Hello, and welcome to my little corner of the internet. My name is Jaafar, and I am an entrepreneur, writer, and creative. I've always liked the quote from John Lennon, "I'm an artist, man. Give me a tuba, and I'll get you something out of it." In the same way, I aim to get something out of whatever I encounter - something functional, beautiful, and impactful. I don't care much which tool, technique, or technology is involved, only that it is useful to someone.
I've worked on many problems, ranging from privacy to education to mobility. The more wicked the problem, the more interested I am. Over the years, startups have become my natural habitat, providing the ideal environment for my multi-disciplinary approach to solving problems. I've worn every hat imaginable, often all at once, because I downright refuse to be confined to a single lane. It's just not my style.
I share my writing and personal projects on this site, offering a glimpse into my creative interests. I enjoy meeting new people, so don't hesitate to reach out. You can usually find me working at a coffee shop - so if you're in Detroit and fancy grabbing a coffee, let me know.
You can find my professional bio here.
Jaafar Mothafer is a technology entrepreneur and writer based in Detroit. For the past 15 years, he's been building technology products—with the last 8 years focused on AI—guided by the belief that design and technology should serve our highest ideals.
He's Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Finley, an AI financial wellness app focused on making financial guidance accessible to everyone. Previously, he co-founded Hush, a privacy-focused company that gave people control over their digital footprint, backed by Greycroft, Detroit Venture Partners, ID Ventures, Google for Startups, and others. Before that, he served as VP of Operations at Integral, managing company operations while leading product development.
Throughout his career, Jaafar has focused on products at the intersection of emerging technology and human need. He's led product efforts at Ford Autonomous Vehicles & Mobility, May Mobility, and Bosch, working to make transportation technology more accessible and useful. Earlier, he launched multiple products at Open English's Innovation Labs and was selected for the Venture for America Fellowship in 2017, focused on creating economic opportunity in American cities. He also served as the first Community Lead for WeWork in Detroit.
Jaafar graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in Economics, Political Science, and Philosophy. His approach to technology reflects this interdisciplinary background—he's interested in building products that are not just functional, but thoughtful about their impact on how we live and work.
