The Path of Jesse Walden: Transitioning from Music to Ownership in Web3

Jesse Walden established the Variant Fund to back Web3 startups that aim to empower users via ownership-driven platforms. He shifted from overseeing musicians to subtly influencing Web3 through investments and straightforward ownership principles. When Jesse Walden emerged as a prominent figure in the Web3 sphere, many might have assumed his expertise leaned more towards music than technology or protocols. At the beginning of his career, Walden represented artists such as Solange Knowles and Blood Orange through his agency, Cool Managers. He played more than just a management role; he also facilitated connections between musicians and emerging technologies. His goal back then was straightforward: to empower artists to have greater control over their creations. Jesse Walden: Transitioning from Music Manager to Web3 Investor. However, life has a way of being humorous. His fascination with technology that can enhance artists’ abilities took him away from the music industry. He quickly realized that blockchain had the potential to be a far more impactful resource than merely serving as a way to distribute music. This insight led Walden to establish Mediachain Labs, a startup centered around utilizing blockchain technology to monitor the ownership of digital media. Mediachain was a notable project that caught Spotify’s attention, leading to its acquisition in 2017. Upon joining the company, Walden headed up blockchain research and development. However, if you have a clear vision for the future of the internet, being employed by a large corporation can occasionally feel restrictive. Conversely, this experience provided him with an understanding of the internal workings of centralized systems.