Jason Widen has recently stepped down as CEO of Raleigh Founded to launch a new concept, Blue Co! Check out how this new venture will support entrepreneurs in our area.

Jason is Co-Founder of Forward Impact whose mission is to unleash the impact potential of next generation entrepreneurial leaders. This work includes supporting community-based strategies to develop and scale high-impact entrepreneurs including Raleigh Founded, REVGEN, and Leadership exCHANGE. Jason brings an extensive background as an investor, developer, and entrepreneur to his current role as Founding Partner and CEO of Raleigh Founded, an award-winning entrepreneurial co-working space located in Downtown Raleigh. Raleigh Founded boasts 400 member companies and 800 members including key partnerships with NC State, Campbell Law, and Meredith College to name a few. Moreover Raleigh Founded Member companies raised over 58 million in funding in 2018.

Seeking to develop sales talent for start ups and established companies, Jason Founded REVGEN in 2013. REVGEN boasts having hired and trained over 600 employees with a number of notable clients- Citrix, Redhat, Dude Solutions, and Filter Easy. Jason has raised millions of dollars as an entrepreneur and real estate developer including over 103 projects, most recently having raising capital for the purchase and development of expansion space for Raleigh Founded. In addition, Jason was instrumental in the creation of Leadership exCHANGE, an award-winning organization dedicated to training the next generation of leaders and global citizens to change the world. Moreover, Jason is an ardent supporter of Raleigh’s community and currently sits on a number of noteworthy Boards to include: Innovate Raleigh, Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, and Downtown Raleigh Alliance. He lives with his wife and daughter in Raleigh.

Jason Widen

Founder in Residence
Team Members
Isabella Dearr
Isabella Dearr
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Saraiya Mills
Saraiya Mills
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Christopher Gergen
Christopher Gergen
Christopher Gergen is the co-founder and CEO of Forward Cities, which aims to create more inclusive entrepreneurial economies. He also co-launched InnovateNC, a similar initiative in North Carolina.
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Brooks Bell
Brooks Bell
Brooks Bell is an established leader in the emerging industry of conversion optimization.
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Jes Lipson
Jes Lipson
Jesse Lipson is a self-taught software developer and became a full-time entrepreneur at age 23.
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Bekah Gregg
Bekah Gregg
Bekah joined Raleigh Founded in 2021 and currently serves as our Events and Marketing Manager.
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Jordan Wise
Jordan Wise
Jordan joined the Raleigh Founded team in 2022 and currently serves as our Leasing Manager.
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Lauren Romer
Lauren Romer
Lauren has been a part of the Raleigh Founded team since 2018 and now serves as Raleigh Founded’s Director.
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