James McKelvey
San Francisco, California,United States
Find James McKelvey's Email
Find James McKelvey’s PhoneJames McKelvey's Overview
James 'Jim' McKelvey Jr. is a multifaceted American entrepreneur, inventor, philanthropist, artist, and author, best known as the co-founder of Square (now Block, Inc.) alongside Jack Dorsey. His entrepreneurial journey began early, and he has founded or co-founded several companies, including Mira Digital Publishing. McKelvey's work with Square revolutionized mobile payments, making it accessible for small businesses to accept credit card transactions. Beyond fintech, he is a distinguished glass artist, having studied the craft extensively and co-founded Third Degree Glass Factory, one of the United States' leading centers for glass art. He authored the book 'The Innovation Stack: Building an Unbeatable Business One Crazy Idea at a Time,' sharing insights from his experiences. McKelvey is also deeply committed to his community, notably through founding LaunchCode, a non-profit organization that provides free tech education and job placement. He previously served as an independent director of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.
Professional Summary
James McKelvey's work history includes a series of influential roles in various companies. Here is a detailed list of his professional journey:
Notable Achievements
Co-founding Square (now Block, Inc.)
Co-founded the financial technology company Square in 2009 with Jack Dorsey, which significantly democratized payment processing for small and medium-sized businesses by enabling them to accept credit card payments via smartphones and tablets.
Authoring 'The Innovation Stack'
Wrote the influential book 'The Innovation Stack: Building an Unbeatable Business One Crazy Idea at a Time,' published in 2020, which details his philosophy on problem-solving and building innovative companies, drawn from his experiences with Square.
Founding LaunchCode
Established LaunchCode in 2013, a non-profit organization that provides free, accessible education and apprenticeship opportunities in technology, aiming to create pathways to economic opportunity and fill the tech talent gap.
Contributions to Glass Art
A respected master glass artist, he co-founded Third Degree Glass Factory in St. Louis, a renowned public access glass art studio and gallery. He has also authored a textbook on glassblowing, 'The Art Of Fire: Beginning Glassblowing.'
Service on the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Served as an independent director on the board of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, contributing his expertise to the region's economic oversight from 2017 to 2022.
Educational Background
Bachelor of Applied Science (BASc), Computer Science
Washington University in St. Louis - Year 1983
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.), Economics
Washington University in St. Louis - Year 1983
General Course, Statistics and Maths
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) - Year 1985
Any St. Louis High School
Any St. Louis High School
Buying Intent Signals for James McKelvey
Highperformr Signals uncover buying intent and give you clear insights to target the right people at the right time — helping your sales, marketing, and GTM teams close more deals, faster.
Company Overview
InvisiblyInvisibly aimed to empower individuals by giving them control over their personal data and its monetization. The platform allowed users to manage their data preferences, earn from their data, and access content from publishers through various models, including micropayments or data sharing, as an alternative to traditional subscriptions or ad-supported experiences. The company reportedly ceased operations in late 2022/early 2023.
Highperformr's free tools for company research
Find contact info
Get verified emails, phone numbers, and LinkedIn profile details
Find similar contacts
Discover contacts with similar roles, seniority, or companies
Perform deep contact research
Uncover insights like skills, work history, social links, and more
Discover, research and enrich contacts with Highperformr — Smarter, Faster
Explore contacts in-depth — from verified emails and phone numbers to LinkedIn activity, job changes, and more — all in one powerful view.
Highperformr AI helps you surface the right people and enrich your CRM with live, accurate contact insights so your teams can connect faster and close smarter.
- Track signals like job change, promotion, and LinkedIn activity
- Enrich contacts with verified email, phone, and social data instantly
- Automate enrichment and updates with powerful workflows
- Sync enriched contact info directly into your CRM and tools
Thousands of contacts — including decision-makers, influencers, and ICP matches — are just a search away.
Thousands of companies, including, are just a search away.