About Ja’dan
From a young age, Ja’dan demonstrated an innate ability to turn ideas into powerful movements. At just 15, he taught himself to code, a skill that became the foundation for his future endeavors. This early self-starter mentality led him to create Next Gen Creators, where he built the largest community of technical talent in the English-speaking Caribbean. His ability to unite and empower young creators set the stage for a career defined by innovation and leadership.
Some highlights of Ja’dan’s career over the past 5 years include:
- Hack Week: Ja’dan launched Miami Hack Week in 2020, which rapidly grew into of the largest hackathons on the southeastern U.S. coast, uniting over 3,000 engineers, founders, and investors. Hack Week is a unique innovation festival/hackathon with an annual week long festival in Miami.
- Upstream: In a cross-functional role, Ja’dan worked closely with the CEO on product, growth, business development, and customer experience. He designed the internal operating cadence to keep the team aligned and user-focused while managing the full customer pipeline. His leadership was crucial in transitioning Upstream from a community platform to a blockchain financial tool, managing over $11 million in assets.
- Open Source Medical Supplies: Ja’dan was the earliest co-lead of this global initiative, building a community of 70,000 members and leading a full-time team of 27, supported by 3,000 volunteers. Together, they produced and distributed critical medical supplies during times of crisis, showcasing the impact of technology and collaboration on global challenges.
At his core, Ja’dan Johnson is a connector and a builder. His diverse background in product development, marketing, and operations makes him a Swiss Army knife—capable of crafting strategies that drive real-world results while diving deep into the details to ensure flawless execution. Whether he’s scaling a tech platform, launching a global initiative, or bringing together brilliant minds, Ja’dan consistently makes an impact that resonates far beyond the immediate task at hand.