Jon Blackwell
CPO, SoLo Funds
Jon has dedicated his life towards helping entrepreneurs across the globe. He started out at Silicon Valley Bank working with early stage technology startups but his passion quickly lead him to leave banking behind and move to Kenya where he worked in microfinance. After returning to the US, he co-founded Tala, a mobile credit scoring and lending company. He’s spent 7 years as Chief Product Officer where he lead all product development, strategic partnerships, and expanding the business throughout Eastern Africa, Latin America, and Asia. He then continued his work with entrepreneurs by mentoring founders through Social Venture Partners, a non-profit accelerator. He is currently the CPO at SoLo Funds (Techstars ’18). Jon holds a MPP from the University of Southern California and a B.A. in Economics from Virginia Tech.
Content & Articles by Jon Blackwell
Stop Hiding Behind Your Screen: In-Person Events Are How You Win in 2026
2026 is shaping up to be the year businesses rediscover the power of shaking hands, clinking glasses, and actually meeting their prospects in person. Don’t take my word for it...
Build Alignment Before You Burn Out
Everything Feels Urgent At early-stage companies, everything feels urgent: shipping product, closing customers, raising money. In that environment, planning can feel like a luxury, or even a liability. In my...
How To Use Reddit To Scale Organic Growth For Your Startup
In this Mucker Growth Series session, Colin Belyea, founder of Karmic and an expert in Reddit organic growth, breaks down how Reddit has become one of the most influential discovery...
Sales Comp Kick Start: Keys to Getting It Right as You Begin to Build Your Sales Team
Webinar Recap featuring Donya Rose, Managing Principal from The Cygnal Group Sales compensation is one of the most critical aspects of building a successful sales organization. Many early-stage founders stumble...
Austin Tech Week 2025 Recap
Mucker Capital hosted two powerful days of programming during Austin Tech Week, bringing together founders, operators, and growth leaders to share real-world insights from the startup trenches. Across four sessions,...
LA Tech Week 2025 Day 3 Recap: AI Search – Wednesday Oct 15
After two packed days exploring AI startup building and go-to-market growth, Day 3 of LA Tech Week shifted focus to the evolving world of AI Search, how new AI technologies...