# Jason Langheier

> Jason Langheier is the founder, Chief Science Officer and a board director of Foodsmart, the company he founded as Zipongo in 2010 and led as CEO for fifteen years. Raised outside Buffalo and the first in his extended family to attend college, he studied at Williams, Duke and Harvard, co-founded Proventys and founded Fitness Forward before Foodsmart. His public accounts emphasize affordability, practical product design and collaborative company building.

- **Role:** Founder, Chief Science Officer and Board Director at Foodsmart
- **Organizations:** Foodsmart, Zipongo, Proventys, Fitness Forward, Synapticure, Partnership for a Healthier America
- **Education:** BA, Biology; neuroscience training, Williams College, University of Cambridge, MD, Duke University, MPH, Harvard University
- **Known for:** Founded Foodsmart and led it as CEO for fifteen years., Co-founded Proventys and served as Chief Technology Officer., Founded nonprofit Fitness Forward.

## Career timeline

- **2003** — Founded nonprofit Fitness Forward.
- **—** — Co-founded Proventys and served as Chief Technology Officer before founding Foodsmart.
- **2010** — Founded Zipongo, later known as Foodsmart, with Milo Krastev.
- **2011** — Zipongo announced its consumer food-deals launch on June 20.
- **2015** — Invited to speak at reTHINKFood at the Culinary Institute of America on November 7.
- **2017** — Named a Benefit Technology Innovator by Employee Benefit News and Employee Benefit Advisor.
- **2024** — Foodsmart announced a $200 million investment partnership with TPG’s Rise Fund.
- **2025** — On March 18, Foodsmart announced Kurt Knight as CEO; Langheier became Chief Science Officer and remained a board director.
- **2026** — Featured in TPG’s Partnerships in Focus interview, published February 4.

## Achievements

- Founded Foodsmart and led it as CEO for fifteen years.
- Co-founded Proventys and served as Chief Technology Officer.
- Founded nonprofit Fitness Forward.
- Received the 2017 Benefit Technology Innovator Award from Employee Benefit News and Employee Benefit Advisor.
- Led Foodsmart during its 2024 announcement of a $200 million investment partnership with TPG’s Rise Fund.
- Co-founder and Board Co-Chair at Synapticure, according to its leadership biography.

## Latest updates

- **2026-02** — TPG published a Partnerships in Focus interview with Langheier on February 4, discussing the Rise Fund partnership, talent attraction, brand credibility and AI innovation.
- **2025-03** — Foodsmart announced his transition from CEO to Chief Science Officer on March 18; he remained on the board.
- **2024-06** — Foodsmart announced a $200 million investment partnership with TPG’s Rise Fund.

## Links

- Website: https://foodsmart.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/langheier

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/jason-langheier
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-12