I’m originally from Rio de Janeiro and now live in London. I work at Nettle, an early-stage AI company, where my role covers everything from building agents to developing and executing GTM strategy.
What I do
Over the last four years, I have taken on broad operating roles across commercial work, fundraising, company operations, hiring, and applied AI.
The scope has changed with the needs of each company. In practice, this has often meant taking ownership of an important problem without a clear owner and building the process, systems, and operating rhythm required to address it.
I enjoy the combination of working out what the problem actually is and then doing the practical work required to solve it.
After several years in broad operating roles, I am now spending more of my time on the commercial side: selling, developing GTM strategy, and building applied AI GTM systems.
Experience
My career so far has centered on three chapters: helping build Climate X from its Pre-seed to Series A stage, an attempt at starting my own business, and working at an AI native startup at Nettle.
Chief of Staff
I joined Nettle in January 2026, when we were still at the pre-seed stage. We build AI products for commercial insurers. I have worked on our commercial systems, hiring, investor reporting, financial planning, and internal agents. My role is now moving toward more direct responsibility for selling, delivery, and new commercial ideas.
Founder
I left Climate X in 2025 to try to build a company. Over five months, I ran discovery and built a working pre-MVP for what became Atrie, a company brain for early-stage teams. I stopped work pre-fundraising after deciding not to continue as a solo founder. A lot of lessons learned.
Business Development Manager → Founder’s Associate → Chief of Staff
I joined Climate X as employee 13 and its first Business Development Manager. I later became Founder’s Associate and then Chief of Staff. My work included fundraising, finance, company operations, people systems, and commercial projects. I project-managed the company’s $18 million Series A process with Google and spent two months in New York helping set up its first international office.
“Julio Othon was an exceptional Chief of Staff at Climate X – highly organized, trusted and respected, and someone who truly understands the grit and reality of startup life; being a core part of the team across everything from fundraising to US expansion.”
Lukky Ahmed ↗ · Co-founder and CEO, Climate X
Before full-time work
Before Climate X, I interned at Sylvera, Unrest, MOV Investimentos, Kraft Heinz, Brazil’s Mission to the WTO, and Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The work ranged from climate technology and venture investing to sales and international development.
My time at MOV Investimentos opened the door to tech startups. I fell in love with the pace and ambition of the environment and, over time, realized I would have more fun on the execution side. It is still where I can see myself spending the rest of my career.
Education
MSc Climate Change, Management, and Finance · 2021
MA (Hons) International Relations · 2020
Studied Law before moving to Scotland. Indefinitely deferred.
Outside work
I use this website for longer pieces and ideas I want to work through properly. Most will be about AI agents, operating early-stage companies, and whatever I am trying to understand at the time.
Read my essays →I build agents to solve problems my family and I have, including tools that help me manage my health and organize my day.
See my projects →I occasionally speak about startup operating roles and mentor people working on early-stage ideas.
Speaking and mentoring →Elsewhere