Key Takeaways
- James Chi co-founded Camp Network, a Web3 platform empowering decentralized communities through modular tools.
- Before Camp Network, Chi held strategic roles at Figma and worked in investment banking at Goldman Sachs.
- A UC Berkeley Haas School of Business graduate, Chi blends financial expertise and product thinking in blockchain.
Who Is James Chi?
James Chi is the co-founder of Camp Network, a platform that helps Web3 communities build in a flexible, open, and fair way. His strong background in traditional finance and modern technology provides him with a unique perspective on designing decentralized systems. At Camp Network, his goal is to provide DAOs and on-chain communities with the tools they need to collaborate smoothly without relying on central control.
Education at UC Berkeley
Chi earned his Business Administration degree from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, where he studied from August 2011 to December 2014. His academic foundation in finance and management laid the groundwork for his early career in investment banking and venture finance.
Early Career Before Camp Network
James Chi began his career in 2013 at KKR, where he was part of the Client & Partner Group. This role gave him early exposure to investor relations and fund operations, laying the groundwork for his understanding of capital flow and institutional finance.
Investment Banking in TMT
From 2015 to 2017, Chi worked at RBC Capital Markets as an Investment Banking Analyst in the Technology, Media, and Telecommunications (TMT) division. He continued in TMT investment banking at Goldman Sachs from 2017 to 2021, advising major technology companies on mergers, acquisitions, and capital-raising strategies. This period sharpened his insights into tech industry dynamics and deal-making.
Transition to Tech and Strategy at Figma
In 2021, Chi entered the tech industry by joining Figma’s Strategic Finance team. There, he led projects on financial modeling, fundraising strategies, and operational scaling. These experiences deepened his understanding of how to align financial strategy with product and infrastructure goals—skills he would later apply in the Web3 space.
Founding Camp Network
In 2023, James Chi co-founded Camp Network to create systems that support decentralized coordination. Using his experience in finance and product strategy, he helped build a set of on-chain tools that are flexible, clear, and easy to adjust for DAO governance.
Camp Network allows communities to manage members, proposals, funds, and voting through separate building blocks. The goal is to let groups try different ways of governing without being stuck in fixed systems, giving them full control over how they work on-chain.
Camp Network Raises $30M
Camp Network has raised $30 million in Series A funding to transform intellectual property management on the blockchain. In a YouTube video titled “Blockchain News & Updates,” it explains how its custom blockchain registers and tokenizes IP, utilizing “proof of provenance” to verify ownership. The funding will help build an extensive library of user-owned IP and a marketplace for safe, rights-cleared training data. As AI continues to grow, Camp Network aims to protect creators and ensure they are compensated fairly.
Modular Governance & DAO Coordination
Camp Network focuses on simple, flexible governance. With customizable “spaces” and connected “camps,” the platform helps communities easily manage their activities.
Chi’s goal is to provide contributors and organizers with easy-to-use tools that foster innovation and resilience in decentralized systems.
Camp Network’s Role in the Future of Web3
As DAOs grow, Camp Network—led by Chi—becomes a key tool for organizing in Web3. It helps communities manage funds and roles without losing decentralization or flexibility.
Chi’s experience in finance, product strategy, and decentralized tech makes him well-suited to guide how communities work together in the digital age.
Final Thoughts
James Chi has a unique combination of traditional finance experience and Web3 innovation. From Goldman Sachs to Figma, and now as co-founder of Camp Network, his career strongly focuses on creating systems that benefit communities. As decentralized organizations grow, Chi’s vision of flexible, community-led coordination will be key to the future of Web3.
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