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United States Jackson Jhin is a co-founder and CEO of Protégé, an online platform dedicated to democratizing access to mentorship opportunities in creative and business fields. He previously served as CFO of Cameo, a direct-to-fan platform connecting celebrities with their fans, where he contributed to its growth and valuation.
Co-Founder and CEO of Protégé, an online platform connecting aspiring talents with experts for mentorship and feedback. Raised $8.5 million in seed funding from investors including Sequoia Capital, TQ Ventures, Roc Nation Arrive, and individual investors like DJ Khaled, Will Smith's Dreamers, Lionel Richie, Ben Simmons, Jason Alexander, Gryffin, Tate McCrae, Cameo CEO Steven Galanis, and DoorDash CEO Tony Xu. Experts on the platform set fees ranging from $10 to several hundred dollars, with Protégé taking a 25% commission.
Former CFO and SVP Strategy at Cameo, a direct-to-fan platform allowing celebrities to sell personalized video messages. Played a key role in raising $150 million and growing the company to a valuation of over $1 billion. Was involved in the company's growth to 300 people and $100 million in gross revenue in 2020. Secured an initial investment of $100,000 from Chicago Ventures for Cameo.
Analyst at the venture capital firm, where he identified and supported promising startup companies. Instrumental in advocating for and securing an investment from Chicago Ventures for Cameo.
Co-founder of an event ticketing platform that offered insurance for fully refundable tickets. Won $30,000 in a venture capital pitch competition sponsored by Elevate Ventures.
Recipient of $30,000 in a venture capital pitch competition sponsored by Elevate Ventures for his startup Float Tickets.
Leading investor in Protégé's $8.5 million seed round. Noted as Sequoia's first investment in a Chicago startup at that time.
Participant in Protégé's $8.5 million seed round, a firm founded by Scooter Braun, Schuster Tanger and Andrew Marks.
JAY-Z’s venture firm, participated in Protégé's $8.5 million seed round.
Individual investor in Protégé's seed round and expert on the Protégé platform.
Individual investor in Protégé's seed round, representing Will Smith's investment vehicle.
Individual investor in Protégé's seed round and expert on the Protégé platform.
Individual investor in Protégé's seed round.
Individual investor in Protégé's seed round and expert on the Protégé platform.
Individual investor in Protégé's seed round.
Individual investor in Protégé's seed round.
Cameo CEO and individual investor in Protégé's seed round.
DoorDash CEO and individual investor in Protégé's seed round.
Musician featured as an expert on the Protégé platform, providing feedback to aspiring artists.
Venture Partner, focusing on funding hard industries. Currently serving in this role.
Investor.
Advisor.
Jackson Jhin, a Houston native, pursued a Bachelor of Arts in International Economics and Italian at the University of Notre Dame, graduating in 2017. During his high school years, Jhin displayed a strong interest in music, balancing classical piano studies with participation in a heavy metal band. Despite his musical aspirations, he pivoted towards a traditional university education, a decision that eventually led him to entrepreneurship. While at Notre Dame, he continued to engage with his musical interests by founding the Lakeside Music Festival, an annual event that showcases university musicians.
Jhin’s entrepreneurial journey began during his senior year at Notre Dame with the co-founding of Float Tickets, an event ticketing platform that offered insurance for fully refundable tickets. This venture earned him $30,000 in a pitch competition sponsored by Elevate Ventures. Following graduation, Jhin joined Chicago Ventures as an analyst, where he focused on identifying promising startup companies. A pivotal moment occurred when he met Steven Galanis, the founder of Cameo, a direct-to-fan platform for personalized video messages. Jhin’s early involvement with Cameo after hours eventually led him to join the company full-time.
At Cameo, Jhin quickly advanced, becoming the CFO at the age of 24. Over four years, he played a crucial role in scaling the company to 300 employees, raising $150 million in funding, and achieving a valuation exceeding $1 billion. In 2020, Cameo reached $100 million in gross revenue, with over 30,000 creators utilizing the platform. Building on this success and his personal experience of limited access to the music industry early in his career, Jhin co-founded Protégé in 2022. The platform connects aspiring individuals with experts in music, film, art, and business for mentorship and feedback. Protégé successfully closed its seed round with $8.5 million in funding from investors including Sequoia Capital and Roc Nation Arrive.
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