
Josh is a New York-based serial entrepreneur and investor with over 15 years of experience across the ed tech, venture capital, impact investing, and blockchain industries. He specializes in working with early stage companies and in forging public-private partnerships. He founded and launched Civics Unplugged, which has become the largest and most effective democracy building movement in the world. Recently, Civics Unplugged launched the Dream DAO, which Coinbase highlighted as a DAO that has the potential to rewire the world as it relates to philanthropy and impact. He is also a partner at AeraVC, an early-growth fund that since 2016 has been investing in deep tech ventures that accelerate the world towards a sustainable future. Recently, in partnership with Gotham Labs, of which Josh is a Co-Founder, and Aera VC they launched Aera Force, which is a DAO made up of climate investors, founders, scientists and civic leaders investing in accelerating us toward a regenerative world through web3. Josh was a Venture Partner at Human Ventures, an incubator with a reputation for one of the most authentic and disruptive models in New York. While at Human Ventures, Josh founded and launched Onward Labs, a venture studio that uses emerging and distributed technologies to tackle the world’s most pressing issues. Josh spent much of his career in American politics and in 2017, he became the youngest candidate for Mayor that New York City has seen in over 135 years. Homelessness is a key issue that Josh has always campaigned for; in 2018, he pioneered a blockchain powered system that empowers recipients of aid to verify the impact of the products and services they receive from nonprofit / government organizations. Josh has a knack for relationship-building and fundraising and has helped raise over $300M+ for non-profit organizations and political campaigns as well as $15M+ for seed-stage startups. Josh remains an active investor to-date and is always on the lookout for opportunities in the climate, carbon, and blockchain spaces.
aera.vc
civicsunplugged.org
onwardlabs.com
dreamdao.xyz
newleaders.org
corybooker.com
venturecooperative.org
New York, New York, United States
Co-Founder + CEO
Civics Unplugged
• www.linkedin.com/company/civicsunplugged
Jan 2019 - Present
New York, New York, United States
Co-Owner
Nai Tapas Bar
• www.linkedin.com/company/nai-tapas-bar
Oct 2024 - Present
New York, United States
Co-Founder
https://www.gothamlab.co/
Jan 1925 - Present
New York, New York, United States
Me
Gatsby.Enterprises
Jul 1924 - Present
New York, New York, United States
Selector
Ellison Institute of Technology Oxford
• www.linkedin.com/company/eitoxford
Apr 2024 - Present
Oxford, England, United Kingdom
Co-Founder
Gotham Labs
Jul 2021 - Present
New York, New York, United States
Partner
Aera VC
• www.linkedin.com/company/aera-vc
Jan 2020 - Present
The Planet
Mayoral Candidate
Ran to serve as the next Mayor of New York City
Jan 2016 - Dec 2017
New York City
Director Of Education
Executive Office of the Mayor
Jan 2012 - Dec 2014
Bridgeport, CT
Carried Out Mission
Executive Office of the Mayor
Jan 2011 - Dec 2012
Washington D.C. Metro Area
Carried out Mission
Mayor Cory Booker (PENewark)
Jan 2010 - Dec 2011
Carried out Mission
New York Civil Rights Coalition
Jan 2003 - Dec 2004
jackierobinson.org