Co-Founder & CEO, ELITE (AI Productivity App)

Run it like it's yours, because a big piece of it will be.
About ELITE
ELITE is a privacy-first AI work app. Its assistant, Kit, collects your notes, voice memos, screenshots and links, turns them into tasks, and each morning shows what to focus on. ELITE also keeps a private record of your work and builds a verified skills profile you share only with people you choose. In the desktop app your Kit chats stay on your device, and your private notes are encrypted.
The product is built and heading into an invite-only beta on Mac and the web. ELITE is part of Just Badge, a venture studio that builds, brands and launches products.
The role
We're looking for a CEO co-founder to own ELITE and take it from beta to a business. Our CTO keeps product and engineering. You take everything else: the launch, the first paying users, the first raise, and the partners who bring students and professionals in.
What You'll Own
Run the beta and lead the public launch
Pick our first market (students or independent professionals) and win it
Turn free users into paying subscribers
Raise ELITE's first round
Own the privacy and safety story, including what's needed before teens can join
Build partnerships with schools, bootcamps and online communities
Hire and lead the first go-to-market team
What You Bring
You've taken a consumer or prosumer app from launch to paying users, as a founder, CEO, general manager, or head of growth or product
You've raised money for a startup, or worked closely on a raise
You can start equity-first, while ELITE raises
You're based in the United States
Nice to have
Experience with education, careers, credentials or student products
Experience with productivity, AI or privacy products
A track record of building communities or ambassador programs
Trust and safety experience, especially with products for teenagers
Who You'll Work With
Founder Matthew LaCrosse has spent 17 years building early-stage startups and has helped 12 startups raise $100 million. CTO Mimi Phan spent 21 years at Northrop Grumman before building startups.
Compensation & Ownership
A founder-level, equity-first role until ELITE raises its first round: meaningful ownership in the company you run, earned over time and tied to milestones. Equity is structured directly with serious candidates.
Want ownership on day one? There's also a buy-in path: invest alongside the studio and take an immediate stake, not just an earn-in. Terms are structured directly with serious candidates.
Why join
The product is already built, so you start on growth, not code
A real co-founder seat, with ownership to match
Design, engineering and launch support from the Just Badge studio
Fully remote within the US
How It Works
Apply: a short form and five questions
30-minute call: an operator conversation, not a résumé screen
Scope: we map the launch and the first raise together
Run: you own the business; we keep building the product with you. Co-founders from day one
Not the one to run it?
If you know a consumer app operator who fits this better, refer them. We pay 15% for life on anything that closes, with no equity and no obligation: justbadge.com/partners
Skills: fundraising,growth acceleration,operations,communications,business development,team building,c level management,partnerships,sales,leadership

Skills
Business Development

Experience
17+ yrs

Work arrangement
Yes