Startup and tech CEOs play a pivotal role not just in driving profits but also in shaping the future of industries and the future of work. The actions of the best CEOs are making them emerge and spearhead a new era of purpose-driven entrepreneurship in 2024.
From innovative work models to leading technology, the top CEO’s role in innovation and transformation of any startup and tech industry have an impact on more than just the bottom line. And these best CEO’s are worth knowing about.
Role of influential CEOs
In an era of rapid technological advancement, the role of business executives has become increasingly crucial in navigating the complexities of emerging trends and innovations. From the continued rise of artificial intelligence to the evolving landscape of digital platforms. Today’s top influential CEOs are at the forefront of shaping the future of industries and redefining the boundaries of what’s possible.
Best CEOs to watch out for in 2024
These dynamic CEO’s lead with purpose, vision, and put their people first. Whether you’ve heard of them, work with them, or are just learning about them for the first time, they’re doing incredible work, making them the top CEOs to watch in 2024.
Michelle Bacharach
Company: FindMine
Tech startup co-founder and CEO, Michelle Bacharach is developing the content creation engine for the world’s iconic brands, FindMine. Michelle has been named one of Inc Magazine’s Top 200 Female Founders. She leads with empathy, kindness, creativity and intelligence, creating a top workplace culture loved by her teams. In addition, she also makes the time to help other founders find success, especially female founders.
Steve Case
Company: Revolution
Steve Case is one of the country’s top tech founders and CEOs. In 1985 he founded America Online (AOL) and under his leadership, AOL became the world’s largest and most valuable internet company, driving the worldwide adoption of the transformative technology. Currently, Steve is Chairman and CEO of Revolution, an investment firm. Revolution Growth has invested nearly $1 billion in growth-stage companies including Sweetgreen, Tempus, Tala, DraftKings, and CLEAR. Revolution Ventures has backed more than two dozen venture-stage companies, including Framebridge, GoodBuy Gear, and SRS Acquiom. Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund has invested in more than 200 startups in over 100 U.S. cities.
Claire Coder
Company: Aunt Flow
After getting her period in public without the needed supplies, Claire Coder dedicated her life to creating a solution. This was to ensure business and schools could sustainably provide quality period products for free in bathrooms. At eighteen years old, she founded Aunt Flow in 2016 to do just this. The company has been recognized as the ISSA Show 2021 Choice Award and the Sustainable Company of the Year in 2021 as well as the Best Woman-Owned Brand by NBC. Claire was named Forbes 30 Under 30 and received the Thiel Fellowship by the age of 22, making her one of the top CEOs to watch.
Colleen Costello
Company: Vyv
Colleen Costello is a tech founder, clinical researcher, engineer and more. She is the Co-Founder and CEO of Vyv, a health technology company that has created proprietary continuous-use antimicrobial light technology for public places, consumer products, homes, and industry. Her work as a scientist and a founder have been recognized by major new outlets. She has been named in Goldman Sachs 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs, Forbes Magazine 30 Under 30, Inc. Magazine 30 Under 30 Most Brilliant Young Founders, 50 Emerging Global Entrepreneurs to Watch by Inc. Magazine, and more.
Jasmine Crowe-Houston
Company: GoodrCo
Jasmine Crowe-Houston is the Co-Founder and CEO of GoodrCo, a sustainable food waste management company that leverages technology to combat hunger. Jasmine has been recognized for her work in CNBC, Oprah Magazine, The New Your Times, Forbes and Fast Company, as well as Entrepreneur Magazine’s list of the top 100 influential female founders. Not only is she a tech founder, but she’s also a children’s book author. Jasmine is a top CEO to watch and an inspiring leader, dedicated to making the future more equitable for all.
Alice Default
Company: Double
Co-founder and CEO of Double, Alice Default has spent the last 10 years helping people spend time on the things that matter most to them. Double is a software platform that connects busy executives with experienced part-time assistants and delegation tools to help them save time and focus on what matters. Alice and her Co-Founders Christophe Lamperti and Pierre-Elie Fauché, met while working at Sunrise Calendar. Later it was acquired by Microsoft. Alice has been recognized in Forbes 30 Under 30 and raised over $14 million.
