About Ben Werdmuller

A portrait of Ben Werdmuller

I've been writing and working at the intersection of technology, journalism, and community for over two decades. I started my career building websites for local news – in 1995, less than a year after the first ever news website was launched. I’ve built platforms that have been used to organize communities, share stories, and send footage back to the newsroom from warzones, Air Force One, and the top of Mount Everest. I invested in media startups with the potential to change media for good. I’ve supported and advised social platforms that help newsrooms build direct relationships with their communities. And I’ve led technology teams directly inside newsrooms, creating change in an industry that’s stuck in its ways.

I bridge the gap between technology and the future of news. As Senior Director of Technology at ProPublica and CTO at The 19th, I've worked inside newsrooms where stories change policy and hold power accountable. I’ve led teams that have created best-in-class systems for activities like receiving tips securely and anonymously and building interactive storytelling. I understand how technology can empower journalists, and how it can fail them.

I've built platforms that grow and support enduring communities. I built Elgg, my first social platform, from scratch with no funding. It was translated into 80 languages and used by governments, global NGOs, and social movements that influenced the politics of entire nations.

I understand sustainable, mission-driven innovation. At Matter Ventures, I invested in startups focused on creating "a more informed, inclusive, and empathetic society." I learned what makes media startups succeed: prototype-driven thinking, sustainable business models, and teams that center their communities.

I build empathetic, innovative team cultures. I’ve built and led teams that thrive on emotional safety, ability to innovate, open feedback, and rapid experimentation. I know how to foster real innovation and experimentation, and create a great place to work in the process.

In Werd I/O, I discuss the business, culture, and implications of technology, outside of the hype cycle. Its readers include media executives, activists, startup founders, and big names in Silicon Valley tech. It's always free, independent, and reader-supported.

Reader-supported but always free

There are no paywalls here. Every post is available for everyone to read on the open web.

Paid subscribers can leave comments on the posts; at higher tiers you'll be invited to regular informal meetups and have access to a regular scheduled call to discuss your hardest technology problems (or whatever you want). Because these tiers provide community and direct coaching, this is something you could also use a corporate education budget for.

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