The identities of the nine people killed in a private jet crash in Palm Beach County, Florida, were confirmed yesterday.

A Learjet 60 was bound for the Bahamas from Austin when it nosedived into a multi-lane highway on 1st November. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating whether ice and turbulence contributed to the crash, and whether human error played a role.

E-commerce technology startup Retention.com CEO and Co-founder, Adam Robinson, his wife Helen Sharp and their two children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were all killed in the crash.

A company spokesperson said: "We are heartbroken by the loss of Adam, his wife Helen and their two young children. Adam was much more than our CEO. He was a friend, a mentor and a bold, outspoken leader who lived life to the fullest. He cared deeply about the people around him and brought energy and conviction to everything he built. His loss is deeply felt across our team and the tech community, as we collectively mourn this significant loss."

They continued: "Our hearts are with Adam and Helen’s family and loved ones, and with everyone affected by the crash. We ask that their privacy be respected during this difficult time. Our immediate focus at Retention.com is supporting our employees and Adam and Helen’s family. We are grateful for the kindness and support extended to them and our team."

"We lost a good one"

Members of the tech community have been paying tribute to Robinson on social media.

Chris Meade, CEO at The Founders Club, said on LinkedIn: "Our team is heartbroken by the passing of Adam and his beloved family. Back in 2021, Adam and the Retention.com team were the very first people to support our business and became our first official sponsor. He changed our lives more than he'll ever know."

"His belief in us is what turned our travelling dinner series into a real business. Every friendship, partnership, and opportunity that has come out of this community traces back to Adam saying yes before anyone else did. Sending all our love. We lost a good one."

Frank Sonders, C0-founder and CEO at Salesforge, commented: "I don't even know what to say. I just saw him in SF a few weeks ago. Adam was one of the few founders in this space who actually built in public. No filter. No PR team. Just him on LinkedIn telling you exactly what was working, what wasn't, and what he'd do differently."

He added: "He built Retention.com from zero. Bootstrapped. While most people were talking about founder led content, he was living it. We were in the same world. B2B outreach. SaaS. LinkedIn. I watched everything he put out. You couldn't not. The guy was everywhere, and he earned every bit of it. Rest in peace, Adam."