Sebastian Chedal

The Long Version

Sebastian Chedal founded Fountain City in 1998 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The company started as a web development studio during the first dot-com wave, building e-commerce systems and content platforms when most businesses were still debating whether they needed a website at all.

In 2008, the company relocated to Portland, Oregon. Over the next decade, Fountain City moved through every major technology shift: content management, mobile applications, cloud infrastructure, complex digital transformation projects. Each transition required learning a new discipline from scratch and then delivering production-grade work in it.

That range became the company’s defining characteristic. Fountain City has always been small by design, with Sebastian doing the work himself rather than managing from the sidelines. Strategy, creative direction, information architecture, database design, front-end development, project management, client relations. He has held every role in a digital agency over 27 years, not because of some intentional career plan, but because small studios require that kind of range.

It is also why the autonomous AI agents Fountain City builds today actually work. Understanding what “done well” looks like across every discipline in the chain, from research methodology to content voice to conversion optimization, means the agents get built by someone who has personally done the job they are replacing.

In 2024, Fountain City pivoted to an AI-first strategy. By 2026, the company was building autonomous agent systems for its own operations and for clients across multiple industries: professional services, e-commerce, media, and technology companies. Sebastian also co-founded TestFox.ai, an AI testing and validation company, in early 2025.

The work today focuses on a single question that Sebastian frames simply: How do you join the 20% of AI initiatives that succeed instead of the 80% that fail? The answer, based on 27 years of building technology systems, usually comes down to understanding the job before automating it.

Credentials & Expertise

Professional Experience

Founder & CEO, Fountain City
1998 – Present (27 years)

Technology studio building autonomous AI agent systems. Four distinct eras: web development and e-commerce (1998–2008), digital agency services (2008–2016), digital transformation consulting (2016–2024), and autonomous AI systems (2024–present).

Co-Founder, TestFox.ai
2025 – Present

AI testing and validation company providing comprehensive testing for conversational AI systems, autonomous agents, and AI-powered applications.

Serial Entrepreneur
4 companies founded across technology, digital services, and AI testing. Each grounded in technology serving business outcomes.

Core Competencies

AI Strategy & Implementation
Autonomous agent architecture, multi-agent orchestration, LLM integration, business process automation, AI readiness assessment

Technical Leadership
Full-stack development, information architecture, database design, cloud infrastructure (AWS), API design, system integration

Business & Creative Direction
Digital strategy, brand development, content operations, project management, client relations, go-to-market planning

Industry Focus
B2B professional services, e-commerce, media and content, technology companies, agency operations

Speaking & Thought Leadership

Sebastian speaks at industry conferences and on podcasts about autonomous AI, agentic development, and practical AI implementation for business leaders.

Speaking Topics

• Autonomous AI Agents in Production
• Agentic Software Development
• Strategic AI Implementation for Business Leaders
• AI Testing & Validation
• AI Change Management
• Why 80% of AI Projects Fail

Podcast Appearances

• Extrawai
• Neil Wilkins Podcast
• Pivoting to Web3
• AI Superwoman
• Fast + Light
• Abstract Essay

Interests & Perspectives

Outside the daily work of building agent systems, Sebastian maintains active interests in artificial consciousness, mathematics, astrophysics, fine art, music, and game design. These cross-disciplinary curiosities show up in his work: his approach to AI architecture often borrows from adjacent fields rather than staying inside the technology silo.

Work With Sebastian

Sebastian is available for autonomous AI agent builds, strategic advisory, and speaking engagements. Fountain City offers a 100% money-back guarantee on initial agent builds. ← Back to About Fountain City