# Jim Fowler

> Jim Fowler is the co-founder and former CEO of Owler, founder and former CEO of Jigsaw, and founder and CEO of RealHumans. A former U.S. Navy diving and salvage officer and Lookout Pass ski-area owner, he built businesses around community-contributed information. Salesforce acquired Jigsaw in 2010; Meltwater acquired Owler in 2021. His current nonprofit applies human verification to online identity.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at RealHumans
- **Organizations:** RealHumans, Owler, InfoArmy, Jigsaw, Lookout Pass, United States Navy
- **Education:** University of Colorado Boulder
- **Known for:** Built Jigsaw, acquired by Salesforce in 2010., Co-founded Owler, acquired by Meltwater in 2021., Jigsaw reported more than 1.2 million members and over 21 million professional records in April 2010.

## Career timeline

- **—** — Graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder and served as a U.S. Navy diving and salvage officer.
- **—** — Owned and operated Lookout Pass ski area in northern Idaho.
- **early 1990s** — Moved into Silicon Valley technology sales.
- **2003** — Co-founded Jigsaw.
- **2010** — Salesforce acquired Jigsaw; completion was announced May 10.
- **2011** — Co-founded InfoArmy, the company that became Owler.
- **2014** — Launched Owler following a change in the InfoArmy model.
- **2018** — Announced Tim Harsch as CEO and his own move to executive chairman on August 27.
- **2021** — Meltwater announced its agreement to acquire Owler for $24.5 million; Owler confirms acquisition in mid-2021.
- **2025** — RealHumans foundation was founded; its team lists Fowler as founder and CEO.

## Achievements

- Built Jigsaw, acquired by Salesforce in 2010.
- Co-founded Owler, acquired by Meltwater in 2021.
- Jigsaw reported more than 1.2 million members and over 21 million professional records in April 2010.
- Completed bicycle journeys from Cairo to Cape Town and from Cartagena to Ushuaia.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — As checked in October 2026, RealHumans lists Jim Fowler as Founder & CEO and RealHuman #1. This is a current-status verification, not an announced appointment date.
- **2021-06** — Meltwater announced a $24.5 million agreement to acquire Owler.
- **2018-08** — Fowler announced the Owler CEO transition to Tim Harsch and his move to executive chairman.

## Links

- Website: https://www.realhumans.org/team
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jifowler
- Twitter/X: https://x.com/fowlinator

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/jim-fowler
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-23