, warm and hospitable. Our hearts go out to his wife, children and family as they deal with this terrible loss.
What a wonderful man Mike was. He brought humour and wisdom to our little circle of friends. I’m so very sorry he has left us too soon and will remember fondly the fabulous times we had together. My condolences and love to his family
Jackie Forbes
Today, I remember a man who was more than a friend; he was like a brother to me. We first met in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and from the very beginning, it felt like we had known each other forever. We connected over a shared love for cars, racing, engines, computers, and an insatiable curiosity about the world.
He was a brilliant engineer, an entrepreneur who built several successful software companies, and a skilled race car driver who achieved success both on and off the track. His passion for everything he pursued was infectious, and his ability to blend technical precision with creative vision inspired everyone around him. And he was willing to share his skills with anyone.
But what I will miss the most are the countless hours we spent in conversation. We could talk about anything—philosophy, science, dreams, or even the minutiae of a perfectly designed engine. Those conversations were a testament to his depth, his intellect, and his generosity of spirit.
He was one of my best friends, and his absence leaves a void that will never truly be filled. Yet, I am grateful for the memories, the laughter, and the lessons he shared. He lived a life full of purpose and passion, and his legacy will continue to inspire me every day.
Rest in peace, my dear friend. You will forever be missed and never forgotten.
A great guy and a great contributor to society.
Mike made my niece a very happy woman
Mike was a unique and wonderful person. I had the privilege of being his advisor during his graduate work at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He was doing research on engine combustion, but at the same time was writing software to improve the computer interface to make his analysis easier to perform. This was the birth of Mijenix. One of my favorite memories was his visit to our house during which he glued heat exchanger fins onto the processor of my computer so it could be driven it at a higher clock speed which increased the computer’s computational speed. He was driven by the curiosity of how to make things better, faster, … He was always interested in learning new things, and was a wellspring of ideas. He was in the top echelon of the graduate students I worked with during my career. Mike is gone and will be missed, but his spirit remains with us. I am filled with gratitude for the time we spent together.
It is with a heavy heart that I learned of the passing of my dear friend, former business partner, and colleague. Mike and his wonderful wife Jennifer Kronenberg started Mijenix in their tiny apartment while in grad school, and I later joined them for an incredible journey where together we built a company that became a great success thanks directly to his incredible engineering brilliance.
Over the years, we collaborated multiple times, including at Sunbelt, AutoLoop, SRI, and PropLogix. Beyond his genius as an engineer, Mike was an exceptionally kind, friendly, and good-natured person, with a tremendous interest in life.
He leaves behind an extraordinary legacy, a loving family, and countless friends who will miss him dearly. Our only solace is the privilege we had to share time with such an amazing individual.
Godspeed, Mike. You are deeply missed.
I love the photo, as this is exactly how I remember Mike – always with a welcoming smile and spirit. I still can’t believe that he’s gone. I am so fortunate to have known him and worked alongside him for many years. I saw and experienced firsthand his kindness and willingness to help others, both personally and professionally. The positive impact he had on so many people cannot be overstated–this includes those of us lucky enough to know him personally as well as countless others who benefitted from his innovative thinking, inventions, and businesses. I loved that he lived life to the fullest and was in constant pursuit of new adventures and thrills. Though you could fill pages with his accomplishments, I’m sure he’d be proudest of the the beautiful family and life he built together with Jennifer. My heart goes out to them. Hoping the many memories of happy times together bring comfort.
I worked with Mike briefly about 10 years and found him to be a fascinating person with a great sense of depth and understanding. Our paths went separately but I’ll always remember him.
We sill cherish the memories of our time together in Madison, and we are sending love and sympathy to you and your family. Bonnie and Jack
I am still trying to process this very, very sad news. What a wonderful person Mike was. I met Mike while coaching Eric’s football team.
I ended up working for Mike’s software company, SendPhotos. I had made the “mistake” of mentioning to Mike that I was a software developer before
I moved to Boulder. At the time, I had no plans of returning to the software world. After about 8 months of insistence, I finally went to SendPhotos for an
interview. I never regretted it. Working for Mike and for Jennifer was a life/career changer for me. What wonderful people to work for.
