Ben Leventhal has spent the last two decades shaping the future of hospitality through innovation, technology, and a deep love for restaurants. He is the co-founder and former CEO of Resy, the restaurant reservation and technology platform acquired by American Express in 2019, and a two-time honoree on Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” list. Before that, Ben co-founded Eater, the groundbreaking digital media brand that transformed how people discover and engage with restaurants—acquired by Vox Media in 2013.

A proven entrepreneur, strategist, investor, and tastemaker, Ben has consistently been at the forefront of hospitality’s most transformative shifts. With his latest venture, Blackbird, he’s building the next great restaurant platform—one that reconnects independent restaurants with their most loyal diners by combining payments, loyalty, and access through cutting-edge technology.

Backed by a16z, Amex Ventures, Coinbase, and Spark Capital, Blackbird empowers restaurants to thrive on their own terms—and redefines loyalty as something earned, not bought. Through this work, Ben continues to elevate hospitality, champion restaurateurs, and set new standards for what modern dining can be.