Jesse Shapins

Jesse Shapins is an experienced urban strategist and entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of urbanism, technology, and design. He has held several key positions throughout his career, focusing on innovative approaches to urban development and community engagement.

Career Highlights

Sidewalk Labs: Jesse served as Senior Director of Sidewalk Urban Development at Sidewalk Labs, an urban planning and infrastructure subsidiary of Google.12 During his tenure from 2017 to 2022, he held various roles, including:

• Senior Director, Sidewalk Urban Development
• Director of Urban Design, Digital Integration and 307
• Director of Public Realm, Development and 307
• Interim Head of Product
• Director of Design

At Sidewalk Labs, Jesse focused on driving transformational impact through equitable and sustainable development, leading multiple urban development projects and securing partnerships in cities across the US.1

Current Roles:

As of 2024, Jesse holds the following positions:

• Director - Head of Urban Development at Urban Partners (since May 2023)
• Head of Urban Strategy & Design at NREP (since July 2022)
• Senior Researcher at IT-Universitetet i København (since September 2023)5

Notable Achievements

1. Yellow Arrow: In 2004, Jesse invented Yellow Arrow, a global, participatory public art project that allowed people to share hidden stories in their environments using text messaging.14

2. GoPop: He co-founded and served as CEO of GoPop, a VC-backed platform for visual conversation that was acquired by BuzzFeed in 2014.12

3. BuzzFeed: Following the acquisition, Jesse became Director of Product at BuzzFeed, overseeing the company's consumer platforms and new apps.12

4. Academic Background: Jesse holds a BA in Urban Studies from Columbia University and a PhD in Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Urban Planning from the Harvard Graduate School of Design.3

Jesse Shapins is known for his innovative approach to urban development, combining expertise in design, technology, and community engagement to create sustainable and inclusive urban spaces.