Meet Jon Godbout, a Colby alum turned entrepreneur and co-founder of Prospector. His career has spanned from globally impactful roles at IBM to pioneering AI in the mining industry, offering a wealth of insights from his journey in technology and entrepreneurship.

Childhood

Jon’s journey starts in his hometown of Biddeford, Maine. A predominantly French-Canadian and Catholic town, it wasn’t till Jon came to Colby that he was exposed to a diverse array of cultures and religions. Reflecting on his time at Colby, Jon said “I think there are a lot of students at Colby who haven’t had that world experience. There are great opportunities to [expose students to new ideas] through the Halloran Lab and faculty also have cool projects on campus.” During his time at Colby, Jon majored in economics with a focus on international development, majors that provided a strong foundation for his understanding of how to get involved and make an impact on a global scale. 

After College 

After College Jon started his professional career working for IBM. His first major engagement was working at the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO) focused on economic stabilization in Iraq and Afghanistan. The group aimed to encourage foreign direct investment and economic development as means of counter insurgency strategy. This experience was pivotal in broadening his perspective on international development and global entrepreneurship.

After his time at the Pentagon, Jon began continued work at IBM while supporting government and fortune 500 clients. While there he was part of Echoing Green, an organization that supports socially conscious startups. This group gave Jon the opportunity to organize conversations with founders where members of the organization could gather, eat pizza, and problem solve together. Notably, he formed a close friendship with Zubaida Bai, the founder of a company called Ayzh, which sells low-cost birthing kits in developing countries, aiming to improve maternal health and accessibility to birthing resources.

The skills Jon developed in his early career proved useful when he went on to found Prospector with Emily King. The Colby vs. Bowdoin jokes must have been in good spirits, because the two worked well together and were able to leverage AI to create the first searchable digital database for mining technical data from public disclosure documents. Prospector was game-changing as it modernized the way geologists, researchers and investors access mining information. 

Key Attributes for Success 

The key attributes Jon emphasized in the successful navigation of the entrepreneurial landscape are the desire to learn, flexibility, and empathetic intelligence. Jon’s desire to learn diverse perspectives is what led to his work at the Pentagon. His flexibility allowed him to work with a host of different entrepreneurs with novel ideas in Echoing Green. 

For students looking to develop their professional toolkit, Jon recommends focusing on flexibility, independent problem-solving, and the ability to handle “messy data,” as these skills are increasingly relevant in a data-driven environment. 

He emphasizes the importance of keeping an open mind and treating every opportunity as a learning experience. 

Mentorship Style

As a mentor, Jon seeks to provide students a space where they can freely explore ideas, test them, and return for discussions that foster development. 

Some helpful suggestions from Jon: 

“Trust your instinct and focus on empathetic intelligence,” which is crucial for identifying market gaps and designing products that resonate with users’ needs.

“No idea is too outrageous, and your first idea is very likely not going to be the idea that sticks.” Colby entrepreneurs should be open to pivoting and redefining their ideas to respond to an ever-changing market.

“It’s better to focus on something that a few people love, then what a lot of people like.” On why niche markets are worth getting into. 

“Always look for ways to work with other people around you,” On collaboration and how it can lead to the discovery of new opportunities and foster the growth of your venture. 

For even more information on Jon visit his website.

Interview by Victoria Melehov ’25