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Jimmy Chen

Founder and CEO at Propel

Jimmy Chen is the founder and CEO of Propel, a technology company that focuses on improving the financial health of low-income households in the United States. Propel is best known for its apps, such as Fresh EBT (now known as Providers), which help manage government benefits like food stamps and banking services for millions of Americans.

Background and Education

  • Education: Jimmy Chen holds a degree in Symbolic Systems from Stanford University.12
  • Location: He is based in the New York City Metropolitan Area.5

Career

  • Early Career: Before founding Propel, Chen worked as a Product Manager at Facebook, where he led the Facebook Groups team, and also held roles at LinkedIn and Yahoo.24
  • Propel: Founded in 2014 through a fellowship at the Blue Ridge Labs @ Robin Hood Foundation, Propel has grown significantly under Chen's leadership. The company's apps have been widely recognized and used by over 5 million households.13
  • Investors: Propel has attracted notable investors including Andreessen Horowitz, Kleiner Perkins, Kevin Durant, and Serena Williams.13

Public Service and Recognition

  • Boards and Committees: Chen serves on the boards of Share Our Strength and TechNYC, and has been involved in advisory roles such as the eGovernment Payments Council and President Biden's Tech Transition Committee.13
  • Awards and Recognition: He was an inaugural winner of the President's Award for the Advancement of the Common Good at Stanford University in 2022.1

Personal Interests

  • Chen is a competitive ultimate frisbee player and a fan of Kansas City sports.3

LinkedIn Profile

  • His LinkedIn username is jimmychen1, where he shares updates about Propel and his professional activities.5

Highlights

Aug 19 · linkedin

🚨 We're hiring Staff Engineers at Propel! 🚨

We're looking for staff-level engineers (both full stack and frontend) to join our team. Chance to build software used daily by millions of low-income Americans as they navigate the safety net, with competitive pay and remote flexibility.

Jul 2 · linkedin

🚨 Two weeks left to apply to Blue Ridge Labs! 🚨

Blue Ridge Labs has made some exciting updates to its Fellowship Program! Now in its 10th year, the Blue Ridge Labs program remains the best way to start a social impact tech venture in the United States, bar none. Designers, Engineers, and PMs looking to solve real problems for and with low-income communities - this is home.

Apply here: https://bit.ly/BRLLaunch More info: https://lnkd.in/eRk-U_RX

Related Questions

What inspired Jimmy Chen to start Propel?
How did Jimmy Chen's experience at Facebook influence his work at Propel?
What are some challenges Jimmy Chen has faced while running Propel?
How does Propel's Fresh EBT app work?
What are Jimmy Chen's goals for Propel in the next five years?
Jimmy Chen
Jimmy Chen, photo 1
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Location

New York City Metropolitan Area