Updated on 2025-09-19 from Forest City, Malaysia
Hey, I'm Jesse
I’m on a mission to solve loneliness among young people. Existing platforms prove the demand but fail to deliver. I’m researching new interfaces for community organization, focusing on shared values, rituals, and symbols.
I joined Ârc at Network School to go from idea to product.
Thanks for being here.
At Valgerður Sigurðardóttir's exhibition Þættir/aspects at Ásmundarsalur in Reykjavík
What I Did in the Past
Summer with Family (2025)
I moved 10,000 km away from my family and went all-in with my community platform. This summer was ideal to spend quality time with them. I worked from our summer house in Sweden, roadtripped with my mom in Iceland, explored central Switzerland with my stepmom, and hiked the six-day Tour des Combins with my dad. I recorded a video with each and took two rolls of film. Those are up next for my newsletter and YouTube.
Community Experiments (2025)
I explored new entrepreneurial opportunities, applying to The Residency, V10, Edge City Fellowship, and Network School. While awaiting responses, I launched a one-month online program supporting indie makers, artists, and creators that didn’t take off. This led me to volunteer at a small festival in the Swedish countryside, pushing me out of my comfort zone. Ultimately, I was accepted to Network School, where I’m developing my community platform.
Content Experiments (2025)
After years of strict privacy, I started a weekly newsletter and long-form YouTube videos. Now I’m experimenting with shorts on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. I’m also active on X and Threads. I want to document my life and share my ideas.
Agora (2024/2025)
I came up with a concept for a community café after experiencing social isolation in Arctic Norway. I interned at Schwanenburg's kitchen in Germany, formed partnerships in Madeira, and hosted a successful intellectual dinner, but left the island for new opportunities.
Freelance Designer & Researcher (2017/2024)
Journeys with Jesse (2023)
A podcast with four conversations and one solo episode on topics like entrepreneurship, education, progress, talent, and innovation. Listen on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Apprentice (2022/2023)
I emigrated from Germany and worked on a solution for our education system. My idea won a competition that led to a conversation with Sam Altman and an invitation for The Residency’s first cohort in San Francisco. I learned valuable lessons but decided to change direction.
Intern at Active Image (2022)
Active Image was a technology platform and marketplace for digital artworks and collectibles. During the six-month internship, tasks included research, handling digital canvas hardware, exhibition support, software quality assurance, and roadmap planning support with the CTO.
Studium Generale (2022)
Remote attendance at Scholarium in Vienna included subjects such as law, politics, geopolitics, energy, and community.
US Colleges Application (2020/2021)
I scored 1510 on the SAT (740 in Reading and Writing and 770 in Math) and applied to Yale, Harvard, MIT, Princeton, Stanford, and UChicago. After all rejected me, I chose my own educational path.
Abitur (2020)
I was the valedictorian with a perfect 1.0 score (864/900 points), including perfect scores in math and physics with increased demands. Less than 0.5% of 10,471 students in my state achieved a 1.0 score that year. I was nominated for Germany’s most prestigious scholarship foundation.
Mynd Travel (2017/2019)
My travel photography was featured on a portfolio website, personal Instagram, and Unsplash’s homepage. Now, it's a coffee table book and exclusively offline.