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How It Works • Entrepreneur

Ben Pasternak

Ben Pasternak is an Australian technology entrepreneur known for founding and co-founding consumer internet and food-tech startups.

Updated July 31, 20261 min readCited sources

Ben Pasternak is an Australian technology entrepreneur who first gained attention for teen-focused apps. He later co-founded Simulate, the company behind the plant-based nugget NUGGS.

Early apps and startups

Pasternak, born in Sydney in 1999, built his first mobile game Impossible Rush before founding Flogg, a social shopping app, and Monkey, a video-chat app for teenagers. These ventures made him a well-known figure in the startup world.

Simulate and NUGGS

He co-founded Simulate, a U.S. food technology company that produces NUGGS, a plant-based chicken nugget. The company attracted backing from Canadian food giant McCain Foods, linking it to the Canadian market.

Later ventures and controversy

Pasternak also founded Believe, a cryptocurrency project that has faced investor litigation. This added a controversial element to his profile as a high-profile internet entrepreneur.

In short

  • Australian tech entrepreneur born in 1999.
  • Founded apps Impossible Rush, Flogg, and Monkey.
  • Co-founded Simulate, maker of plant-based NUGGS.
  • Later cryptocurrency project Believe involved in litigation.
Canadian angle

Ben Pasternak’s ventures, especially Simulate, intersect with Canadian readers through the plant-based food sector and cross-border startup and investment coverage. One search result also notes backing from Canadian food company McCain Foods for an earlier stage of Simulate’s development.

Quick questions

Who is Ben Pasternak?
An Australian technology entrepreneur known for founding consumer apps and co-founding Simulate.
What is Ben Pasternak best known for?
Co-founding Simulate and earlier apps Monkey and Flogg.
What is Simulate?
A U.S. food tech company co-founded by Pasternak, known for its plant-based nugget NUGGS.

Sources

  1. Wikipediahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Pasternak
    Supports: Birth date, Australian nationality, co-founding Simulate, founding Monkey, and involvement with Believe.
  2. Wikipedia (French)https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Pasternak
    Supports: Australian technology entrepreneur, co-founder of Simulate, and founder of Monkey.
  3. All American Speakershttps://www.allamericanspeakers.com/celebritytalentbios/Ben+Pasternak/447350
    Supports: Australian technology entrepreneur, co-founder and CEO of Simulate, and description of Monkey.
  4. Shenzhen Dailyhttp://www.szdaily.com/content/2019-11/27/content_22661226.htm
    Supports: Simulate/NUGGS description and Canadian food giant McCain Foods as a lead investor.
  5. Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q28935437
    Supports: Identity as Australian technology entrepreneur born in 1999.