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 the University of Washington and the Strix Leviathan Nest Fund Investment Committee. Jesse earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Puget Sound and is currently based in Seattle with his family.