João Wenzel

About

Product and engineering leader with over a decade of experience bridging R&D and product development. Catena Labs is building the first AI-native financial institution to provide the financial infrastructure and services AI systems need to conduct commerce. We’re giving AI agents the tools to identify themselves and use money safely and efficiently. At the same time, we’re providing businesses and consumers a trusted, licensed financial partner with the capability to manage risk and compliance. My approach combines technical depth with strategic vision, allowing me to dive into code and architectures while maintaining a keen focus on market needs and business strategy. This blend of skills has been honed through diverse experiences at industry leaders like Google, Netflix, Protocol Labs, and Jump Trading, where I've consistently brought innovative products to market by building scrappy teams and leading with data-driven insights. Prior to Catena Labs, I led product efforts at Jump Crypto, drove adoption of decentralized storage at Protocol Labs, and pioneered AI applications in content globalization at Netflix. At Google Research, I co-founded a team exploring large language models

Experience

Education