Still very hard to accept this loss… Mike was so full of life!
Please take care Jennifer, Eric and Melanie.
Joe Uyokpeyi
Chère Jennifer, chère Melanie, cher Éric,,
Nous sommes sincèrement en pensées avec vous tous et gardons un souvenir ému de Pierre-Michel.
Voisins de ses parents, nous l’avons rencontré à plusieurs reprises, mais avons surtout suivi son cursus via Hilde et Sébastien, qui étaient très fiers de leur fils.
Lors de nos rencontres, nous avons connu un homme lumineux, rayonnant, entreprenant, généreux, avide de la vie qu’il mordait à pleines dents.
Jennifer, Mélanie et Éric, sans vos coordonnées personnelles, nous saisissons l’opportunité de vous transmettre par ce canal, toute notre sympathie et notre amitié avant le 11 janvier où nous serons en pensées avec vous tous.
Nous vous souhaitons tout le courage nécessaire pour continuer le chemin sans lui et garder vos souvenirs précieusement au fond de votre cœur.
Nous vous embrassons très très fort.
Philippe et Corinne
As his friends’ and parents’ neighbours in Switzerland , we didn’t know Pierre-Michel very well.We just met him a few times at his parents. But these times were the occasion to realise that he was a joyful, brilliant, funny, passionate,radiant and lovely man, husband, father and son.
Whereas we heard a lot of him, his parents were really proud of him.
We saw more often the family when they decided to move for a few months in Neuchatel ( Switzerland) so that Eric could play football in the team Pierre-Michel knew when he was young …incredible father !
It’s far too young to pass away…
Dear Jennifer, Melanie and Eric,
We wish you the courage to go on through this suffering time. Let the happy memories firmly stand in your minds…
We are sending you our sympathy, love and friendship
Corinne and Philippe, Enges, Switzerland
Joachim Stieber (also on behalf of Ernestine, Michael and Melissa Stieber)
I did not have the opportunity (or expertise) to interact with Pierre-Michel in his professional life, nor in the sports in which he excelled. I am not surprised, however, that his colleagues warmly paid tribute to his intellect, sense of humor and generous dealings with them. Yet most of all, I have always admired Pierre-Michel’s and Jennifer’s special partnership in family life and in their initial business Mijenix as well as in subsequent ventures.
The choice of Boulder for this, with its grand natural setting, turned out to be a courageous and far-sighted decision. Jennifer’s skill in planning this and subsequent moves enabled Pierre-Michel to focus on the technical aspect of his profession. It was most fitting to make it possible for Pierre-Michel to return to Boulder for his last days. For it is here that his life as a pioneer in his field and his role as a husband and father who treasured his spouse, and his children can best be celebrated.
Looking back at their life together, which was preceded by youthful careers requiring physical as well as mental challenges, the Swiss Special Forces for Pierre-Michel, and the Corps de Ballet in Zürich and Geneva for Jennifer, and successful completion of university study, I am struck by the capacity for self-discipline and the quest for perfection that ran like a thread through them, as it subsequently did for their life together in marriage.
May you, dear Jennifer, together with Melanie and Eric, take comfort in the contributions and memory of your dear husband and father, and may he rest in peace
A polymath, a motorbike nut, an intellectual, an entrepreneur, an adventurer, a husband, father and friend. Pierre-Michel’s was a life well-lived. He is well-loved and sorely missed. What a remarkable man. How blessed we are to have known him, for he leaves an indelible essence of what man is capable of.
We all lost a good Man! I was lucky enough to be his racing coach and teammate
I recall his determination to be perfect behind the wheels and to prep the car together
I have a heavy heart but also a big smile for all the good times we had together and with his lovely family
He will be miss by all the people he met during his way to short life with us
RIP mon Ami, tu vas nous manquer
Roland
Jennifer,
My heart goes out to you and your children. I recently met a new couple in our neighborhood that reminded me of you and Mike. He a talented engineer from Europe and she a strong business woman and together they had founded a software startup. This meeting and thoughts of you and Mike led me to this posting. I always had great respect for you both and our children still remember Mike visiting our home all those years ago and telling them of life in Switzerland. Despite the limited time we worked together, you and Mike made a lasting impression.
Tim