Sign In

John Backus

CTO of Cognito at Plaid

John Backus is a technology entrepreneur and executive currently serving as the CTO of Cognito at Plaid.1 Here's an overview of his background and career:

Professional Experience

John co-founded Cognito, an identity verification company, in July 2013 and served as its CTO.1 Cognito developed an API for identity verification, focusing on simplifying the process through advanced technology integrations and partnerships.12 In January 2022, Cognito was acquired by Plaid for approximately $250 million, and John transitioned to his current role as CTO of Cognito at Plaid.2

Education and Early Career

John holds a BS in Computer Science from Stanford University, which he attended from 2012 to 2016.1 During his time at Stanford, he expressed interest in exploring technologies related to cryptocurrencies, 3D printing, augmented reality, and autonomous robotic drones.1

Before founding Cognito, John gained experience as a software developer at companies like KZO Innovations and Koofers.com.1 He also briefly served as a Technical Lead for Bloom Protocol, working on decentralized identity and credit solutions.1

Interests and Online Presence

John is active online and shares his work and thoughts on various platforms.2 He maintains a personal website (johnback.us) where he discusses his core interests, which revolve around questions of human flourishing, coordination, and the long-term future of humanity.2

Current Location

As of the most recent information available, John Backus is based in Miami, Florida.13

Highlights

Sep 11 · twitter

No one should die at the hands of a schizophrenic felon arrested 14x.

A free speech advocate should not be assassinated.

These are basic and obvious stances that should be unifying our country to see and fix key issues.

People who don't see this—who snark about it—are lost.

Jul 15 · twitter

Update: I moved back to San Francisco 🙃

Building the Best, with Jillian Williams feat. John and Alain of Cognito
Building the Best, with Jillian Williams feat. John and Alain of Cognito

Related Questions

What are John Backus' main achievements at Cognito?
How did John Backus start his career in tech?
What technologies does Cognito use for identity verification?
What was the process behind Cognito being acquired by Plaid?
What are John Backus' interests outside of work?
John Backus
John Backus, photo 1
John Backus, photo 2
Add to my network

Experience

CTO of Cognito at Plaid since Jan 2022
Co-Founder, CTO at Cognito (Jul 2013 - present), Technical Lead at Bloom Protocol (Sep 2017 - Aug 2018), Software Developer at KZO Innovations (Jun 2012 - Sep 2012), Software Developer at Koofers.com (Jun 2009 - Sep 2011)

Education

BS in Computer Science from Stanford University

Location

Miami, Florida, United States