Over 20 years of tech and lifestyle entrepreneurship.

John Roa is a lifelong entrepreneur, technologist, philanthropist, business investor, and writer. He has founded and managed six technology companies since learning to program at age 11. His largest company, ÄKTA, went on to be one of the fastest growing companies in America in both 2013 and 2014, and was fully acquired by Salesforce Inc. (NYSE: CRM) in September 2015. He is currently the CEO of AnthologyAI, a consumer intelligence company in New York City.

“A Practical Way to Get Rich, and Die Trying”, Roa’s memoir on his meteoric rise, and subsequent crash, as the CEO of ÄKTA was released in September 2020 (Viking / Penguin Random House).

Outside of business, John is a passionate activist and philanthropist, having been a partner and donor to dozens of non-profit organizations as well as founding and running his non-profit organization, Digital Hope, from 2010 to 2014. Digital Hope focused on building a digital bridge between international NGOs with high levels of impact but little means of fundraising, and passionate micro-investors in America and Europe. Digital Hope successfully executed projects with orphanages, wildlife sanctuaries, schools, anti-trafficking centers, rehabilitation centers, and more, in over a dozen countries. 

He is a sought-after speaker on the topics of Entrepreneurship, Artificial Intelligence, Innovation, Digital Transformation, and User Experience Design.