Creator Upfronts Yatts

Simon John Armstrong is the visionary co-founder and CEO of Yatts, a groundbreaking marketplace revolutionizing the tattoo industry. By bridging the gap between artists, studios, and clients, Yatts is reimagining how tattoos are discovered, booked, and paid for by streamlining an entire culture through smart, user-first technology. What began as a bold idea is now a fast-growing platform gaining traction at tattoo conventions and within creative communities across the United States.

Currently a senior at Howard University studying Computer Science, Simon is anything but your typical student. He’s a Milken Institute HBCU Strategic Initiative Fellow and an AltFinance Fellow, where he digs deep into the intersection of finance, tech, and entrepreneurship building the toolkit to lead in both boardrooms and creator spaces. Simon’s resume already spans high-stakes finance, with experience in investment banking at Goldman Sachs and credit investing at Oaktree Capital Management’s flagship Global Opportunities group. But this entrepreneur’s interests go beyond the spreadsheet. As a proud member of Howard University Elite Models, Simon channels his passion for culture, creativity, and self-expression, values that also power his intersectional vision for Yatts.

At Blackweek, Simon will pull back the curtain on the real founder journey: from idea to launch, and from pitch to product. He’ll explore how evolving technology can empower artists, elevate culture, and fuel new forms of entrepreneurship all while championing Yatts as a modern platform that’s changing how tattoos are booked. Simon’s thought leadership is revolutionizing the ways in which artistic expression is valued, seen, and appreciated by an inspiring generation that is leading the charge on human-centered consumer experiences in the digital community age.