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Jesse Proudman

Jesse Proudman

Serial entrepreneur, CTO, and founder of multiple tech companies

Seattle, Washington, United States
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Summary

Jesse Proudman is a prolific serial entrepreneur with a strong track record of founding and leading technology companies from inception to acquisition. His ventures include Blue Box Group (acquired by IBM), Strix Leviathan (acquired by Parataxis), and Makara (acquired by Betterment), demonstrating consistent success in building and scaling startups. wikipedia+3
He has a significant focus on emerging technologies, particularly cloud computing and cryptocurrency. He founded Blue Box to provide private cloud services, and later pivoted to crypto with Strix Leviathan and Makara, culminating in his current role as CTO of Venice.ai, an AI privacy platform with a crypto-token based API. wikipedia+2
Proudman is an advocate for mental health among startup founders, actively sharing his own experiences with depression during his entrepreneurial journey. He also serves as a mentor and board member, contributing to the next generation of innovators at the University of Washington's Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship and Techstars. cryptoslate+1
His career demonstrates adaptability and foresight, evolving from web hosting with Blue Box to private cloud services, then into the nascent crypto and fintech sectors, and most recently into privacy-focused AI. He's consistently adapted his companies to changing market realities and technological advancements. geekwire+1

Work

Education

Projects

Writing

Getting out of MySQL Character Set Hell

April 1, 2018

A technical blog post addressing challenges with MySQL character sets, referencing a popular blog post from his time at Blue Box.

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Farewell IBM… A new year leads to new adventures!

December 1, 2017

Reflecting on his departure from IBM after the acquisition of Blue Box and looking forward to new ventures.

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Investor Updates, an Entrepreneur’s guide

March 1, 2017

A guide for entrepreneurs on providing timely and regular updates to investors, acknowledging past failures in this area at Blue Box.

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Blue Box Wins 2016 GeekWire Deal of the Year: Let me take a moment to say thank you…

May 1, 2016

An expression of gratitude after Blue Box won the GeekWire Deal of the Year, reflecting on the journey of running a company.

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True Grit, the Blue Box story from Dorm Room to Board Room

March 1, 2016

A recorded presentation sharing his entrepreneurial journey with Blue Box, from its inception in a dorm room to its acquisition.

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The loneliest job I could ever imagine…

March 1, 2015

A personal story about the challenges of being a startup founder and battling depression, highlighting the emotional toll of entrepreneurship.

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The 2025 Gravel Burn, Edition #1

A reflection on completing a 7-day gravel stage race in South Africa.

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Hobbies

Jesse enjoys boats, bikes, and music. medium

He participates in gravel stage races, such as the 7-day '2025 Gravel Burn' in South Africa. medium