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Jesse Walden

Managing Partner at Variant Fund

Jesse Walden is a prominent figure in the technology and investment industry, currently serving as a Founder and Managing Partner at Variant Fund.12 He has a diverse background spanning venture capital, blockchain technology, and the music industry.

Career Highlights

  • Variant Fund: Founded in May 2020, where he leads investments in crypto networks and platforms.12
  • Andreessen Horowitz (a16z): Served as an Investment Partner in Crypto and later led the a16z Crypto Startup School.12
  • Spotify: Worked as a Product Lead in R&D following the acquisition of his company.2
  • Mediachain Labs: Co-founded this blockchain startup focused on digital media asset tracking, which was acquired by Spotify in 2017.12
  • Cool Managers: Founded an artist management firm that worked with notable artists like Solange Knowles and Blood Orange.12

Education and Early Career

Jesse studied Art History and Economics at McGill University.4 His early career was deeply rooted in the music industry, where he founded several businesses including concert promotion and artist management.4

Investment Focus

At Variant, Jesse has led investments in prominent projects such as Uniswap, Phantom, Mirror, Flashbots, and Foundation.1 He is known for his expertise in crypto networks, the creator economy, and Web3 technologies.3

Jesse Walden's unique blend of experience in technology, finance, and creative industries has positioned him as a thought leader in the intersection of crypto and the creator economy.34

Highlights

Feb 3 · twitter

DAO

Jan 15 · twitter

> 2026 is the year when Morpho starts extending beyond crypto and into the wider financial landscape. When Morpho becomes even less visible to end users, and more embedded in the everyday products they already use

Variant Investments: Home
Sep 23 · bitget.com
Farcaster Who's Who | Bitget News
Sep 6 · variant.fund
Jesse Walden - Variant Fund
Jesse Walden - Variant Fund
Sep 6 · forbes.com
Jesse Walden - Forbes
Jesse Walden - Forbes
Jun 23 · youtube.com
Crypto, ISAs, and VC with Jesse Walden - YouTube
Crypto, ISAs, and VC with Jesse Walden - YouTube
May 15 · New York Post
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman raises nearly $100M for creepy crypto project that uses ‘Orb’ to scan eyeballs - New York Post
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman raises nearly $100M for creepy crypto project that uses ‘Orb’ to scan eyeballs
Mar 21 · Yahoo Finance
OpenAI’s Sam Altman wants to convince billions of people to scan their eyes to prove they aren’t bots. Meet Worldcoin, the founder’s crypto project - Yahoo Finance
OpenAI’s Sam Altman wants to convince billions of people to scan their eyes to prove they aren’t bot
Jan 1 · signal.nfx.com
Variant (variant.fund) - Venture Capital Firm - Signal NFX

Related Questions

What are some of the most successful investments made by Variant Fund?
How did Jesse Walden's role at a16z Crypto influence his approach at Variant?
What was the impact of Mediachain Labs being acquired by Spotify on Jesse Walden's career?
Can you provide more details about the investments Jesse Walden led at Variant?
How does Variant's investment strategy differ from other crypto funds?
Jesse Walden
Jesse Walden, photo 1
Jesse Walden, photo 2
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Location

United States