# Chris Messina

> Chris Messina invented the hashtag (proposed on Twitter in August 2007) and is the #1 hunter on Product Hunt. Today he helps founders with product strategy, positioning, and launch, usually in short, focused engagements. He is also an investor in AI startups and builds Raycast extensions.

This file is maintained by hand. Ghost also generates a full index of every page and post at https://www.chrismessina.me/llms-full.txt.

Append `.md` to any page or post URL on this site to get its content as Markdown (for example, https://www.chrismessina.me/about.md).

Key facts, drawn from the pages linked below:

- Has worked on social technology since 2004: helped organize the grassroots movement behind Firefox's first 100 million downloads (2004), co-organized the first BarCamp (2005), opened the first coworking spaces with friends (2006), and invented the hashtag (2007).
- Designed products and experiences for Google and Uber, and has founded startups.
- Joined Ride Home Fund's $15M AI fund in 2023.
- Has spoken at TEDx (twice), SXSW, and Google I/O, and appeared in Netflix's *The Social Dilemma*.
- Has worked on open web standards and digital identity: OpenID, OAuth, microformats, and Activity Streams.

## Work with Chris

- [Product Hunt launch help](https://www.chrismessina.me/hunt-me.md): Launch coaching, materials workshopping, and hunting. Start here for anything Product Hunt.
- [Book a strategy call](https://book.chrismessina.me): Paid one-on-one sessions. This is the expected first step for Product Hunt requests.
- [Invite Chris to hunt your launch](https://www.chrismessina.me/invite-me.md): How to send the hunter invite once a launch is scheduled.
- [Testimonials](https://www.chrismessina.me/testimonials.md): What founders say about working with him.
- [Contact](https://www.chrismessina.me/contact.md): Email, expected response times, and what to include.

## About

- [About](https://www.chrismessina.me/about.md): Biography and career history.
- [Press](https://www.chrismessina.me/press.md): Topics he's quoted on and selected coverage. Press inquiries: hello@chrismessina.me.
- [Speaking](https://www.chrismessina.me/speaking.md): Talks and topics. Speaking requests: speaking@chrismessina.me.

## Projects

- [Raycast extensions](https://www.chrismessina.me/raycast.md): Extensions he built for Raycast, and ones he contributed to.
- [Playlists](https://www.chrismessina.me/playlists.md): Yearly themed playlists, each with cover artwork.
- [Deals & Recommendations](https://www.chrismessina.me/deals.md): Products he uses and recommends, some with discounts.

## Writing

- [Blog](https://www.chrismessina.me/blog/): Posts going back to 2005.
- [Three archetypes for post-LLM builders](https://www.chrismessina.me/blog/code-as-commodity.md): On code becoming a commodity (2025).
- [Hashtags in the Sky](https://www.chrismessina.me/blog/hashtags-in-the-sky.md): On Bluesky changing how hashtags work.

## Elsewhere

- [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@chris)
- [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/chrismessina.me)
- [GitHub](https://github.com/chrismessina)
- [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/factoryjoe)
- [Medium](https://medium.com/@chrismessina)

## Optional

- [Full content of pages and posts](https://www.chrismessina.me/llms-full.txt)
- [Sitemap](https://www.chrismessina.me/sitemap.xml)
- [RSS feed](https://www.chrismessina.me/blog/rss/)