Denver Startup Week: Listen Up: Rodney Williams of LISNR

Endeavor Entrepreneur, Rodney Williams, comes to Basecamp!

Rodney Williams, CEO and Co-Founder of LISNR, the global data-over-sound leader. LISNR is a secure local proxy for data transmission using sound with over +40 industry awards and powering almost 30 million devices across numerous industries. As the CEO of LISNR, Rodney has been recognized as the Entrepreneur of the Year in Connected World Communications by EY, the NAACP Inspiring Innovation 2017, the 2016 Black Enterprise Tech Entrepreneur of the Year and Breakout Star of the Year and named to Ad Age's Top 40 under 40. Williams has grown LISNR from a single idea to a promising global standard, with over +40 industry awards, most notably named to the 2015, 2016 & 2018 CNBC Disruptor 50 Lists, Cannes Gold Lion in Mobile Software Innovation and a 2017 CES Honoree in Mobile Software. An alum of the R/GA Accelerator powered by Techstars, Williams is an innovative and out-of-the-box strategic thinker, always looking for new ways to connect consumers more effectively with technology. His newest venture has been as a co-founder of SoLo funds, a peer-to-peer lending exchange for the underbanked population that provides affordable access to low-value funds.

Prior to LISNR, Rodney spent over four years at Procter & Gamble as a brand manager and is most noted as the first marketer there to co-write digital patents. Prior to P&G, Williams spent 2 years in New Business Development for Lockheed Martin and over 4 years leading a collegiate digital agency focusing on consumer acquisitions and CRM management. Rodney achieved these honors after earning four degrees in Finance and Economics, including an MBA from Howard University, by the age of 24.

Outside of Rodney’s pursuit professionally, he’s a celebrated speaker, mentor, and advisor to many. He currently sits on the board of VC funded startups Wyzerr and SoLo Funds and remains the youngest member of the Howard University School of Business Board of Advisors. Rodney is also currently serving on the University of Cincinnati Board of Trustees and has been inducted into West Virginia University’s B&E Roll of Distinguished Alumni and Procter & Gamble’s Roll of Distinguished Alumni. When Rodney is not leading or assisting, he’s teaching and was most recently chosen to be a Forbes contributing author - covering innovation, entrepreneurship, leadership and disruptive technologies.