Harold Hughes

Founder & CEO of Bandwagon, Keynote Speaker, Web3 Learner, Community Builder

Harold Hughes: Tech Entrepreneur, Community Builder, and Investor

Harold Hughes is a successful tech entrepreneur, community builder, and angel investor based in Charlotte, North Carolina. He is the founder and CEO of Bandwagon, a live experience technology company that uses blockchain to help teams and event organizers eliminate ticket fraud and increase fan engagement.1 2

Hughes is also the co-founder and CXO of Black@ Labs, a startup launchpad designed to support the next generation of Black builders by providing them with resources and capital.1 4 As a community builder, he co-founded Catalyst Labs, where he provides a 12-week accelerator curriculum to help support entrepreneurs.2 5

Some key facts about Harold Hughes:

He is a graduate of Clemson University, where he received bachelor's degrees in Economics and Political Science, and later earned an MBA.1 3
As an angel investor, he has invested in companies like Partake Foods, Liquid Death, Athletic Greens, and Republic.1 2
He has been recognized as a rising star in sports tech and has participated in accelerator programs like Founder Institute Greenville, Capital Factory - Austin, Google for Startups Black Founders Exchange Program, and IBM Blockchain Accelerator.3
He is actively involved in the Greenville, South Carolina community, serving on the Board of Directors for Rebuild Upstate and Visit Greenville.3

Hughes is passionate about learning, data, and college football. He leverages his 10+ years of experience in data, RFID, and two-tier distribution to help entrepreneurs and build successful companies.1

Highlights

Apr 11 · inc.com

How a Bigoted Investor Inspired This Founder to Embrace Himself ...

Jan 18 · Austin Business Journal

DivInc announces Champions of Change nominees who help make Austin more equitable - Austin Business Journal

Dec 8 · Inc.

A Pivot to NFTs? How Covid Led This Founder to the Blockchain - Inc.

Experience

Founder and CEO at BANDWAGON (Jan 2016 - Present)

Co-Founder, CXO at Black@ Labs (Feb 2022 - Present); Angel Investor at Partake Foods (Jan 2019 - Present); Venture Partner at Republic (Mar 2020 - Apr 2023); Advisor at AMASS (Oct 2021 - Dec 2022); Director at Founder Institute (Jan 2020 - Dec 2022); Fellow at Notley Fellowship (Jan 2020 - Dec 2021)

Education

MBA in Supply Chain and Information Management from Clemson University (2011 - 2014); Certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from Stanford University Graduate School of Business (2015 - 2018); Bachelors of Arts in Economics & Political Science from Clemson University - College of Business and Behavioral Science (2004 - 2008)