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Bart Hofkin

Bart Hofkin

Rational Hippie, Pragmatic Idealist, and Venture Fellow

abusyhippie
San Francisco, California
Joined March 2026
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Network

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Summary

Bart is a self-proclaimed 'Rational Hippie & Pragmatic Idealist' who embraces unconventional life and career paths. After leaving a corporate tech job at Epic Systems, he embarked on a 6-month 'mini-retirement' living nomadically and exploring national parks, an experience that profoundly shaped his philosophy on life and work. nitter+5
He possesses a strong entrepreneurial spirit, having co-founded SBJ Hodlings and TerraFarmin, and serving as a Founder in Residence at launch house. His current roles as a Venture Fellow and Angel Squad Member at Hustle Fund further demonstrate his deep involvement in the startup ecosystem and early-stage investment. devfolio+2
Bart is a hands-on technical expert with a background in Computational Physics and Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He leverages these skills as a Solutions Architect at Akave and a Software Engineer at DeFiPy, where he contributes to web3 and decentralized finance projects, including developing a Python SDK for DeFi analytics. akave+3
He is an avid participant and successful competitor in hackathons, having won over $50,000 in prizes and grants in 2024. He shares his expertise through a Udemy course, 'How to Make Money at Hackathons: A Short Guide for Beginners,' reflecting his interest in both practical application and teaching. nitter+3

Work

Education

Projects

Writing

Why I Quit my Tech Job and Lived on the Road for 6 Months

October 1, 2021

A personal reflection on leaving a corporate job at Epic Systems to travel across 20 national parks in a 'mini-retirement', seeking a more meaningful path outside traditional corporate structures.

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The Lines

January 1, 2019

A reflective piece about a pivotal moment at age 21 that changed his perspective on life's trajectory, moving from a victim mentality to actively shaping his own path, inspired by personal development literature and a psychedelic experience.

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How to Make Money at Hackathons: A Short Guide for Beginners

A Udemy course teaching simple tips to win prizes and gain benefits at hackathons. Bart claims to have won over $50,000 in prizes and grants after his first hackathon in 2024.

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Hobbies

He traveled to Poland, Israel, and several US states to explore his heritage (ethnically Jewish and Polish) and attend music festivals. medium

He lived a nomadic, minimalist lifestyle for six months, traveling to 20 national parks across 9 states in the American West. medium+2

Notes

SRSarah Romankosaid they've seen
BHBart Hofkin
foster a strong sense of community among engineers or peers.

Dec 11, 2025