Founder Sphere
©Adrian Kessler
40.7128° N | 74.0060° W
NYC
I build companies that redefine industries. Four-time founder, angel investor in 30+ startups, and advisor to the next generation of bold thinkers.
© Who I Am
Founder and investor building impactful companies and backing visionary ideas.
My mission is to shorten the path from idea to impact. I build infrastructure for small, fast-moving teams solving the world’s biggest problems.
Working with 20+ teams and partners
© What I’ve Built
Over the years, I’ve built and scaled companies across fintech, AI, and software, turning ambitious ideas into products, teams, and businesses with lasting impact.
© Education & Achievements
A timeline of the milestones, companies, investments, and experiences that have shaped my entrepreneurial journey.
- [ 2026 ]
The Venture Ledger 40 Under 40
Named to The Venture Ledger’s yearly list of founders reshaping their industries.Award - [ 2025 ]
Business Innovation Award
Atlantic Tech Week’s prize for a product that changed how its customers work.Award - [ 2024 ]
Emerging Leader Award
Halden Business School’s alumni award for leading a fast-growing company.Award - [ 2023 ]
Excellence in Entrepreneurship
Frontier Festival’s founder award, for taking Tidewell Pay from its first merchant to an acquisition.Award
© Events & Speaking
Ideas Worth Sharing, Stages Worth Remembering.
Leadership Development for Executive Teams
Organizational Culture Transformation
High-Potential Manager Leadership Acceleration
Team Communication and Collaboration Growth
Fast-Tracking Potential Manager Development
Enhancing Team Communication & Collaboration
Leadership Development for Executive Teams
Organizational Culture Transformation
High-Potential Manager Leadership Acceleration
Team Communication and Collaboration Growth
Fast-Tracking Potential Manager Development
Enhancing Team Communication & Collaboration
© Recommendations
Words From The People I Work With.
Adrian stays calm when the numbers aren’t. He made the hard calls early, explained every one of them, and the team trusted him because of it.
Priya RamanCOO, CarbonLoopHe backed us before we had revenue and kept showing up every week after that. Most of what I know about hiring came out of those Friday calls.
Marcus BellFounder, ShelfScaleWorking with Adrian changed how I think about shipping. He sets a clear bar, then gets out of the way and lets the team find the route.
Elena DuarteHead of Design, Northloom
© FAQ
Common Questions About My Work.
Common Questions About My Work.
{ FAQ }
Still looking for an answer or want to talk?
I turn ambitious ideas into companies: I start them, build the early team and stay through the hard middle years.
The ventures page lists every company I have founded or backed, from early-stage startups to businesses that have since been acquired.
Yes. I back a small number of early-stage startups each year with strong founders and a clear reason to exist.
Yes. I take a few speaking invitations each year: conferences, panels, podcasts and company events.
Through partnerships, investment, speaking or advisory work. Tell me what you have in mind on the contact page.
I read every message myself and usually reply within a week. If it is time-sensitive, say so in the subject line.
© Blog & Insights
