Executive Overview
Kieran O'Reilly is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) and Co-Founder of Knot, a New York-based technology company specialized in merchant connectivity and payment solutions. O'Reilly has held this executive role since August 1, 2022, and is a pivotal figure in leading Knot's product and technical vision as the company rapidly scales. His career demonstrates sustained leadership in developing digital platforms designed to enhance connectivity and streamline user experiences within the financial and consumer technology sectors.
Professional Experience
Current Role
Knot
- Title: Chief Technology Officer, Co-Founder
- Start Date: August 2022 – Present
- Location: New York, United States
- Key Focus:
- Leads technology strategy and product innovation.
- Drives company’s mission to build seamless connected banking experiences and advance proprietary products such as CardSwitcher™, TransactionLink™, AgenticShopping™, AccountUpdater™, and MassSwitcher™.
- Instrumental in developing Knot’s API-driven platform, addressing card-on-file switching, subscription management, and account updater use cases.
- Company Overview:
- Headquarters: New York City
- Founded: 2020/2021 (noted as both in different reputable sources)
- Co-Founders: Kieran O'Reilly (CTO) and Rory O'Reilly (CEO)
- Funding Stage: Series A
- Investor Backing: Notable participation from firms like Nava Ventures, as well as support from American Express.
- Employee Growth:
- 17.24% headcount growth in the last six months
- 21.43% growth over the previous twelve months
- Current Size: 11–50 employees
- Product/Market Position:
- Knot positions itself as the first merchant connectivity platform offering automated payment card updating, subscription cancellation, and password changes for hundreds of online merchant accounts.
- Recent high-profile product announcements include the launch of TransactionLink™, enabling merchants and banking partners instant access to SKU-level transaction data.
Prior Roles
Millions (Dec 2020 – Nov 2024)
- Co-Founder, CTO
- Led technological vision for a financial technology platform, with ongoing focus on leveraging technical innovation for user benefit.
gifs.com (Jun 2014 – Aug 2021)
- Co-Founder, CTO
- Responsible for development of GIF creation and sharing tools, scaling the platform for broader digital communication engagement.
Thiel Foundation / Thiel Fellow (Jul 2015)
- Participated in the Thiel Fellowship, recognized for entrepreneurial potential and commitment to innovation.
Education
- Harvard University (2013 – 2014)
- Program: Bachelor of Science (BS)
- No specific field of study listed
- Withdrew to focus on entrepreneurial initiatives
Additional Insights
- Professional Network:
- 500+ connections on LinkedIn, indicating strong industry and peer relationships.
- Active social media presence, including X (formerly Twitter), with 645+ followers; shares thought leadership and product updates relevant to fintech and startup communities.
- Strategic Impact:
O'Reilly’s consistent selection of CTO and co-founding roles highlights a persistent pattern of technical leadership and a track record of building scalable, next-generation digital infrastructure. Notably, under his technical leadership, Knot has seen tangible, rapid organizational growth and robust product-market fit, demonstrated by both employee expansion and the rollout of advanced connectivity solutions.
- Notable Associations:
- Executive team member alongside brother Rory O'Reilly (CEO) at Knot, both recognized for bold fintech innovation and previously spotlighted by major industry observers for building high-growth ventures.
- Recognition:
- Cited in credible industry sources and press reports (e.g., CBS News feature on tech founders).
- Known in NYC fintech ecosystems as a driver of future-forward financial APIs and user-centric developer tools.
Contact and Financials
- Primary Location: New York, United States
- Verified Email: kie@kno.com
- Mobile Contact: 95036
- Estimated Net Worth: Approximately $0 – $60 million (₹0 – ₹500+ Cr), grounded in equity and prior exits.
Company: Knot Overview
- Founded: 2020/2021
- Key Offerings: API for payment card-on-file updates, subscription cancellation, account updater tools, transaction detail enrichment.
- Clients & Use Cases: Personal banking, business banking, merchants, Banking-as-a-Service (BaaS) providers, and developers.
- Market Position: Rapidly emerging fintech, recognized for solving the default card-on-file challenge and friction associated with online payment management.
- Recent Momentum:
- Continued product launches (e.g., TransactionLink™)
- High-profile backers and rapid headcount expansion
- Strong reputation for security, developer experience, and partnerships with leading financial institutions
Kieran O'Reilly’s professional journey, marked by foundational tech leadership, serial entrepreneurship, and a Harvard pedigree, reflects focused expertise in building transformative, API-driven financial infrastructure. His role at Knot places him at the center of merchant connectivity innovation, underpinned by significant investor confidence and consistent organizational growth.
