From Bethel to blockchain: how Carter Woetzel is shaping finance’s future
By Macey Heath, social media content specialist
September 04, 2025 | 8:35 a.m.
Carter Woetzel '21
When Carter Woetzel ’21 first stepped onto Bethel University’s campus, the place already felt familiar. Three of his siblings had attended Bethel, and he had spent years hearing their stories about professors who cared deeply, a campus community that felt like family, and opportunities that inspired bold thinking. But familiarity wasn’t the only draw. For Woetzel, his decision to come to Bethel was the intersection of academics and faith.
“I had the chance to run track and cross country, which I loved,” he says. “And when I realized I could pursue both computer science and business here, that sealed it. Bethel was the one place that offered all of that in an environment that felt like home.”
By the time Woetzel arrived as a first-year student, he was already ahead of the curve. At Blaine High School, he had been part of the STEM program, taking rigorous college courses and graduating with 57 college credits already earned. He was also active in Business Professionals of America, a national organization that fosters leadership and career skills. That combination of technical training and business exposure created a unique dilemma for his future studies: Should he major in computer science or business? “When I sat down with a Bethel enrollment counselor, I learned I could do both,” Woetzel says. “That conversation changed everything.”
He chose to pursue a B.S. in computer science, a B.A. in business with an emphasis in finance, and a minor in mathematics. It was an ambitious academic load, but Woetzel thrived on the challenge. “I think I would have been bored if I wasn’t pushing myself,” he says. “Bethel gave me space to take on a lot, and I loved it.”
While at Bethel
Throughout his time at Bethel, Woetzel found professors who not only taught him the material but also shaped his perspective on leadership, problem-solving, and integrity. In the Department of Business, Professor Brian Holland left a lasting impression. “Brian did an incredible job teaching us to love how businesses work,” Woetzel says. “He helped me see the science behind business operations and the systems that make companies thrive.” On the computer science side, Professors Nathan Gossett and Deborah Thomas challenged Woetzel with some of the department’s most difficult courses. “Nathan built the technical foundation I rely on today to lead teams of computer scientists,” Woetzel says. “Deborah was such an encouragement—she pushed me to see what I was capable of.”
He also worked as a computer science tutor under Patrice Conrath. “Patrice is a trooper,” he says. “Her faith, her work ethic, her genuine care for students—those are the kinds of qualities that stick with you.”
During the summer after his sophomore year, Woetzel was working at Bethel’s IT help desk when his cousin, a fellow Bethel alum, introduced him to blockchain technology—an innovative way of securely recording and sharing digital information across a decentralized network, without relying on a single authority like a bank or government. Intrigued, Woetzel began exploring the concept, reading everything he could find and taking detailed notes. “By the end of the summer, I had 40 pages of notes,’ he says. ‘At some point I realized, maybe this is a book.”
— Carter Woetzel '21
That realization led to two and a half years of writing Building Confidence in Blockchain, which was published in the spring of 2020. Woetzel’s goal was to create a resource that bridged the gap between highly technical blockchain literature and investment-focused material. “I wanted the average person to be able to read, understand, and enjoy it,” he says. The writing process was rigorous. “My publisher had multiple editors and revisionists. It was humbling to have entire chapters sent back for rewrites,” Woetzel says. “It taught me to accept feedback and see writing as a team effort.” He credits Bethel’s humanities courses for honing his communication skills. “They taught me how to explain complex ideas in a way people can understand. That skill has been invaluable working in the tech industry.”
Setbacks into opportunities
Woetzel secured an internship the summer of his junior year, but one day before it was set to start, the opportunity was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was a gut punch,” he says. “I needed that internship to complete my business credits. Suddenly I was scrambling.” He found a short-term role in solar sales to meet the credit requirement, but the experience was far from ideal. “I was cold-calling people in the middle of a pandemic,” he says. “It wasn’t where I wanted to be.”
With his hours completed by June, Woetzel faced two open months. “I was doing delivery jobs just to pay the bills,” he says. “It was a low point. But I remember calling my mom and deciding I wasn’t going to waste the rest of the summer. I was going to build something.” That decision set the stage for his next chapter. “I had nothing to lose,” he says. “God was faithful in that season. Losing the internship felt like a setback, but it was actually the opening I needed.”
That summer, Woetzel began laying the groundwork for a blockchain infrastructure company. By late 2021—just months after graduating—he had raised $5 million in venture funding. The company operated “nodes,” computers that help maintain blockchain networks, and later expanded to building applications for lending, borrowing, and cryptocurrency trading. At its peak, the team included eight Bethel alumni. “It was amazing to bring in people I knew from Bethel—people of faith, people I trusted,” Woetzel says. “That shared foundation made a huge difference in how we worked together.”
Woetzel speaking at conference
— Carter Woetzel '21
Still becoming
Today, Woetzel’s work takes him across the globe. He has traveled to New York, Dubai, Thailand, and Morocco for conferences and client meetings. His customer base spans continents, with more clients in Europe than in the United States. “Travel has expanded my perspective,” he says. “Business doesn’t just happen in your backyard—it happens everywhere. Bethel prepared me to think globally and serve people from all cultures.”
Woetzel sees blockchain as a technology that will shape the future of finance by making transactions faster, more transparent, and less expensive. “Imagine sending a million dollars from the U.S. to Asia in six seconds for a penny,” he says. “That’s the power of blockchain.”
He is candid about the challenges of leading a startup in a volatile industry. “There have been a lot of highs and a lot of lows,” he says. “But through it all, God has been faithful.” He points to his Bethel experience as a key source of resilience. “At Bethel, I was surrounded by people who encouraged me to live out my faith in every part of life,” he says. “That doesn’t just go away after graduation—it’s something I carry into every decision.”
When asked what he would say to current Bethel students, Woetzel’s answer is immediate: “Go create value for free. Find something you care about and start solving problems. The world rewards people who take initiative.” He emphasizes that opportunities often come from unexpected places. “I didn’t plan to write a book. I didn’t plan to start a company during a pandemic. But when you stay curious and take action, amazing things can happen.”
Looking back, Woetzel sees Bethel as the place that integrated all the elements of his journey—academic rigor, faith formation, mentorship, and a supportive community. “Who you are and who you’re becoming matters,” he says. “Bethel prepared me for both the professional challenges and the personal mission I live out today.”
Woetzel’s journey—from driven student to published author, startup founder, and global traveler—reflects the transformation Bethel seeks to inspire in graduates: leaders who step into a changing world with intelligence, integrity, and faith. And his story isn’t finished. “This industry is evolving every day,” Woetzel says. “I’ll be here, learning, building, and serving—because that’s what Bethel prepared me to do.”
Study business and computer science at Bethel.
At Bethel, our majors prepare you for more than a career—they prepare you to make an impact. In the Business major, you’ll gain the tools for success and learn how to influence the world for good. In the Computer Science major, you’ll become fluent in computing technology and build skills that set you up for graduate school and beyond.