Jesse Proudman
Jesse Proudman is Co-Founder, President and CTO at Venice.ai. He previously founded Blue Box Group, Makara, and Strix Leviathan, all of which were acquired, and he is currently leading Venice.ai.
Auger — Dave and Leigh Anne Clark’s $150M AI supply-chain startup — moves HQ from Seattle area to Dallas
Auger, an AI supply-chain startup co-founded in 2024 by former Amazon executive Dave Clark and Leigh Anne Clark, is relocating its headquarters from the Seattle area to Dallas after raising $150 million; development work remains in Seattle and the Dallas office is expected to reach about 30 employees by year-end.
Seattle AI Startup Venice.ai Raises $65M Series A at $1 Billion Valuation to Expand Privacy-First Chatbot Services
Seattle startup Venice.ai raised $65 million in its first funding round, reaching a $1 billion valuation as it expands its privacy-focused AI services. The company, with 3.5 million users, offers an uncensored chatbot alternative emphasizing data privacy and user control, and has become profitable.
Erik Voorhees, Bitcoin Entrepreneur and Venice AI CEO, Raised $65M Series A in 2026
Erik Voorhees is a Bitcoin entrepreneur and CEO of Venice AI, a privacy-focused AI startup that raised $65 million in Series A funding in 2026. He founded early crypto ventures like ShapeShift and SatoshiDice, building significant wealth through these and advocating for decentralized finance and limited government regulation.
Venice Raises $65M Series A at $1B Valuation Following 12x Surge in VVV Token Within Six Months
Privacy AI platform Venice raised $65 million in Series A funding at a $1 billion valuation after its token VVV surged 12x in six months. The funding will build Venice's first data center to reduce GPU leasing reliance, marking the company's first external equity investment since founding.
Zoom to Acquire Seattle AI Startup Common Room, Known for $52M-Funded Buyer Intelligence Platform
Zoom is acquiring Common Room, a Seattle-based AI startup that developed a platform to help sales and marketing teams track customer buying signals. Common Room emerged from stealth in 2021 with $52 million in funding and was named the 2022 GeekWire Awards Startup of the Year.
Venice.ai Raises $65M at $1B Valuation for Privacy-Focused AI Led by Erik Voorhees and Jesse Proudman
Venice.ai, founded by CEO Erik Voorhees and CTO Jesse Proudman, raised $65 million in Series A funding at a $1 billion valuation to provide a privacy-focused AI service that does not store user prompts or responses. The company aims to compete with mainstream AI services by offering unfiltered, on-device conversations through a range of open-source and commercial AI models.
Venice.ai founder Jesse Proudman leaves Washington after 'millionaire tax' prompts exodus of business leaders
Tech entrepreneur Jesse Proudman, founder and CTO of Venice.ai, is leaving Washington State, saying the state's new 'millionaire tax' and a hostile tax climate have driven him and other business leaders to relocate. He described Washington as shifting from a 'startup sanctuary' to a place that 'villainizes' companies.
Seattle Digital Assets Startup Strix Leviathan Acquired by New York Crypto Hedge Fund Parataxis
Seattle fintech startup Strix Leviathan, founded by Jesse Proudman and Sadie Raney in 2018, was acquired by New York-based crypto hedge fund Parataxis, with key leadership transitions following the deal.
Seattle startups push into crypto, blockchain and Web3 amid investor caution and regulatory shifts
The article lists Seattle startups building products and services around crypto, blockchain, and Web3, noting the region’s talent but limited local investor interest and regulatory uncertainty. Industry leaders cite Seattle’s potential as a cloud-computing hub while warning entrepreneurs face funding disadvantages compared with other jurisdictions.
Betterment to acquire Seattle crypto robo-advisor Makara, joining crypto investing to its $32B platform
Betterment agreed to acquire Seattle crypto robo-advisor Makara, which launched in May 2021 and offers thematic crypto baskets; Betterment manages $32 billion for nearly 700,000 clients. Makara spun out of Strix Leviathan, was founded by Jesse Proudman and others, and raised about $3 million in seed funding while pursuing a Series A.
Jesse Proudman
Jesse Proudman is the co-founder and CEO of Makara, a new investment platform democratizing access to the cryptocurrency markets, and the co-founder of Strix Leviathan, a crypto investment manager powered by a sophisticated proprietary trading platform. Prior to Strix Leviathan and Makara, Jesse founded Blue Box, a cloud computing startup that he led to a successful acquisition by IBM. During his time at IBM as an IBM Distinguished Engineer, Jesse focused on blockchain technology and cryptocurrency applications. With more than two decades of experience as a technical entrepreneur, Jesse serves on the board for the Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship at…
Coinbase IPO Soars to $85 Billion, Nets Windfalls for Early Backers Including Version One Ventures
Coinbase’s IPO pushed its valuation to $85 billion and delivered major returns to early investors like Version One Ventures, which made a highly profitable bet years ago. The article examines how Seattle and Pacific Northwest investors view crypto and blockchain as the region seeks to grow its fintech presence amid emerging local startups and initiatives.
Strix Leviathan founders launch Makara robo-advisor; SEC-registered, raised $2M and launched mobile app
Seattle crypto startup Strix Leviathan spun out Makara, a robo-advisor that builds thematic baskets to simplify investing in digital assets; Makara is an SEC-registered investment adviser, raised $2 million, and launched a mobile app.
Coinme raises $5.5M as transactions climb 40% and plans 50% hiring, led by Pantera Capital
Seattle cryptocurrency ATM startup Coinme raised $5.5 million as transaction volumes rose more than 40% since late February, aided by its Coinstar partnership and presence in essential retail locations. The company, led by CEO Neil Bergquist, plans 50% headcount growth, expansion into Latin America, and was led in funding by Pantera Capital.
Organizations
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Venice.ai Co-Founder, President and CTO 2025–present · current
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Venice President and Chief Technology Officer · current
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Betterment Vice President 2022–2025 · past
Education
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Entrepreneurs Organization Entrepreneurial Masters Program Certificate - Class of 2014 · 2012–2014
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University of Puget Sound BA, Business Leadership Program · 2003–2007
