Michael FitzGerald

Yo, so you gotta hear about Michael FitzGerald. This guy’s a straight-up OG in the startup world, and his story is one hell of a ride. Dude’s a mix of writer, tech wiz, and entrepreneur all rolled into one. No joke.

Started back in the day as a novelist, yeah, he’s actually written a book called *Radiant*. But he’s not just about words; he’s a legit software guy too. Worked at ProClarity, which got snapped up by Microsoft, so he’s been in the game for a while and knows how to build stuff that sticks. That experience in the tech and publishing worlds? Total big change.

Fast forward, he jumps into startups, he’s been around the block with companies like Pinioneer, Counterpoint Press, Pyron Tech, and others. But the real deal drop? Co-founding Submittable in Missoula, Montana. Think of it like this: he and his crew, Bruce and John, saw a huge pain in how organizations handle digital submissions, whether it’s for grants, contests, publishing, whatever. They built this cloud platform that basically makes accepting and reviewing content super easy. And it’s not just some side project, these guys crushed it. They got into Y Combinator in 2012 (S12 batch), which is like the Harvard of startups, that’s a big deal.

From there, Submittable took off. They hit $1 million in revenue, created jobs in Missoula, and totally changed how organizations manage submissions online. It’s a classic startup success story, but what’s crazy is how FitzGerald’s background fueled it. Dude’s got publishing roots, a deep understanding of content, and a tech edge, that combo let him build something that really hits the pain points.

What does this all say about him? He’s someone who sees problems and jumps into them headfirst. He’s not afraid to switch gears, from novelist to software dev, from startup to giant tech company. His process shows he’s driven by a real desire to solve real problems, to create tools that actually make people’s lives easier. And he’s passionate about building things that matter, not just chasing the next shiny thing.

Bottom line? FitzGerald isn’t just another founder, he’s a creator who turned his diverse experiences into a significant platform. His story is about merging art and tech, seeing pain points others ignore, and actually doing something about it. No Cap, this guy’s a legit inspiration for anyone who thinks you gotta pick just one lane. He’s proof you can wear many hats and still crush it.