In 2009 Jim McKelvey was a practitioner and teacher of the art of glassblowing and author of a leading textbook on the subject, The Art of Fire. Frustrated by his inability to complete a $2,000 sale of his glass faucets and fittings because he could not accept credit cards he approached his friend, Jack Dorsey, the co-founder of Twitter.
From that collaboration, Square, Inc., was born, which revolutionized the world of payment processing by turning any smartphone and tablet into a credit card reader and cash register.
That nexus, between artistry and innovation, is the core of the RightsTech Revolution, and will be the focus of McKelvey’s keynote fireside chat at the RightsTech Summit in New York on September 27th.
In addition to Square, McKelvey is the co-founder of the Third Degree Glass Factory in St. Louis, and a partner in Cultivation Capital, an early-stage investment fund.
He also sits on the board of directors of Calpian Inc., which offers mobile money solutions through its Indian subsidiary MoneyOnMobile, and is an independent director of the St. Louis Federal Reserve.
His latest venture, LaunchCode, is a non-profit organization that aims to grow new talent and create pathways to on-the-job training and employment.
Jim will discuss his evolution from artist to entrepreneur, his strategies for building and growing companies, and the ongoing evolution of the Square Payments Platform.
For information on how to register for the summit click here.