By Dr. James Stapleton

CEO, Codefi Foundation on Rural Innovation

A few weeks ago, someone asked Michael Seaman what was going on at Codefi. They hadn't heard much from us lately.

It was a fair question. Over the past couple of years, we took our programs statewide and rebuilt every one of them to be AI-native. We have been busy building. We have not been as good at telling people about it, especially here at home.

That is one reason I'm excited to share that Michael is stepping into a new role as Codefi's Chief Growth Officer.

From 1st50K winner to Entrepreneur in Residence

Michael co-founded Swipesum with his brother, Stephen, in 2016. Swipesum helps businesses make smarter, more transparent payment decisions, and it has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in the country.

Swipesum won Codefi's 1st50K startup competition in 2020. A few years later, Michael came back to give that help forward as our Entrepreneur in Residence, working one-on-one with founders in our programs. Michael and his family live in Cape Girardeau. He will continue to lead Swipesum, and he will now devote more of his time to Codefi.

What Michael will lead

Michael will lead our startup support, including the business side of Traction Studio AI. Traction Studio guides founders step by step, around the clock, from an early idea to real traction and scale. Michael already meets with many of the founders using it, and now he will help put it in front of many more.

He will also lead our AI services and custom software work for businesses. That ranges from setting up AI for a small team to building custom AI tools and software. This work matters beyond the projects themselves, because the revenue it earns for the Codefi Foundation helps fund free training for people across Missouri.

Finally, Michael will be a visible face for Codefi with business leaders across Southeast Missouri, and with the funders and investors who make our work possible.

Why a founder, and why now

Most of the founders we work with are doing something hard for the first time. They need someone who has been there, not someone who has only read about it. Michael has raised money, rebuilt a business model when the first one did not fit, and grown a team. He brings that experience to every conversation.

His role also lets me spend more of my time on statewide and national partnerships. That is how we bring what we build here to more communities, and how we sustain the work back home.

How to work with Michael

If you are a founder, start with Traction Studio AI, and our team will connect you with Michael. If you lead a business that wants to put AI to work, or you have a software project in mind, reach out to Michael directly at michael@codefiworks.com.

And if you have wondered what Codefi has been up to lately, the answer is a lot. Michael is going to make sure you hear about it.

Please join me in welcoming Michael to his new role.

Learn fast. Build right. Gain traction.