After 17 years of building the company from scratch, the founder of FusionAuth has stepped down as CEO to transition into the role of Chief Technology Officer, bringing in Brian Bell as the new CEO to lead the company through its next phase of growth. The company began with a product called Cleanspeak, but pivoted to FusionAuth, an authentication platform, after initial ventures did not scale as expected. FusionAuth gained rapid adoption from developers, achieving substantial revenue growth without external funding until late 2023. To continue its trajectory, the company required a leader experienced in scaling businesses, which Bell, with his background in developer tools and identity, was seen to provide. The founder intends to focus on technical innovation and product development in his new role, ensuring FusionAuth remains a leader in customer identity solutions.