Nishika de Rosairo
Company: HumanQ
Nishika de Rosairo is a serial entrepreneur, artist, and CEO of HumanQ, a coaching platform on a mission to address the pain points felt by both individuals and organizations in having access to the right development opportunities. Throughout her experience with some of the biggest brands (from Deloitte to Apple, Cisco to Salesforce and more), Nishika has always focused on people and impact. She has lived on four different continents and is an avid traveler, giving her a unique perspective and a global lens through which she views organizations as well as the future.
Dima Dobrynin
Company: Staxel
CEO Dima Dobrynin is building an emerging hardtech company, Staxel. Working at the intersection of robotics and AI, Staxel is on a mission to create innovative and reliable solutions using robots and AI with ten times the efficiency. Dima’s leadership and hard skills have allowed Staxel to launch a robotic pilot with NewLab Detroit in just six months after company creation. Still in its early stages, Staxel is a small but promising startup with an ambitious vision of becoming an intralogistics automation standard, with Dima at the helm.
Scott Dorsey
Company: High Alpha
Highly influential in the Indianapolis tech ecosystem, Scott Dorsey is an entrepreneur, investor and startup advisor. In 2015, Scott co-founded the venture studio, High Alpha, alongside Kristian Andersen and former ExactTarget executives Mike Fitzgerald and Eric Tobias. High Alpha is a venture studio that helps create and fund B2B SaaS companies. Scott has been widely recognized as a top CEO and entrepreneur, as well as his community work in Indianapolis.
Arlo Gilbert
Company: Osano
Arlo Gilbert is the Co-founded of Osano. Osano helps in simplifying privacy compliance so companies can stay compliant, increase trust, and do the right thing. Arlo and co-founder Scott Hertel were inspired to create the company after seeing how little top officials understood about how data is stored and shared. As CEO of Osano, Arlo brings over two decades of experience in founding and leading SaaS startups to create value, disrupt the industry, and drive growth. Arlo is a purpose-driven founder, a data privacy pioneer and advocate, and is passionate about shaping the future of data privacy and creating a positive social impact.
Patrick Kelly
Company: Signal Advisors
Co-Founder and CEO of Signal Advisors, Patrick Kelly is a top CEO to watch based in Detroit. Stemming from his own experience in the financial advisor industry, Patrick co-founded Signal Advisors with Jake Cohen and Kevin O’Hara to innovate in the financial advisor industry and provide software that helps them scale their businesses. Patrick was the Detroit Venture Partners Entrepreneur-in-Residence from 2018 – 2020 and has led Signal Advisors through multiple funding rounds. Patrick, Kevin and Jake have created a progressive workplace culture and are committed to putting their people first.
Scott Kim
Company: RocketReach
CEO of RocketReach, a business info-services platform, Scott Kim is a purpose-driven leader who strikes a rare balance of high IQ and EQ. One of his leading qualities appreciated by the RocketReach team is the way he leads with trust. By trusting the team to do their work well and by not gatekeeping, Scott has created an environment that empowers those around him to take on new challenges and believe they can do it. It encourages everyone to grow and learn. RocketReach is a safe space for all questions and offers a seat at the table for everyone, thanks to Scott’s leadership. Leading with empathy and care for his team, Scott makes sure RocketReach takes care of its people and provides an excellent place to work.
Ben Madick
Company: Matic
As the co-founder and CEO of Matic, Ben Madick leads one of the fastest-growing insurance agencies in the U.S. He currently serves on the advisory board of Mortgage Compliance Magazine and as an advisor to numerous U.S. mortgage banks and lenders. As a purpose-driven leader, Ben has set Matic apart from other insurtech companies by delivering an unbiased approach to insurance. The company combines a powerful digital experience with an agency of trusted advisors — real people with a lot of heart.
Geng Wang
Company: Civic Champs
As a CEO of Civic Champs Geng Wang’s team provide seamless and rewarding volunteering experience for both volunteers and service organizations. Geng is a serial entrepreneur and two-time exited founder. He works with passion along with the people he works with to lead with purpose. He is committed to creating a collaborative and open culture that fosters learning and personal growth. This has created a great place to work for people who want to make a positive change in the world.
Cindy Warner
Company: 360ofme
Cindy Warner is the founder and CEO of 360ofme. It is a ethical data exchange platform that transforms the paradigm of personal data ownership by rebuilding trust between ethical enterprises and individuals. She is one of the startup CEOs to watch out for as she is highly driven by purpose. She is a part of organizations that give back to the community, like Michigan Founders Fund. 360ofme was recently featured on Viewpoint Project with Dennis Quaid, Fox Business.
