Cambridge technology firm Featurespace has appointed Jason Blackhurst as its new CEO following a successful acquisition by global payments giant Visa in December.
Blackhurst takes over the leadership mantle from founding CEO Martina King, who is retiring after a twelve-year tenure that saw the company grow from a start-up to a leading provider of AI-powered fraud detection solutions.
Featurespace’s technology helps banks and financial institutions identify and prevent both existing and new forms of fraud in real-time. The company’s model is designed to adapt instantly to changing fraud patterns, making it a valuable asset in the increasingly sophisticated landscape of financial crime. Over 100,000 businesses currently rely on Featurespace’s technology.
Blackhurst joins Featurespace from Visa’s San Francisco Bay area offices, where he previously worked at Bank of America. He is relocating to Cambridge with his family to oversee the company’s continued innovation and growth.
James Mirfin, SVP, global head of Risk and Identity Solutions at Visa, emphasised the importance of both strong leadership and location in driving innovation. “We are thrilled to see Jason move to lead Featurespace and to have a Visa presence in Cambridge,” he said. “If you’re going to solve dynamic problems, you need dynamic leadership and relationships – and Featurespace has built that over the past 12 years.”
Blackhurst himself expressed enthusiasm for building on Featurespace’s existing foundations. “I am excited to build upon Featurespace’s strong foundations and drive further innovation in the rapidly evolving fraud prevention landscape,” he stated. He also paid tribute to King’s leadership, adding, “I have been inspired by how deeply the team thinks about problems and solutions under Martina’s leadership and hope to continue that legacy.”
In a further demonstration of its commitment to Cambridge, Featurespace has signed a six-year lease on its current head office location. This move reinforces the company’s longstanding ties with the University of Cambridge, where its foundational technology originated and signals Visa’s dedication to supporting the thriving Cambridge technology ecosystem.
“Cambridge is Featurespace’s innovation heartbeat,” explained Blackhurst. “Our continued presence here allows us to tap into the exceptional talent pool and collaborate closely with the University of Cambridge, ensuring we remain at the forefront of artificial intelligence’s advancement. This long-term lease demonstrates our dedication to the Cambridge community.” The company currently employs over 400 people across six global locations.
