Ben Huffman is Co-Founder and CEO of Contra, a commission-free professional networking platform connecting independent workers with clients globally.

Ben grew up in South Carolina and moved to New York City where he worked as a music producer for Sony Music before founding his first company, Ripe, a corporate catering startup acquired by Hungry in 2020.

Ben was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 and is also a music producer and audio engineer. He became a power user on freelance platforms like Elance and Odesk, which inspired him to build Contra.

Contra has raised over $45 million from top investors including NEA, Unusual Ventures, and Cowboy Ventures. The platform has grown to over 1 million users and serves freelancers across design, engineering, marketing, and product development.

Contra operates as a commission-free platform allowing independent workers to keep 100% of their earnings, differentiating it from competitors like Upwork and Fiverr that charge up to 20% fees.