Josef Chen

Josef Chen is a dynamic entrepreneur and co-founder currently serving as the CEO of KAIKAKU since May 2023. With a diverse entrepreneurial background, Chen co-founded Shmarrn in 2022, turning a lighthearted idea into a successful dark kitchen within a week. Previous experience includes a role in private equity at Proterra Investment Partners Asia, where a notable achievement involved securing regulatory approval for lab-grown meat. Chen also had a unique stint as a founding operator for a beverage launch associated with Netflix. Notably, Chen founded Velonto, Austria's first B2B on-demand delivery solution, and Menumise, a non-profit aimed at digitizing restaurant menus during COVID-19. An early career at Bitpanda provided insights into building Austria's first unicorn, complemented by extensive internships across finance and entrepreneurial sectors. Education includes a BSc in Economics and Politics from the University of Warwick and studies at Imperial College London.