Mike Germano

About Mike Germano

My career has lived at the intersection of politics, culture, media, and technology, with a consistent focus on building early, scaling globally, and shaping how communities form around ideas.I began my professional life in public service, running for city council in Connecticut while still in college and being elected as one of the youngest officials in the country. The experience was formative, offering an early education in leadership, accountability, and how technology can reshape civic engagement.In 2005, I founded Carrot, one of the first social media agencies. What started with three people in a basement grew into a global firm working with brands including Ferrari, Rolex, Chipotle, Unilever, Facebook, Pepsi, Budweiser, Netflix, Home Depot, Red Bull, and the New York Yankees. Carrot received widespread recognition for both its culture and creative work, including Best Place to Work honors, Cannes Lions, and multiple Webby Awards.In 2013, Carrot was acquired by VICE Media and merged with their agency Virtue. I went on to serve as VICE’s first Chief Digital Officer. During my time there, I helped lead hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue, built out the VICE network, and played a role in pushing VICE into the top ten global media companies by traffic.I left VICE in 2018. After working continuously since starting my first company while still in college, I took a well earned break and traveled the world with my wife and kids. It was the best life decision I have ever made and one I highly recommend.I later became a partner at Space Pirates, a venture capital firm formed with my Carrot co founders, investing in startups including Away Suitcases, Cora, Robin, and several others that have since achieved successful exits.In 2021, I joined BTC Inc to help scale Bitcoin Magazine and the Bitcoin Conference. During my time there, Bitcoin Magazine evolved from a blog into a global media company. We relaunched the print publication, built a subscription business with Bitcoin Magazine Pro, produced large scale live broadcasts with millions of viewers, expanded operations across Japan, Switzerland, Ukraine, and Amsterdam, and delivered some of the most innovative marketing campaigns in the Bitcoin industry.In 2025, I became President of PubKey, focusing on the cultural side of Bitcoin. PubKey operates as a bar, event space, and media studio, serving as a cultural home for Bitcoin builders, creators, and the broader community.And locally, I am best known as the head coach of the Sparta travel softball team.That is still the role I take the most pride in.

Experience

1. Partner

   Space Pirates

   Jan 2013 — Present · Brooklyn, NY, US

   Angel Investments IncludeRobin PoweredAwayCoraCubcoatsDash (Acquired by Reserve)Prolific (Acquired by WeWorkThe Good Ones (Creator of the Gravity Blanket)Clipisode (Acquired by Wordpress)

Education

• Quinnipiac University

  BS, Marketing

  2001 — 2005

Skills

• Entrepreneurship
• Public Speaking
• Advertising
• Facebook
• Blogging
• Marketing
• Digital Strategy
• Leadership
• Digital Media
• Social Media
• Public Relations
• Media Relations
• Digital Marketing
• Start-Ups
• Social Media Marketing
• Online Advertising
• Political Consulting
• Social Networking
• Social Media Measurement
• New Media
• Email Marketing
• Politics